Great Bend Army Air Field

Great Bend Army Air Field
Name	Great Bend Army Air Field
Location	Barton County, Kansas
Coordinates	38°22′N 98°48′W
Type	Army Air Field
Built	1942
Used	1943–1946
Controlledby	United States Army Air Forces
Garrison	Second Air Force

Great Bend Army Air Field Great Bend Army Air Field was a United States Army Air Forces training base constructed near Great Bend, Kansas during World War II. Established to support the strategic bombing campaign in the Pacific Theater and the European Theater of Operations, the airfield hosted bomber crew training, maintenance, and personnel staging. It became a hub for heavy bomber operations tied to Second Air Force doctrine, contributing trained aircrews for units such as the 451st Bombardment Group and the 492nd Bombardment Group.

History

Construction began in 1942 as part of a nationwide expansion following directives from the War Department and guidance from the Army Air Forces Training Command. The site selection near Great Bend, Kansas aimed to leverage proximity to existing rail lines such as the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and roadways linking to Kansas City, Missouri, Wichita, Kansas, and Hutchinson, Kansas. Engineers collaborated with contractors associated with the United States Army Corps of Engineers and civil firms influenced by earlier projects at Salt Lake City Army Air Base and Bolling Field. The initial build paralleled other fields like Kimberly Army Airfield and Davis-Monthan Field in scope, reflecting strategic priorities set by General Henry H. Arnold and planners from the Air Transport Command.

Throughout 1943–1944 the airfield expanded runways, hangars, and barracks while hosting units reassigned from bases including Pueblo Army Air Base and Mather Field. Training curricula incorporated lessons from the Ploesti Raid aftermath and tactics developed during the Battle of Midway and Battle of the Atlantic, adapting heavy bomber doctrine codified by leaders from Eighth Air Force and Fifth Air Force. Postwar drawdown followed broader demobilization policies outlined at conferences like Potsdam Conference and directives from President Harry S. Truman.

Facilities and Infrastructure

The complex featured multiple concrete runways, hardstands, steel-framed hangars akin to those at Lockheed Plant Burbank, maintenance shops influenced by Northrop Corporation practices, and a control tower patterned after Willow Run Airport designs. Support structures included mess halls, motor pools servicing Jeep and Marmon-Herrington vehicles, medical facilities staffed with personnel trained in procedures developed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and fire stations equipped with apparatus similar to those at Langley Field. Utilities connected to regional suppliers like Kansas Power and Light Company and mirrored logistical arrangements used at Arsenal of Democracy plants. The airfield depot stored ordinance and fuel managed under protocols from Army Service Forces and the Quartermaster Corps.

Training and Operations

Operational emphasis centered on training crews for the B-29 Superfortress and earlier models such as the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator. Syllabi included navigation exercises using techniques from Royal Air Force training, bombardier instruction referencing devices like the Norden bombsight, and gunnery practice inspired by experiences of crews from Eighth Air Force missions over Germany. Flight operations coordinated with range facilities comparable to Manzano Gunnery Range and used instrument procedures similar to those at Mitchel Field. Aircrew rotation patterns resembled deployments to theaters where units supported campaigns such as the Marianas Campaign and operations against targets in Japan.

Units and Personnel

The stationing roster encompassed numbered bombardment groups and support squadrons transferred through the Air Technical Service Command pipeline. Airmen included commissioned officers trained at Maxwell Field and enlisted men processed through replacement centers patterned after the Sheppard Field system. Leadership often liaised with figures who had served in commands including Eighth Air Force, Fifteenth Air Force, and staff officers with backgrounds from Army Air Forces Training Command. Technical personnel included mechanics familiar with engines by Wright Aeronautical and avionics teams trained using curricula developed at Ohio State University aviation programs.

Postwar Use and Closure

Following Victory over Japan Day and reductions ordered by War Department demobilization policies, the airfield saw rapid deactivation. Excess property was transferred under procedures administered by the Surplus Property Act and coordinated with agencies such as the War Assets Administration. Buildings and runways were repurposed or removed, with portions converted to civilian aviation uses akin to transitions at Morrison Field and Geiger Field. Local authorities in Barton County, Kansas negotiated conveyance for municipal redevelopment, paralleling postwar conversions at Great Falls Municipal Airport and Topeka Regional Airport.

Legacy and Commemoration

Remnants of the airfield influenced regional heritage projects and memorials honoring Air Force veterans and Tuskegee Airmen-era narratives. Museums and historical societies in Kansas and institutions like the National World War II Museum and Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum reference operations similar to those conducted at the field. Commemorative efforts include plaques, preservation of hangar foundations, and educational programs connected with Kansas State Historical Society and local veterans' groups associated with organizations such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Academic studies from universities including Kansas State University and Emporia State University have documented the field's role within the broader United States home front mobilization.

Category:Closed United States Army Airfields in Kansas Category:World War II airfields in the United States Category:Barton County, Kansas