Brooksville Army Airfield

Brooksville Army Airfieldd, was a World War II United States Army Air Force airfield, located southwest of Brooksville, Florida.

History

The faciltiy was opened in November 1942 by the United States Army Air Forces. Constructed on 2,014 acres offered by the town as Brooksville Army Airfield, it was used as part of the Air University's Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) tactical combat simulation school in Central and Northern Florida. It was assigned as a sub-base to the Orlando Army Air Base, with Brooksville AAF being used as bomber training base.

Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics

Operations at this field began in November 1942 with the arrival of the 1st Bombardment Squadron. which was transferred from the 9th Bombardment Group at Orlando, equipped with B-17 Flying Fortress. The 1st Bomb Squadron engaged in advanced combat training for aircrews, flying mock combat missions against fighters of the 50th Fighter Group based at Orlando. In early 1944, the 1st Bomb Squadron was reassigned to Texas, where it began training as a B-29 Superfortress squadron, destined for Twentieth Air Force in the Pacific Theater.

In early 1944, the 5th, 99th and 430th Bomb Squadrons were also sent to Brooksville from Orlando. The 5th, equipped with B-24 Liberators; 99th with B-25 Mitchells and 430th with B-26 Marauder medium bombers. All of these squadrons were moved out to Texas in February along with the 1st Bomb Squadron. Their aircraft were left at Brooksville.

Third Air Force

With the move of the 9th Bombardment Group squadrons, jurisdiction of Brooksville AAF was transferred from Training Command to III Bomber Command, stationed at MacDill Field near Tampa. In late 1943, when Second Air Force began transitioning to B-29 Superfortress training, the B-17 mission returned to MacDill. Brooksville then became an auxiliary of MacDill Field and also Drew Army Airfield. The medium bomber training mission was moved from MacDill to Brooksville and the B-17s formerly of AAFSAT were used by training crews from both MacDill and Drew for Replacement Crew Training.

In an administrative reorganization by HQ Army Air Force, on 1 May 1944, numbered training units in the Zone of the Interior (ZI) (Continental United States) were re-designated as "Army Air Force Base Units". At Brooksville, the 377th Army Air Forces Base Unit was activated for operational training as well as station management.

The bomber crews from Brooksville regularly made practice runs to Avon Park Bombing Range and Osprey Bombing Range. A tactical bombing school operated under the direction of AAFSAT from Orlando remained with the aircrews flying missions as part of the school.

Closure

With the end of hostilities, Third Air Force sent down orders to close the facility. Jurisdiction of the airfield was transferred to Air Technical Service Command (ATSC), whose mission was the transfer of any useful military equipment to other bases around the country. Under ATSC, buildings and equipment were sold and any useful military equipment was transferred to other bases around the country. The base was declared as surplus and was turned over to the War Assets Administration (WAA) for disposal and return to civil use.

Brooksville AAF became the Hernando County Airport in late 1945. Only a large concrete bunker (approximately 25’ x 100’), used in testing and alignment of aircraft machine guns, remains from WWII.

Major units assigned

• 1st Bombardment Squadron, 15 December 1942-25 February 1944
• 99th Bombardment Squadron, 5 January-25 February 1944
• 430th Bombardment Squadron, 6 January-25 February 1944
• 5th Bombardment Squadron, 7 January-13 February 1944
• 377th Army Air Forces Base Unit, 1 June 1944-30 June 1945

See also

• Florida World War II Army Airfields
• Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics

References

• Maurer, Maurer (ed.). Combat Squadrons of the Air Force: World War II. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1982 ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
• Maurer, Maurer (ed.), Air Force Combat Units of World War II, History and Insignia, USAF Historical Divisio, Washington, DC, 1961 (reprint 1983) ISBN 0-89201-092-4
• Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.
• World War II airfields database: Florida
• AFHRA Brooksville Army Airfield