Dodge City Army Airfield
Part of Army Air Forces Flying Training Command
Fairview Township, Ford County, near Dodge City, Kansas
Dodge City Army Airfield - 2006 USGS photo
Coordinates	37°47′53.01″N 100°07′00.17″W / 37.7980583°N 100.1167139°W / 37.7980583; -100.1167139
Type	Military airfield
Site information
Controlled by	United States Army Air Forces
Site history
Built	1942
In use	1942-1945

Dodge City AAF

Location of Dodge City Army Airfield, Kansas

Dodge City Army Airfield (also known as Ford County Airport) is an abandoned airfield located in Ford County, 6 miles (9.7 km) northwest of Dodge City, Kansas.

The Dodge City Chamber of Commerce, through its president, Jess C. Denious, was active during early 1942 in encouraging the government to locate an airfield in Dodge City. Mr. Denious, editor of the Dodge City Daily Globe, and lieutenant governor of Kansas, 1943-1947, made several trips to Washington to interview the appropriate authorities. In order to demonstrate the advantages of the locality, Denious had compiled considerable information on such things as weather, terrain, and utilities.

The first public announcement of the government's intention to construct an airfield at Dodge City was made on 10 June 1942. The purpose of the field, as stated at the time, was to provide bomber training for the Royal Air Force. However, nothing further was heard of this, and the base was scheduled to be an advanced flying school, so that its original designation was "Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School" This remained the field's intended function until February 1943, when, three or four months before operations would begin, the mission was changed to B-26 Marauder medium bomber transition training.

Although the United States Engineers had surveyed the land desired for the field, bids for construction were let before the land was acquired. When the bids were opened it was discovered that only one bid had been submitted. A group of contractors, known as the Liston-Clarke, San-Ore, D. H. Hardman group, had joined to make the bid. The contract was awarded this group and the first truck load of building materials was unloaded on 6 August 1942.

Pending final settlement of the purchase, possession was obtained by Rights of Entry granted by the owners. On 15 August 1942 the Office of Chief of Army Engineers issued a directive authorizing the acquisition of approximately 2,520 acres at an estimated cost of $191,353.

Since the Division Engineers Real Estate Branch was unable to come to an agreement with the eight landowners involved, it was necessary to proceed by condemnation. A Declaration of Taking was consequently filed in the District Court of the United States at Topeka. This action of course vested title in the United States. At the same time the sum estimated by the War Department to be fair compensation was deposited with the District

It was headquartered by the 455th Army Air Force Base Unit.

The airfield opened in early 1942 as part of the 70,000 Pilot Training Program, and originally trained Royal Air Force and Free French pilots in basic flight training. The immediate construction involved runways and airplane hangars, with four 6,500-by-150-foot (1,981 m × 46 m) concrete runways, several taxiways and a large parking apron and a control tower. Four large hangars were also constructed. Buildings were ultimately utilitarian and quickly assembled. Most base buildings, not meant for long-term use, were constructed of temporary or semi-permanent materials. Although some hangars had steel frames and the occasional brick or tile brick building could be seen, most support buildings sat on concrete foundations but were of frame construction clad in little more than plywood and tarpaper.

In December 1942, the USAAF took over the airfield and it became the Army Air Forces Pilot School (Specialized 2-Engine, later Advanced 2-Engine), training aircrews on North American B-25 Mitchells and Martin B-26 Marauders medium bombers. In addition, Dodge City AAF was a training facility for Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs)

The USAAF closed Dodge City AAF on 31 July 1945 and the airfield was in reserve status until 1949 when it was opened as a civilian airport. The facility was listed as "Dodge City Municipal Airport (Ford County)". The airport was not attended, and the manager was listed as William Meade.

Dodge City Municipal Airport was evidently closed at some point between 1954–62, with civil air traffic now utilizing Dodge City Regional Airport. The airfield & its buildings were subsequently reused for a variety of commercial purposes.

Today, the Stanley Feed Yard occupies the site of the former Dodge City AAF. Most of the runways and taxiways have been removed and agricultural fields have largely replaced the airfield. There is little that is left of the administrative/technical site. A few streets survive and some derelict buildings and hangars exist.

• Kansas World War II Army Airfields

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• 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.
• Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC
• Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Dodge City Army Airfield / Ford County Airport, Dodge City, KS

Media related to Dodge City Army Airfield at Wikimedia Commons

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