South Dakota World War II Army Airfields
During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in South Dakota for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers. Most of these airfields were under the command of Second Air Force or the Army Air Forces Training Command (AAFTC). However the other USAAF support commands (Air Technical Service Command (ATSC); Air Transport Command (ATC) or Troop Carrier Command) commanded a significant number of airfields in a support roles. It is still possible to find remnants of these wartime airfields. Many were converted into municipal airports, some were returned to agriculture and several were retained as United States Air Force installations and were front-line bases during the Cold War. Hundreds of the temporary buildings that were used survive today, and are being used for other purposes. Major Airfields Air Technical Service Command * Mitchell AAF/MAP, Mitchell : 353d Army Air Force Base Unit (Det) : Now: Mitchell Municipa ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilising all resources in pursuit of total war. Tanks in World War II, Tanks and Air warfare of World War II, aircraft played major roles, enabling the strategic bombing of cities and delivery of the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, first and only nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II is the List of wars by death toll, deadliest conflict in history, causing World War II casualties, the death of 70 to 85 million people, more than half of whom were civilians. Millions died in genocides, including the Holocaust, and by massacres, starvation, and disease. After the Allied victory, Allied-occupied Germany, Germany, Allied-occupied Austria, Austria, Occupation of Japan, Japan, a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Roundel Of The USAF
A roundel is a circular disc used as a symbol. The term is used in heraldry, but also commonly used to refer to a type of national insignia used on military aircraft, generally circular in shape and usually comprising concentric rings of different colours. Other symbols also often use round shapes. Heraldry In heraldry, a ''roundel'' is a circular charge (heraldry), charge. ''Roundels'' are among the oldest charges used in coat of arms, coats of arms, dating from at least the twelfth century. Roundels in British heraldry have different names depending on their tincture (heraldry), tincture. Thus, while a roundel may be blazoned by its tincture, e.g., ''a roundel vert'' (literally "a roundel green"), it is more often described by a single word, in this case ''pomme'' (literally "apple", from the French) or, from the same origins, ''pomeis''—as in "Vert; on a cross Or five pomeis" (a green field with a golden/yellow cross on which are drawn five green roundels/circles). One s ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Airfields Of The United States Army Air Forces In South Dakota
An aerodrome, airfield, or airstrip is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for public or private use. Aerodromes include small general aviation airfields, large commercial airports, and military air bases. The term ''airport'' may imply a certain stature (having satisfied certain certification criteria or regulatory requirements) that not all aerodromes may have achieved. That means that all airports are aerodromes, but not all aerodromes are airports. Usage of the term "aerodrome" (or "airfield") remains more common in Commonwealth English, and is conversely almost unknown in American English, where the term "airport" is applied almost exclusively. A water aerodrome is an area of open water used regularly by seaplanes, floatplanes or amphibious aircraft for landing and taking off. In formal terminology, as defined by the International Civil Aviat ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Aberdeen Regional Airport
Aberdeen Regional Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles (3.7 km) east of the central business district of Aberdeen, a city in Brown County, South Dakota, United States. It is mostly used for general aviation with Delta Connection as its sole commercial airline. Airlines and destinations The airport is one of two commercial airports in the state of South Dakota with airline service to only one destination, the other being Pierre Regional Airport. Rapid City serves 16 destinations, and Sioux Falls serves 15 destinations, while Watertown serves two destinations. Aberdeen also provides regional cargo service with mainly CSA Air flights to Sioux Falls, and Fargo. Passenger service Map of destinations Cargo Service Top destinations Facilities and aircraft Aberdeen Regional Airport covers an area of at an elevation of 1,302 feet (397 m) above mean sea level. It has two runways: 13/31 is 6,901 by 100 feet (2,103 x 30 m) with a concre ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Aberdeen, South Dakota
Aberdeen () is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, South Dakota, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 28,495. making it the third-most populous city in the state. Aberdeen is home of Northern State University. History Settlement Before Aberdeen or Brown County was inhabited by European settlers, it was inhabited by the Sioux Indians from approximately 1700 to 1879. Europeans entered the region for business, founding fur trading posts during the 1820s; these trading posts operated until the mid-1830s. The first "settlers" of this region were the Arikara Indians, but they would later be joined by others. The first group of Euro-American settlers to reach the area that is now Brown County was a party of four people, three horses, two mules, fifteen cattle, and two wagons. This group of settlers was later joined by another group the following spring, and, eventually, more settlers migrated toward this general area, currently known as Columbia, S ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Watertown Regional Airport
Watertown Regional Airport , formerly Watertown Municipal Airport, is two miles northwest of Watertown in Codington County, South Dakota, United States. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2015–2019 categorized it as a '' non-primary commercial service'' facility. Federal Aviation Administration data says it had 4,348 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2013, a decrease of 30.5% from 6,254 enplanements in 2012. History During World War II, the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Forces as a Second Air Force cold weather bomber training base as an auxiliary to Sioux Falls Army Air Field, and by Air Proving Ground Command. B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator units underwent advanced training before going overseas. One unit that trained here was the 702d Bombardment Squadron of the 445th Bombardment Group.Michael Simpson, History of the 445th Bomb Group, Revised Edition Facilities The airport covers 919 acres (372 ha) at ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Watertown, South Dakota
Watertown is a city in and the county seat of Codington County, South Dakota, United States. Watertown is home to the Redlin Art Center, which houses many of the works of Terry Redlin, one of the nation's most popular wildlife artists. Watertown is between Pelican Lake and Lake Kampeska, from which Redlin derived inspiration for his artwork. The population was 22,655 at the 2020 census, making Watertown South Dakota's 5th-most populous city. It is also the principal city of the Watertown Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Codington County. It is home to the Bramble Park Zoo. Watertown's residential real estate is considered the most expensive in South Dakota for cities of its size; the median price for a home in Watertown was approximately $200,000 . Geography Watertown is along the Big Sioux River. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water. Watertown sits on the Big Sioux River and two major ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sioux Falls Regional Airport
Sioux Falls Regional Airport , also known as Joe Foss Field, is a public and military use airport three miles northwest of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. It is named in honor of aviator and Sioux Falls native Joe Foss, who later served as the 20th Governor of South Dakota (1955–1959). The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a primary commercial service airport since it has over 10,000 passenger boardings (enplanements) per year. Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 423,288 enplanements in calendar year 2011, an increase of 18.92% from 355,939 in 2010. Joe Foss Field Air National Guard Station is home to Headquarters, South Dakota Air National Guard and its 114th Fighter Wing (114 FW). The 114 FW is an Air Combat Command gained unit known as the "Fighting Lobos" and operates F-16C/D aircraft. The South Dakota Adjutant General is based in Camp Rapid in Rapid City, South Dakota, but the South Dakota ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls ( ) is the List of cities in South Dakota, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the List of United States cities by population, 117th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha County, South Dakota, Minnehaha County and also extends into northern Lincoln County, South Dakota, Lincoln County. The population was 192,517 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, and in 2023, its estimated population was 209,289. According to city officials, the estimated population had grown to 219,588 as of early 2025. The Sioux Falls metro area accounts for more than 30% of the state's population. Chartered in 1856 on the banks of the Big Sioux River, the city is situated in the rolling hills at the junction of Interstate 29 in South Dakota, interstates 29 and Interstate 90 in South Dakota, 90. History The history of Sioux Falls revolves around the cascades of the Big Sioux River. The falls were created about 14,000 years ago ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ellsworth Air Force Base
Ellsworth Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located about northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota, just north of the town of Box Elder. The host unit at Ellsworth is the 28th Bomb Wing (28 BW). Assigned to the Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force, the 28 BW is one of the USAF's two B-1B Lancer wings, along with the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess AFB, Texas. In 2023, the 28th Bomb Wing is commanded by Colonel Derek Oakley; its command chief master sergeant was Chief Master Sergeant Adam Vizi. Ellsworth has a population of about 8,000 military members, family members and civilian employees. Rapid City itself has a population of 78,824. There are about 3,800 military retirees in western South Dakota. For decades, Ellsworth's main entrance included a symbolic B-52 Stratofortress, a gift from the citizens of Rapid City. This entrance has recently been replaced. An expansion of a bomber training area encompassing the Northern Plains known as the Powder Ri ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City is the county seat of Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. It is located on the eastern slope of the Black Hills in western South Dakota and was named after Rapid Creek (South Dakota), Rapid Creek, where the settlement developed. It is the List of cities in South Dakota, second-most populous city in the state (after Sioux Falls) with a population of 82,388 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Rapid City, South Dakota metropolitan area, Rapid City metropolitan area has 156,000 residents. Known as the "Gateway to the Black Hills" and the "City of Presidents" because of the life-size bronze president statues downtown, Rapid City is split by a low mountain ridge that divides the city's western and eastern parts, called ‘The Gap.’ Ellsworth Air Force Base is on the city's outskirts. Camp Rapid, part of the South Dakota Army National Guard, is in the city's western part. Rapid City is home to such attractions as Art Alley, Dinosaur Park, the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II (1941–1947). It was created on 20 June 1941 as successor to the previous United States Army Air Corps and is the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force, today one of the six United States Armed Forces, armed forces of the United States. The AAF was a component of the United States Army, which on 2 March 1942 was divided functionally by executive order into three autonomous forces: the Army Ground Forces, the United States Army Services of Supply (which in 1943 became the Army Service Forces), and the Army Air Forces. Each of these forces had a commanding general who reported directly to the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Army Chief of Staff. The AAF administered all parts of military aviation formerly distributed am ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |