World War Two Military Bases In MN

While doing some research for myself on Civil Air Patrol, I looked up military bases located in Mn. I was not surprised by some of them as they are still in use today. as local airports. Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport is the biggest in the metro area. Today it is home to the 934th AW Air Force Reserve, and the 133rd AW MN Air National Guard. Both have C-130 aircraft. The next one is St. Paul Downtown airport, its home to the U.S. Army National Guard 34th Combat Aviation Brigade, they have Black Hawk and Chinooks helicopters.  St Cloud Airport also is home to the other half of this unit.

My CAP Squadron meets at their building, at St. Cloud airport. While their birds are locked in their hanger we can still drool over them through a small window in a door. The biggest surprise was the fact that an airfield now long abandoned was located in Monticello MN. It had a 940' turf air strip. It was one of several contract training fields used to train glider pilots. Not just any glider, but the WACO CG-4A the same guilder used in Normandy. Well you can imagine how my interest spiked at this.

I spent the next few hours digging through files and records online. To find the location and any photos taken. The gentleman who ran the flight school was inducted into the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame for his service to the U.S. during World War Two.  Sadly no buildings remain, but as far as I can tell the whole area is still vacant fields, used for farming.

 This is the location of the school, a 1953 photo. If I recall, its still farm field today.

Links to information....
W.W.II Army Air Forces Contract Flying School Airfields - Database Summary
Our Story.com/thread.html Guilder Pilot Story
Battle_of_Fort_Eben-Emael   German's used gliders here, That gave the Americans the idea to use gliders at Normandy.

Clarence Hinck Hinck Flight School Monticello MN    Mr Hinck was inducted in the MN Aviation Hall of Fame.

I hope you enjoy this information. The first link shows every base used in the USA.
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