Scott's USAF Installations Page

AAF/USAF: Intermediate Fields

First published in 2001. Reformatted 2025.

Introduction

While researching Army Air Forces (AAF) flying fields from the World War II (WWII) era, I found that certain landing fields carried the designation "Intermediate Field." I have put together a basic understanding of intermediate fields from the context of their listings in airfield directories, and their placement on aeronautical charts. They are an interesting footnote in airfield--and commercial aviation--history. Here is some brief information on intermediate fields, along with a listing of intermediate fields which were listed as having use by the AAF.

Background

Under the Department of Commerce, the Bureau of Air Commerce (later the Civil Aeronautics Administration) maintained a network of emergency landing fields across the country, in the 1930s and 1940s. These airfields were located at points along designated airways, between airports with scheduled airline service. They provided a pilot in distress with a better alternative than landing on a public road or a farmer's field.

Consider that in 1938, the venerable DC-3 was a brand new aircraft. The Ford Tri-Motor was a typical commercial air transport airplane of the 1930s. Navigation systems, weather prediction, and mechanical reliability were not up to the high standards we take for granted in the 21st Century.

Intermediate fields were identified by their specific site number, and the airway they supported. The airway is generally listed by the city pair teletype identifiers. For example, Site 48, NO-LS would be the 48th intermediate field on the New Orleans-St. Louis airway.

Characteristics

Intermediate fields were typically small, sod or dirt airstrips with minimal facilities. A typical field might have had a 3,000 foot landing strip, some lights, and a basic fueling capability.

Military Use

Many intermediate fields were used as auxiliary fields or emergency landing fields by the AAF during World War II. Their dispersion along the air routes, their infrequent use, and their U.S. government ownership made them ideal for use by military aircraft.

Intermediate Field Inventory

I've made an initial attempt at an inventory, although it is by no means complete. I am only listing those intermediate fields which found themselves pressed into AAF service, as indicated by official documents.

I have compiled this list from a variety of sources, providing some basic tabular data on each strip, along with its status in 1995. (Why 1995? To correspond with my research into the Use in 1995 of World War II Army Air Fields in the United States.) This gives a 50-year follow-up from the end of WWII.

NAME	LOCATION	COORDINATES	CURRENT USE
Advance Intmed Fld MO Site 48, NO-LS	.5 W Advance	37-07, 089-56	unknown
Alma Intmed Fld GA Site 43, MM-AG	vic Alma	31-32-09, 082-30-23	Bacon County (AMG)
Arlie Intmed Fld TX Site 9, AQ-FV	vic Arlie	34-40, 100-08	unknown
Arlington Intmed Fld OR Site 12B, PD-SM	1 E Arlington	45-43, 120-10-30	Arlington Muni (1S8)
Batesville Intmed Fld MS Site 29, NO-LS	3 W Batesville	34-18-00, 090-00-30	unknown
Battle Mountain Flight Strip NV Site 35, SF-SL (Note 1)	4 SE Battle Mountain	40-36, 116-52-15	Battle Mountain (BAM)
Brinkley MAP AR Site 37, DL-LV	1 E Brinkley	34-53, 091-10-30	Federer Mem (M36)
Butler MAP GA Site 14, TJ-AG	.5 NW Butler	32-34, 084-14	Butler Muni (6A1)
Clanton Intmed Fld AL Site 27, PS-TM	vic Clanton	32-51-01, 086-36-41	Gragg-Wade Field (02A)
Cochise Intmed Fld AZ Site T-3, PH-EO	6 S Cochise	32-02, 109-55
Corinth Intmed Fld MS Site 7, PS-TM	5.6 W Corinth	34-54-30, 088-36-00	unknown
Crestview Intmed Fld FL Site 21, NO-JX	2.5 N Crestview	30-48, 086-34	unknown
Crews Field NM Site 42, EO-PU	11.5 SSW Raton	36-44-30, 104-30	Raton Muni/Crews Fld (RTN)
Delaware Springs Intmed Fld TX Site 11, EO-FV	43.5 SSW Carlsbad	31-51-20, 104-32-40	unknown
Dell Flight Strip MT Site 28, SL-GT (Note 1)	1.5 NW Dell	44-44, 112-43	Dell Flight Strip (4U9)
Dryden Intmed Fld TX Site 29, EO-JI	5.7 W Dryden	30-03, 102-13	Terrell Co (6R6)
Fort Collins Aprt CO Site 5, DV-LR	4 WNW Port Collins	40-35-47, 105-08-07	Christman Field Airport (CO55)
Gainesville Intmed Fld TX Site 6, FV-WD	3.5 NNE Gainesville	33-40, 097-08	unknown
Graham Intmed Fld TN Site 59, DL-LV	1.5 NW Graham	35-53-00, 087-29-00	unknown
Greenville Intmed Fld AL Site 24, NO-AG	5.5 WNW Greenville	31-51-00, 086-42-30	unknown
Hammond Intmed Fld TX Site 16, GS-WC	2.5 SSE Hammond	31-03-30, 096-41-24	unknown
Jackson Intmed Fld GA Site 57, MM-AG	5 SW Jackson	33-16, 084-01	unknown
Jasper Intmed Fld FL Site 43, NO-JX	3 SSE Jasper	30-29, 082-56	unknown
Lane Intmed Fld SC Site 24, JX-RW	3 S Lane	33-29, 079-53	unknown
Lively Intmed Fld VA Site 6, NW-WA	3 W Lively	37-45, 076-34	unknown
Luxora Intmed Fld AR Site 39, NO-LS	1 WNW Luxora	35-45-30, 089-57	unknown
Manchester Intmed Fld TN Site 16A, AG-NA	4.5 ESE Manchester	35-27, 086-01	farmland
McRae Intmed Fld GA Site 47, MM-AG	2 SE McRae	32-03, 082-52	unknown
Navasota Intmed Fld TX Site 10, GS-WC	2.5 ENE Navasota	30-24, 096-03	unknown
New Hackensack Aux Fld NY Site 7, LG-UL (Note 2)	2 NE Wappingers Falls	41-38, 073-53	Dutchess Co (POU)
Otto Intmed Fld NM Site 73A, LA-AQ	1 SE Otto	35-04-30, 106-00-30	unknown
Rodeo Intmed Fld AZ unknown	5 NE Rodeo	31-56, 108-58-30	unknown
Rolla Intmed Fld MO Site 60, AQ-LS	3.5 NE Rolla	37-59, 091-43	unknown
Salt Flat Intmed Fld TX Site 8A, EO-FV	48 NNW Van Horn	31-44-50, 105-05-27	unknown
San Marcos Intmed Fld TX Site 31B, JI-FV	2 SE San Marcos	29-52, 097-55	unknown
Sulphur Springs Intmed Fld TX Site 7B, DL-LV	1.5 NW Sulphur Springs	33-09-35, 095-37-16	Sulphur Springs (SLR)
Tallulah Intmed Fld LA Site 36, FV-AG	2 E Tallulah	32-25, 091-09	unknown
Temple Intmed Fld TX Site 40, JI-FV Site 7B, DL-LV	2 NNW Temple	31-07, 097-22	unknown
Tintic Intmed Fld UT Site 58A, LA-SL	2 NW Tintic	39-57, 112-12	unknown
Toledo Intmed Fld WA Site 63B, SF-SA	3 NE Toledo	46-28-45, 122-48-15	Toledo Winlock Ed Carlson (TDO)
Vernon Intmed Fld TX Site 15, AQ-FV	8 N Vernon	34-16, 099-18	unknown
Wendover AFB UT Site 52, SF-SL (Note 3)	1 S Wendover	40-43-30, 114-02-07	Wendover (ENV)
Yoakum Intmed Fld TX Site 7, JR-HU	5 NW Yoakum	29-19-15, 097-13-45	farmland
Zanesville Intmed Fld OH Site 4A, CO-PG	6.5 N Zanesville	40-02, 082-01-30	Parr (42I)

Note 1 - Also a Flight Strip.

Note 2 - Later designated as an auxiliary field.

Note 3 - Later designated as an Air Force Base (AFB).

Airways Teletype Identification Codes

AG	Atlanta	EO	El Paso	LQ	Las Vegas	SA	Seattle
AQ	Amarillo	ER	Erie	LR	Laramie	SF	San Francisco
AZ	Albany	FO	Fargo	LS	St. Louis	SL	Salt Lake
BH	Birmingham	FT	Fresno	LV	Louisville	SM	Spokane
BJ	Buffalo	FV	Ft. Worth	MK	Milwaukee	SN	South Bend
BO	Baltimore	GI	Grand Island	MM	Miami	SQ	San Diego
BT	Butte	GO	Goshen	MP	Minneapolis	SR	Syracuse
BW	Boston	GR	Grand Rapids	NA	Nashville	TJ	Tallahassee
CC	Cincinnati	GS	Galveston	NO	New Orleans	TL	Toledo
CG	Chicago	GT	Great Falls	NW	Norfolk	TM	Tampa
CO	Columbus	HL	Helena	OH	Omaha	TS	Tulsa
CR	Corpus Christi	HR	Huron	PA	Palmdale	TZ	Tucson
CS	Charleston	HT	Hartford	PD	Portland	UL	Montreal
CV	Cleveland	HU	Houston	PG	Philadelphia	VC	Sault Ste. Marie
CX	Cheyenne	ID	Indianapolis	PH	Phoenix	VR	Vancouver
DB	Daytona Beach	JI	Brownsville	PO	Pendleton	WA	Washington
DH	Duluth	JR	San Antonio	PR	Providence	WC	Waco
DL	Dallas	JX	Jacksonville	PS	Memphis	WD	Wichita
DM	Des Moines	KC	Kansas City	PT	Pittsburgh	WG	Winnipeg
DT	Detroit	LA	Los Angeles	PU	Pueblo	WI	Wilkes-Barre
DV	Denver	LE	La Crosse	RK	Bismarck	XA	Allentown
DY	Dayton	LG	New York	RW	Richmond	YK	Yoakum

Summary

CAA Intermediate Fields were one subset of airfields which the historian may notice while researching U.S. flying fields from the 1930s and 1940s. Since many of these fields had some military use, I offer this information for the military historian who may be interested.

Reference

Civil Aeronautics Administration [CAA], Department of Commerce (1943, December 1). U.S. Army and Navy Directory of Airfields (Continental United States). Washington, DC: Commanding General, Army Air Forces.

Updated January 26, 2025

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