Alachua Army Airfield, was a World War II United States Army Air Force airfield, located 4.2mi northeast of Gainesville, Florida.HistoryConstruction of the Gainesville Municipal Airport began in April 1940 as a Works Project Administration (WPA) and, by 1941 construction was taken over by the Army Corps of Engineers as part of the expansion of defense forces in the United States prior to World War II.The site was taken over by the United States Army Air Forces, with the airport being designated as Alachua Army Airfield. It began operations within months of the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.On 2 March 1942, the Gainesville City Council established the name of the airfield as the John R. Alison Airport. John R. Alison was a local citizen and graduate of the University of Florida who served with valor and distinction in World War II. He was selected to serve as an observer in England and later served in Russia training Russian flyers.Army Air Forces School of Applied TacticsInitially assigned to Air Technical Service Command as a maintenance and supply support airfield, in 1943, it was transferred to the Air University Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) tactical combat simulation school. Headquartered at Orlando AAB,
