Pampa Army Airfield is an abandoned airfield located about 11 miles east of Pampa in Gray County, Texas. During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces used Pampa Airfield as a training airfield by the Army Air Forces Flying Training Command, Gulf Coast Training Center.HistoryConstruction of the airfield began in June 1942 under the supervision of the Tulsa, Oklahoma, office of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The immediate construction involved runways and airplane hangars, with three 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. Pampa Airfield was activated on 3 August 1942.Also known as the "Eagles' Nest of the High Plains," Pampa offered advanced twin-engine training in AT-10s. Also stationed at the field were AT-9s, B-25s, and AT-17s. During the war, Pampa had a total of 4 satellite fields: Reeves Aux #1 (6 miles south of Pampa, TX), Thompson Aux #2 (6 miles NNW of Pampa, TX), later reused as Perry Lefors Airport, Hoover Aux #3 (9 miles northwest of Pampa AAF), of which only a small foundation remains, Laketon Aux #4 (9 miles ENE of Pampa AAF), of which no trace remains. During its three years of operation the base graduated 6,292 cadets, trained 3,500 aircraft mechanics, and had one of the best safety records in the United States Training Command throughout the war.
