First established as the Ardmore Army Air Field in 1942, the post was established to train airmen for war service. Initially the post served to train
military glider pilots, under the supervision of
I Troop Carrier Command, but later trained combat crews to fly the
Martin B-26 Marauder and the
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. All four squadrons of Lt. Colonel Thomas B. Hall's
394th Bombardment Group (the 584th; 585th; 586th; and 587th) were briefly stationed at Ardmore AAF for five weeks in July-August 1943. The group was then moved again, on August 19, 1943, to
Kellogg Field, Battle Creek, Michigan. Later in the war, the post was also used to house German prisoners of war from June 1-November 1, 1945. The post was first operated as part of the
Second Air Force but was later transferred to the
Third Air Force on April 12, 1943. This was followed by a designation of the post as a sub-field of Will Rogers Air Force Base in June 1943 and then a later transfer of the post back to being part of the
Second Air Force in August 1943. == Cold War, 1953-1958 ==