Lamesa Army Airfield

The airfield was closed because it was deemed surplus to military requirements following the end of World War II. With the war over, the massive training infrastructure built across the United States was no longer needed.

The site of the former Lamesa Army Airfield is now privately owned and used for agricultural purposes. The distinct triangular runway pattern of the WWII-era airfield is still clearly visible from satellite imagery, though the paved surfaces are gone, and the runways exist as dirt tracks. A large cotton gin and associated agricultural buildings now occupy the location of the former aircraft parking ramp and hangars. The airfield is completely abandoned for aviation use, and none of the original military buildings remain.

Lamesa Army Airfield was activated on September 20, 1942, as a World War II training facility. Its primary and most significant role was as a contract glider pilot training school for the Army Air Forces Glider Training Command. The training was conducted by the Clint Breedlove Aerial Service. Cadets learned to fly unpowered gliders, such as the Taylorcraft TG-6 and Piper TG-8, which were used to land troops and equipment behind enemy lines. After the glider training program was phased out in 1943, the airfield served as an auxiliary landing field for the Advanced Twin-Engine School at Lubbock Army Airfield until its inactivation.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the airfield. The land is privately owned and integrated into agricultural operations. The original infrastructure is either gone or in a state of complete disrepair, making any restoration financially unfeasible. The current aviation needs of the Lamesa community are served by the Lamesa Municipal Airport (KLZZ), located southwest of the city.