Eglin Field Nr 2 Airport

Military Deactivation. Following the end of World War II, the massive need for pilot and aircrew training facilities diminished significantly. The U.S. Army Air Forces (later the U.S. Air Force) consolidated its operations into larger, more modern bases. Eglin Field Nr 2, like many other auxiliary airfields, was declared surplus to requirements and was deactivated as an active airfield.

The site of the former Pierce Field is located entirely within the restricted boundaries of the Eglin Air Force Base reservation and is part of the Eglin Range Complex. The original triangular runway layout is still clearly visible from satellite imagery, though the pavement is severely degraded and overgrown. The area is not used for aviation but serves as a site for various military ground testing and training exercises conducted by the 96th Test Wing and other units at Eglin AFB. Access to the site is strictly prohibited for the general public.

Eglin Field Nr 2, officially known as Pierce Field (Auxiliary Field #2), was a critical component of the Eglin Field military complex during World War II. It was one of ten auxiliary fields constructed to support the vast training and testing missions at the main base.

Key points of its history include:
- **Construction:** Built between 1940 and 1941 as part of the pre-war military expansion.
- **Naming:** Named in honor of 1st Lt. George E. Pierce, a test pilot from the 1st Proving Ground Group at Eglin Field who was killed in the crash of a B-25 Mitchell bomber on October 8, 1942.
- **Operations:** The field was primarily used for flight training, including take-off and landing practice, emergency procedures, and instrument flying. It supported the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics and later the Air Proving Ground Command. Its multiple runways allowed for a high volume of training operations, relieving congestion at the main Eglin Field.
- **Aircraft:** The field handled a variety of WWII-era aircraft used for training, such as the AT-6 Texan, B-25 Mitchell, P-47 Thunderbolt, and P-51 Mustang.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening Eglin Field Nr 2 (Pierce Field) as an airport. The land is an integral part of one of the most important and active military test and training ranges in the United States. Its location within a restricted military zone and its current use for defense-related activities preclude any possibility of it being converted back to civilian or public aviation use.