UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCE STATION NUMBERS

in the United Kingdom in World War Two

   
Other bases were identified on I September 1942, as were further prefix letters.                                                                                   Q = Quartermaster Depots.
T = Transport
Also OA and M which apparently stood for Observation and Maintenance respectively. OA in particular is odd as O was already the designated letter for Observation bases.
Fighter Bases
P-14 Bushey Hall (HQ)                    P-15 Westhampnett
Quartermaster Depots.
Q-101 Kettering                              Q-I02 Wellingborough
Bomber Bases
B-32 Alconbury                               B-33 Brampton Grange (HQ)
Repair Depot
R- 7 Melchbourne Park
Transport
T -I Ramsbury               T -2 Aldermaston               T-3 Greenham Common
Maintenance (?)
M-I Rushden                M-4 Thrapston
Observation (?)
OA-2 Membury

As the American build up continued many more airfields and bases would be required by the Army Air Forces and later on in September 1942 the familiar numerical system was introduced. The numerical blocks were to be allocated to Commands thus:
From 101 = Vlllth AF Bomber Command
From 231 = Vlllth AF Composite Command
From 341 = Vlllth AF Fighter Command
From 466 = Vlllth AF Ground Air Support Command                                                                                                     From 571 onwards = Vlllth AF Service Command
Once a number had been allocated, whether to an airfield or non-flying establishment, it was rarely changed, therefore any change of unit or use on a particular site (such as a bombardment group replacing fighter group), meant that the system was soon in disarray with special regard to airfields. This was further complicated in the autumn of 1943 when the Ninth AAF was reconstituted in the UK and elements of the Eighth AAF, such as the four medium bomb groups, were transferred to this tactical air ann. The Ninth's maintenance and supply also meant that homes had to be found for the IX Service Command.
At first glance the method used in the allocation of the numbers may seem to rather haphazard. Many do not seem to follow in any logical order of either planning, construction, opening dates or dates of occupancy. Some planned airfields were never constructed but were nevertheless given a number (some reallocated later; see the 170 series range), while others never actually occupied by the USAAF still retained their numbers. And finally, some sites known to have been occupied by the US do not seem to have been numbered
An attempt was made to keep within the set parameters of the system and for the VIII GASC and VIII AFSC these worked both ways from the start points. Initially the earlier sites were renumbered. In the years that followed numbers were allocated from anywhere they were available within the particular ranges. Frequently batches of airfield names would be received from the British and these often show up as blocks in alphabetical order, e.g., 148 to 159 or 355 to 361. Note also the block 410 to 419 which are all ALGs. However, from 379 many of the numbers went to any type of station. In most instances depots on or adjacent to airfields were given different names and numbers. It is also interesting that a depot would take its name from a village on the opposite side of the airfield. For example, Hitcham - Wattisham.  The Hitcham depot was in Nedging.

The following numerical listing gives all known allocations of AAF Station numbers given to both flying and non-flying sites in the United Kingdom. Numbers marked with an X denote an airfield or other flying establishment and those marked * after the number denote an airfield that was not constructed. Only the "official" name is given for the sake of brevity. Counties are given as they were in World War Two.
Listed separately are non-UK sites allocated numbers. UK sites known to have had USAAF occupancy or were allocated but never taken up and to which no number is recorded have not been included in this article. Most of these were Military Police stations frequently located in private houses.  

THE LISTINGS WILL BE CONVERTED INTO TABULAR FORM WITH ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IN APRIL 2003.

101 to 164

165 to 537

538 to 925 and non-United Kingdom

Non-UK AAF Station Numbers    180 X Villacoublay (A-20) France
181 X Chievres (A.84) France
182 X Merville (B-53) France
183 Barisey Ie Cote, France
184 X Charleroi (A-87) Belgium
185 Wittem, Holland
191 Ollencourt, France
192 X Beauvais-Tille (A-61) France 194 Martigues, France
195 Camillon, France
196 X Istres (Y.17) France
354 X Reykjavik, Iceland (Note d)
379 St. Germaine-en-Laye, France   381 45 Sharron, Paris, France
383 X Bolleville (A-25C) France
384 X Toussus-le-Noble(A-46) France

Notes to listings
(a) Hepworth 135 became Shepherds Grove 555
(b) Winfarthing 140 became Fersfield 554
(c) Butley 151 became Bentwaters
(d) Records do not specify which of
airfields in Iceland used by the USAAF is 354. The US constructed Meeks and Patterson Fields at Reykjavik and also Kassos Field on the north side of the island. The main tactical airfield of Reykjavik was under the jurisdiction of the RAF and only used occasionally by the USAAF.
(e) 470 had been associated with Wattisham, 377 prior to the movement of the 4th SAD to Hitcham in April 1944.
(f) 509. Also listed as Kidderminster, Worcs.

John V. Nicholls, 1995 and 2003
Sources and acknowledgements:
Army Air Force Stations by Capt. Barry J. Anderson, USAF. (1985 US Air Force Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, USA.)
The Mighty Eighth and The Mighty Eighth War Manual by Roger A. Freeman, to whom credit is due for information relating to the early numbering system and corrected my unfounded assumptions about the later allocations.
Thanks also to Terry Gladwell for assistance.