Chongqing Baishiyi Airport
Chongqing Baishiyi Airport (Chinese: 重庆白市驿机场), or Baishiyi Air Base, is a People’s Liberation Army Air Force base and formerly the main civil airport serving Chongqing, China, located about 13 miles northwest of the city center. It reverted to military use after the opening of Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport in 1990.
History
During World War II, the airport was known as Peishiyi (Paishihyi) Airfield and was used by the United States Army Air Forces Fourteenth Air Force as part of the China Defensive Campaign (1942–1945).[1] Peishiyi was a command and control base, being used late in the war as the headquarters of the 68th Composite Wing, which controlled the combat operations of the 23d Fighter Group and the 308th Bombardment Group. In addition C-47 Skytrain transport aircraft used the airport flying troops and supplies into the area as well as combat wounded to rear areas.
The Americans remained at the airport after the war ended, the facility becoming the headquarters of the China Air Service Command, which supplied equipment and other logistical support to American and Chinese forces, along with being headquarters of Fourteenth Air Force. The American units began closing down in early 1946, with the last personnel of the 10th Weather Squadron departing the facility on 31 July 1946.
