Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:

Northeastern Mississippi

© 2002, © 2012 by Paul Freeman. Revised 9/21/12.


River Aux AAF #2 / River AF Aux / River Airport (revised 1/8/11) - Tupelo Industrial Airpark (added 4/19/09)

Columbus AAF Auxiliary #7 / Stinson Field Municipal Airport (revised 9/21/12) - Vaughn Aux AAF #6 / Vaughn AF Aux / Vaughn Airport (revised 1/8/11)

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Columbus AAF Auxiliary #7 / Stinson Field Municipal Airport, Aberdeen, MS

33.85 North / 88.59 West (Southeast of Memphis, TN)

A 6/3/43 aerial view looking north at “Columbus AAF Auxiliary #7 (Stinson Field)”

from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).


The date of construction of this airfield has not been determined.


The earliest depiction of Stinson Field which has been located

was a 6/3/43 aerial view looking north from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).

It depicted “Columbus AAF Auxiliary #7 (Stinson Field)” as an irregularly-shaped grass field, with several buildings along the road on the northeast side.


The 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock) described “Columbus AAF Auxiliary #7 (Stinson Field)”

as a 109 acre irregularly-shaped property having a single 3,500' northwest/southeast sod runway.

The field was not said to have any hangars,

to be owned by private interests, but operated by the Army Air Forces.


At some point after 1945, Stinson Field was relinquished by the military & reverted to its role as a general aviation airport.


The 1966 USGS topo map depicted Stinson Field as having a single 2,000' paved northwest/southeast runway (evidently an improvement at some point between 1945-66),

with 2 paved ramps & small hangars on the east side.


The 1982 USGS topo map showed that the length of Stinson's runway had been nearly doubled to 3,400', having been lengthened toward the northwest.


A 1995 USGS aerial photo looking northwest showed Stinson Municipal Airport to remain completely intact,

but there were no aircraft visible on the field, so it is indeterminate whether the field was still operational at that point.


The 1995 USGS topo map depicted Stinson Field as having a single paved northwest/southeast runway,

with two ramps & several small buildings on the east side.


A circa 2007 aerial view looking north at the remains of Stinson Municipal Airport

showed the remains of the runway pavement, along with the ramp, and foundations of several buildings.


An 8/8/07 aerial view depicted the majority of Stinson's runway remained intact, although 2 buildings had been built at some point between 1995-2007,

one a school adjacent to the northwest side of the runway, and the Northern Mississippi Bankruptcy Court covering the southeast end of the runway.


A 4/15/11 photo by Matthew Nichols of a memorial to Eddie Stinson located in a small park next to the hangar foundations at the site of Stinson Field Municipal Airport.

The monument reads: “A memorial to Eddie A Stinson Jr. One of America's aviation pioneers & founder of the Stinson Aircraft Corporation.

Erected by the Works Progress Administration & the City of Aberdeen, his home town.”


A 4/15/11 photo by Matthew Nichols looking south at a “sign on the north end of the former Stinson Field Municipal Airport indicating its current use as an industrial park.

The remaining strip of runway can be seen behind the sign.

Looks like they should have left it as an airport.”


A 4/15/11 photo by Matthew Nichols looking southeast “down the remaining strip of runway at the site of the former Stinson Field Municipal Airport.

A school facility, National Guard Armory and Tax Court encroach on the field.”


The site of Stinson Municipal Airport is located south of the intersection of Route 45 & Stinson Road.


Thanks to Bud Green for pointing out this airfield.

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Tupelo Industrial Airpark, Verona, MS

34.18 North / 88.69 West (Southeast of Memphis, TN)

Tupelo Industrial Airpark, as depicted on the 1983 USGS topo map.

Photo of the airport while open has not been located.


This airfield was evidently established at some point between 1979-83,

as it was not yet depicted on the 1979 USGS topo map.

The earliest depiction of the Tupelo Industrial Airpark which has been located was on the 1983 USGS topo map.

It depicted the “Industrial Airpark” as having a single northwest/southeast runway.


The Tupelo Industrial Airpark was still depicted as an active airfield on 1991 aeronautical charts.


The Tupelo Industrial Airpark was evidently abandoned (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1991-95,

as it was depicted as an abandoned airfield on the 1995 Sectional Chart.


The January 1997 USGS aerial photo showed the Tupelo Industrial Airpark runway marked with closed “X” symbols.

Two hangars & possible foundations of other buildings were located on the northwest corner.


A circa 2006 aerial view looking west at the remains of the Tupelo Industrial Airpark

showed the runway pavement in a significantly deteriorated state.

A large & small hangar still remained standing,

along with what appeared to be the foundations of several smaller hangars,

and a deteriorated paved ramp.


A January 2009 photo by Matt Nichols looking north at a former Tupelo hangar.

Matt remarked, “I couldn't tell if this was used for aviation purposes or not. It's full of old cars & farm equipment now.”


A January 2009 photo by Matt Nichols looking southeast along the remains of the Tupelo Industrial Airpark runway.


A January 2009 photo by Matt Nichols of a former fuel pump at Tupelo Industrial Airpark.

Matt remarked the the pump had “a LEAD warning sticker.

It was located next to the concrete tie-down pads, but I couldn't tell if this pump was used for aviation purposes or not.

Since it carried leaded fuel, we will assume it was.”


The site of Tupelo Industrial Airpark is located southeast of the intersection of Road 753 & Road 711.


Thanks to Matt Nichols for pointing out this airfield.

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River Auxiliary Army Airfield #2 / River Air Force Auxiliary / River Airport, Aberdeen, MS

33.8 North / 88.32 West (West of Birmingham, AL)

A 6/3/43 aerial view looking north at “Columbus AAF Auxiliary #2 (River Field)”

from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).


The date of construction of this airfield has not been determined.

It was reportedly established during WW2 as one of 8 satellite airfields for Columbus AAF (12 miles southwest),

which conducted training in twin-engine bombers.


The earliest depiction which has been located of the River airfield

was a 6/3/43 aerial view looking north from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).

It depicted “Columbus AAF Auxiliary #2 (River Field)” as a single north/south runway, with a parallel taxiway.

The airfield appeared to still be under construction, with only the southern half of the runway & taxiway having been built.


The 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock) described “Columbus AAF Auxiliary #2 (River Field)”

as a 143 acre rectangular property having a single 4,000' north/south sod runway.

The field was not said to have any hangars,

to be owned by private interests, but operated by the Army Air Forces.


The River airfield may have been abandoned by the military after WW2,

as it was no longer depicted at all on the October 1945 Boston Mountains World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).


The former River airfield was evidently reactivated by the Air Force

under the jurisdiction of Craig AFB at some point between 1945-54,

as it was depicted as “River AF” on the August 1954 Birmingham Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

It was depicted as having a 2,300' unpaved runway.


The use of the River airfield by the Air Force in the 1950s reportedly lasted only a few months.


By the time of the February 1960 Birmingham Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),

“River” was depicted as a civilian airfield, with a 2,300' unpaved runway.


The River Airport was still depicted in an identical fashion

on the June 1961 Boston Mountains World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).


The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of the River Airport

was on the August 1963 Birmingham Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

It depicted River as having a 2,300' unpaved runway.


The River Airport was evidently abandoned (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1963-70,

as it was no longer depicted at all on the 1970 or 1980 USGS topo maps.


The outline of the runway was barely still perceptible in the 1996 USGS aerial photo.

 

Thanks to Steven McNicoll for information about this field.

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Vaughn Auxiliary Army Airfield #6 / Vaughn AF Aux / Vaughn Airport, Columbus, MS

33.38 North / 88.37 West (West of Birmingham, AL)

A 6/3/43 aerial view looking north at “Columbus AAF Auxiliary #6 (Vaughn Field)”

from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).


The date of construction of this airfield has not been determined.

It evidently was established during WW2 as one of 8 satellite airfields for Columbus AAF (13 miles north),

which conducted training in twin-engine bombers.


The earliest depiction which has been located of the River airfield

was a 6/3/43 aerial view looking north from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).

It depicted “Columbus AAF Auxiliary #6 (Vaughn Field)” as a single northwest/southeast paved runway.


The 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock) described “Columbus AAF Auxiliary #6 (Vaughn Field)”

as a 68 acre irregularly-shaped property having a single 4,000' northwest/southeast bituminous runway.

The field was not said to have any hangars,

to be owned by private interests, but operated by the Army Air Forces.


The earliest aeronautical chart epiction of the Vaughn airfield which has been located

was on the October 1945 Boston Mountains World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

It depicted “Vaughn” as an auxiliary airfield.


The former Vaughn airfield was evidently reactivated by the Air Force

under the jurisdiction of Craig AFB at some point between 1945-54,

as it was depicted as “Vaughn AF” on the August 1954 Birmingham Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

It was depicted as having a 4,000' paved runway.


The use of the Vaughn airfield by the Air Force in the 1950s reportedly lasted only a few months.


The 1960 USGS topo map depicted "Vaughn Landing Field"

as having a single northwest/southeast runway, with a parallel taxiway.


By the time of the February 1960 Birmingham Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),

“Vaughn” was depicted as a civilian airfield, with a single 4,000' paved northwest/southeast runway.


The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Vaughn as an active airport

was on the June 1961 Boston Mountains World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

It depicted the field as having a 4,000' paved runway.


The Vaughn Airport was evidently abandoned (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1961-63,

as it was depicted as “Aband airport” on the the August 1963 Birmingham Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).


The airfield was apparently reused for some period of time as a drag strip.

Michael Anthony recalled that he visited a drag strip at the site "in the 1960s to the late 1970s",

and he believes that it was privately owned during that period.


The 1980 USGS topo map depicted the "Vaughn Landing Field"

as having a single northwest/southeast runway.


The 1987 USGS topo map depicted the "Abandoned Landing Field"

as having a single northwest/southeast runway, with a parallel taxiway.

It also labeled the road to the south as "Dragstrip Road".


The airfield was labeled "Drag Strip" on late 1990s aeronautical charts.


 

As depicted on the 1992 USGS aerial photo, 

the airfield consisted of a single paved 4,300' runway & a parallel taxiway.

There was no indication of any buildings at the site.


In the 2003 aerial photo, the remains of the runway & its parallel taxiway were still evident.

Signs of the dragstrip operation were recognizable on the northwest end of the former runway.

 

Thanks to Steven McNicoll for information about this field.


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