Decoy Airfield

Description

In World War II, the 936th Camouflage Battalion constructed a decoy airfield to protect nearby Byrd Airfield which was converted to Richmond Army Air Base in May 1943. On 2,400 acres of farmland seized by the Federal Government, troops cleared land and laid out fake runways matching the orientation of Byrd Airfield. The battalion constructed buildings, airplanes, and artillery pieces using cut timber, canvas, plywood and other scrap material. In September 1943, soldiers of the 1896th Engineer Aviation Battalion moved into camouflaged huts at the decoy field. In 1955, the National Guard used the site for bombing practice.