Bruning Army Airfield Bruning Army Airfield was a flight training installation of the United States Army Air Forces used during World War II and located in northeast Thayer County , Nebraska , at coordinates 40°20 ' 25 " North , 97°25 ' 42 " West , approximately six miles east of Bruning . History . Bruning AAF was one of eleven Nebraska training airfields of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II . The airfield was constructed in 1942 . The site is bordered on the west by low hills and a small creek bed . Level farm ground is on the north , east and south boundaries . On 12 September 1942 , twelve land owners received notice from the federal government that they had ten days to move off their farms , including livestock , farm equipment , feed and all possessions , leaving crops in the fields . They were compensated approximately $ 50 an acre . Some of the vacated farm buildings and houses were moved , while others were demolished . Immediately thereafter , construction began on the Bruning Army Airfield , with approximately 1 , 000 construction workers were used to build the field on 1 , 720 acres ( 7 km² ) of land , with an additional 2 , 122 acres ( 9 km² ) south of the base leased for a gunnery range . At its peak of activity , Bruning had 3 , 077 military and 500 civilian personnel assigned . The base consisted of three runways of 6 , 800 feet ( 2 , 070 m ) in length , formed in a triangle , with the main parking apron ( 600 by 2 , 135 ft ) located on the north - south ( 17 / 35 ) runway . Three hangars and 231 support buildings were constructed . The base was activated on March 18 , 1943 , and dedicated on August 28 , 1943 . The first unit arrived for training on August 2 , 1943 . Bruning AAF was under the command of Second Air Force Headquarters , Colorado Springs , Colorado , and provided final training for Consolidated B - 24 Liberator Heavy Bombers and Republic P - 47 Thunderbolt Fighter - Bombers . Twelve bombardment squadrons and nine fighter squadrons completed proficiency training at the field before receiving orders for overseas combat assignments . Complete engine and airframe repairs were available for the B - 24 bombers and P - 47 fighters attached to Bruning AAF . The host unit at the airfield was the 510th Headquarters and Air Base Squadron ( After August 1944 redesignated 510th AAF Base Unit ) . The 510th was assigned to the 16th Bombardment Operational Training Wing ( July - December 1943 ) , then was transferred to the 72nd Fighter Wing in December 1943 . The following units trained at Bruning AAF : Local historians record that 23 airmen died in training accidents at the base , and an additional 28 were killed on August 4 , 1944 , when a C - 47 Skytrain carrying a graduating class of fighter pilots ran into a thunder storm and crashed near Naper , Nebraska , killing all 28 men . Bruning AAF was placed on reserve status effective 7 February 1945 and assigned to Air Technical Service Command . The 4167th Army Air Force Base Unit was assigned to the airfield with a mission to maintain the airfield in reserve status until such time as it may be needed as an active station . The base was declared surplus by the USAAF on November 21 , 1945 and turned over to the State of Nebraska . In 1947 , 174 buildings were dismantled at Bruning . On January 15 , 1948 , Nebraska Department of Aeronautics acquired a quitclaim deed for Bruning Army Airfield from the U . S . War Assets Administration . The Nebraska Department of Aeronautics eventually took over a total of six former Army airfields after the war , and continued to operate nearly all of them for many years as state operated civilian airports . The Bruning field was operated as a State airfield until August 1969 , although gradually all but a small portion of one runway were closed . The property is now closed to traffic and is leased to local farmers and a cattle feedlot company Bruning Army Airfield is now abandoned with only a few buildings and the large Sub - Depot hangar is still standing , as well as remnants of foundations and floors found at the site . The integrity of Hangar 52 is fairly intact , but Hangar 53 is in very poor condition , near ruins . The North - South and SW - NE runways are used as the home of Mid - America Feed Yard , a large commercial cattle feed lot , and the NW - SE runway is still visible . On July 19 , 1998 the Thayer County Historical Society dedicated a Nebraska State Historical Monument on Highway 4 about 6 miles ( 10 km ) east of Bruning , near the site of Bruning AAF .