Mr. Denious, editor of the Dodge City Daily Globe, and lieutenant governor of Kansas, 1943–1947, made several trips to Washington to interview the appropriate authorities.

In order to demonstrate the advantages of the locality, Denious had compiled considerable information on such things as weather, terrain, and utilities.

The first public announcement of the government's intention to construct an airfield at Dodge City was made on 10 June 1942.

However, nothing further was heard of this, and the base was scheduled to be an advanced flying school, so that its original designation was "Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School" This remained the field's intended function until February 1943, when, three or four months before operations would begin, the mission was changed to B-26 Marauder medium bomber transition training.

On 15 August 1942 the Office of Chief of Army Engineers issued a directive authorizing the acquisition of approximately 2,520 acres at an estimated cost of $191,353.

Since the Division Engineers Real Estate Branch was unable to come to an agreement with the eight landowners involved, it was necessary to proceed by condemnation.

The arrangement was standard rectangular, with building exteriors consisting of wood sheeting covered with 15-pound felt and asbestos-siding shingles.

Somewhat over a month later, on 11 December, the base was formally activated with the official designation "Army Air Forces Advanced Flying School, Dodge City, Kansas."

After official activation of the base there was a rapid build-up of personnel strength, so much so that the local paper could observe on 2 February 1943: "Enlisted men are pouring into the new field by the hundreds."

The limited size of the town created problems of housing for married officers and enlisted men, but this was the universal and normal wartime condition.

In March, the local Rotary, Kiwanis, and Lions Clubs presented a minstrel show which netted about $1,200 to aid in furnishing the day rooms.

As the war in Europe ground to a halt the need for B-26 transition training was sharply curtailed, as no B-26s were assigned to the Pacific Theater or CBI (the B-25 Mitchell was used instead).

The unused facility slowly deteriorated over the years, and in the early 1990s, the concrete runways and taxiways were progressively removed for farming.

Dodge City Army Airfield is on private property and can not be accessed by the general public without the owner's permission.

The field can be reached by driving on U.S. Route 400 west from Dodge City, then turning north on Airport Road, Ford County 106 to be viewed from the highway.