Sites "in the vicinity of Colorado Springs" were assessed in the summer of 1941 for a USAAF airfield,[3] and during April 1942 the Photographic Reconnaissance Operational Training Unit (PROTU) was activated in a leased facility[where?]

[4] On 6 May 1942, the site adjacent to the airfield of the 1926 Colorado Springs Municipal Airport was selected,[5] and the airport's airfield was subsequently leased as an "air support field"* for Camp Carson under the "air support base development program".

The "Second Photographic Group Reconnaissance" (activated 7 May 1942 at Will Rogers Field)[6] transferred to Colorado Springs, and the "2nd Group ... headquarters was situated in a former garage across the street from the Post Office, barracks were in the city auditorium ... and the mess hall was located at the busy horseshoe counter of the Santa Fe railway station.

[8] (the 14th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron was located at the Kaufman Building on Tejon St.)[9] "Army Air Base, Colorado Springs",* construction began after 10 May 1942, on "nothing more than a large patch of Colorado plain",[10] and the installation was placed under the Headquarters, United States "AAF [on] 11 June 1942".

On 7 July 1942, "HQ PROTU" was on the "Army Air Base, Colorado Springs" and was ordered to provide "four to five months of training to each individual".

[10] During air base construction, the 20th Combat Mapping Squadron was activated on 23 July 1942, and used the Alamo Garage[11] on Tejon Street.

[19] After the base transferred to Second Air Force on 1 October 1943,[5] in June 1944 Peterson Field began fighter pilot training[specify] with P-40N Warhawks.

[20] The 4th Heavy Bombardment Processing Headquarters ("4 H Bomb Processing HQ") was activated on 10 June 1943 (the 1st B-29 landed at Peterson Field in the summer of 1943),[19] and bomber training by the 214th AAF Base Unit (Combat Crew Training School, Heavy) B-24 Liberator)[failed verification] began after the 383rd Bombardment Group relocated from Geiger Field, Washington[16] on 26 October 1943.

The 703rd AAF Base Unit (Hq, 53d AACS Group) moved to Kelly Field in February.

Designated surplus on 29 July 1946,[5] "the U.S. Government returned control[specify] of the [air]field to the City of Colorado Springs".

The base with new construction was activated 29 September 1947 – 15 January 1948, then was "surplus"[5] until after the notice in November 1950 to reactivate Air Defense Command.

[24]: 47  ADCOM HQ offices at the Chidlaw Building became the Aerospace Defense Center at Peterson on 1 December 1979.

Peterson's NORAD COC Backup Facility achieved Full Operational Capability on 16 November 1982[26] from the Cheyenne Mountain Complex which was placed on warm standby.