It was then unused until 1913 when the German Imperial Army (Deutsches Heer) held maneuvers on the site, accompanied by an airplane.

[4] In addition to the Zeppelins, several combat aircraft squadrons of the Luftstreitkräfte (Imperial German Army Air Service) were stationed at Trier Airdrome.

[3] After the 1918 Armistice with Germany, the airfield was designated as an occupation area for the United States Third Army Air Service and many German aircraft were surrendered to the Americans there.

Its mission it was to map the Rhineland area using aerial photography and perform test flights on surrendered German aircraft.

The American use of Trier Airfield ended on 12 May 1919 when Headquarters, Third Army ordered all Air Service units in the Rhineland to move back to France for demobilization.

Pierced Steel Planking was laid down over the damaged concrete runway, making it usable for American combat aircraft.

[12] Trier Airfield's primary use by the Americans was for combat resupply and casualty evacuation, being used largely by C-47 Skytrain transports from the day it was opened until the end of the war in May.

It was also used by the Ninth Air Force 10th Reconnaissance Group until early April, flying photo-reconnaissance missions with P-38 Lightnings (F-4) and P-51 Mustangs (F-5).

When the USAAF closed the airfield in July 1945, occupation forces from the United States Army moved in to garrison the facility.

The airfield became a Displaced Persons camp during 1945 and early 1946, holding civilians from many countries of Europe as the continent slowly recovered from the ravages of war.

The wartime damaged airfield was repaired as part of the postwar reconstruction, and new buildings for the NATO facility were erected at the base.