Cut Bank in Glacier County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

Cut Bank International Airport

The Evolution of an Airfield

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 13, 2022

1. Cut Bank International Airport Marker

Captions: (middle left) This photo shows the Cut Bank Army Air Force Base on a wide scale. The Base was activated November 11, 1942 and the first B-17s arrived on November 30 of that year. In this photo, the hangar and tower are still under construction. Other buildings are complete with tar paper and wood lathe exteriors intended to last only a few years. By October 1943 when the 401st Bomb Squadron completed their training, the base was essentially inactive. It had barely been a year since the first B-17s had arrived.; (bottom row, five photographs, left to right) This photo was taken sometime in the late 1950's, with the original WWII door still in place. The split door was quite complex in operation and was constructed like the bellow on an accordion. Each 4 x 60-foot section would fold with the next and the entire group would slide into the storage wings on each side. The wooden tower on the right originally had a control building at the top floor, which was later replaced with a beacon.; Men arrived at Cut Bank having already completed their specific aircraft training. The primary purpose of their instruction here was to teach them to preform efficiently as a ten-man crew. When that training was complete, they immediately left for the war. The majority of the crews trained here were destined for the European Theater.; Pictures from left to right are Elmer Ruschman, Bernard Petereit and Omer (Shorty) Theroux. All three trained in Cut Bank as a part of the 401 Bomb Group (BG) (H), 613th Bomb Squadron. This photo was taken in Polebrook, UK sometime after February 1944.; The enlisted men's recreation hall was the location of choice for many Base functions. It was also used as a game room and movie theater. Ladies from town frequently came to Base for dances and other social gatherings. At least 20 women from Cut Bank would eventually marry men who had been stationed here.; Throughout World War II, the Blackfeet tribe was an avid supporter of the troops stationed at the Base. They often guided hunting trips on the reservation, fishing trips, and occasion honorary inductions into the Blackfeet Tribe for military officers. This photo of the B-17 flying over the tipis was taken on July 4, 1943.

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Cut Bank International Airport. The Evolution of an Airfield. From a grass airstrip for barnstormers to Army Air Force Satellite Base for bombers to modern-day International Airport - the Cut Bank Airport Authority, the City of Cut Bank, and Glacier County are all extremely proud of the history and accomplishments that have occurred over many decades. The vision for Cut Bank Airport grew from the desire of early aviators and World War I veteran pilots to create an aviation hub for the region. , , The post-1990's brought renewed interest in both preserving and improving the airport's facilities. In 2007, the Cut Bank Municipal Airport and Army Air Base was listed on the National Register of Historical Places, with the entire airport property considered a Historic District. This designation covered everything still intact since the original base construction, from buildings and runways to the storm drainage and sewer systems that still operate today. , , Construction at the airport began in July 1942, immediately after authorization of the satellite base by the 2nd Air Force, which was responsible for training heavy bombardment crews. The site could easily accommodate three long runways for the training crews in addition to a parallel taxiway system, hardstand parking for the 12 B-17 bombers, a 300' x 300' concrete apron and a large aircraft hangar. Other airside improvements included a beacons, weather vanes, and flush mounted runway lighting systems consisting of obstruction, contact, and split filter range lights. (The two elite filter range lights adjacent to this panel were relocated here in 2014) Officers' quarters, barracks for the enlisted men, and various other base support buildings were also contracted during this time. , , The military construction documents refer to the runways as: , Runway No. 1, the ENE-WSW runway, , Runway No. 2, the E-W runway, and , Runway No, 3, the NW-SE runway , The runways were all originally 150 feet wide. Runway No. 1 was 5,560 feet in length. Runway No. 2 was 6,567 feet long. Runway No. 3 was 8,285 feet long. The pavement section for the runways consisted of 5" bituminous asphalt over an 8" compacted gravel course. The airside pavement needed to be able to withstand the needed to be able to withstand the nearly 70,000 lb. maximum takeoff weight of the Flying Fortress. , The hardstand for the B-17's were circular 74'-to-75' diameter concrete pads, with steel anchors. During the time of base was in operation there were 12 hardstands, one for each B-17 to be parked securely tethered. The hardstands were strategically positioned and separated, in the event one of the airplanes was attacked the others in the fleet could potentially remain undamaged. , The storm drainage system is made up approximately 25,000 linear feet of piping plus over 100 drainage structures that collect surface runoff. The sewer system for the air base was designed to function at a maximum capacity of 3,000 men. The collection system connects into the sewage disposal system on the east side of the Historical District. It was also constructed in 1942-43 and is still in operation. , Many rehabilitation and reconstruction projects have been completed at the airport since the mid-1990s. The active runways and taxiways are engineered to meet modern specifications of the Federal Aviation Administration, and have an expected life cycle of 20 years. We welcome and appreciate the mix of small planes, business jets, emergency and military aircraft that all contribute to the success and growth of our airport.

From a grass airstrip for barnstormers to Army Air Force Satellite Base for bombers to modern-day International Airport - the Cut Bank Airport Authority, the City of Cut Bank, and Glacier County are all extremely proud of the history and accomplishments that have occurred over many decades. The vision for Cut Bank Airport grew from the desire of early aviators and World War I veteran pilots to create an aviation hub for the region.

The post-1990's brought renewed interest in both preserving and improving the airport's facilities. In 2007, the Cut Bank Municipal Airport and Army Air Base was listed on the National Register of Historical Places, with the entire airport property considered a Historic District. This designation covered everything still intact since the original base construction, from buildings and runways to the storm drainage and sewer systems that still operate today.

Construction at the airport began in July 1942, immediately after authorization of the satellite base by the 2nd Air Force, which was responsible for training heavy bombardment crews. The site could easily accommodate three long runways

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for the training crews in addition to a parallel taxiway system, hardstand parking for the 12 B-17 bombers, a 300' x 300' concrete apron and a large aircraft hangar. Other airside improvements included a beacons, weather vanes, and flush mounted runway lighting systems consisting of obstruction, contact, and split filter range lights. (The two elite filter range lights adjacent to this panel were relocated here in 2014) Officers' quarters, barracks for the enlisted men, and various other base support buildings were also contracted during this time.

The military construction documents refer to the runways as:
Runway No. 1, the ENE-WSW runway,
Runway No. 2, the E-W runway, and
Runway No, 3, the NW-SE runway

The runways were all originally 150 feet wide. Runway No. 1 was 5,560 feet in length. Runway No. 2 was 6,567 feet long. Runway No. 3 was 8,285 feet long. The pavement section for the runways consisted of 5" bituminous asphalt over an 8" compacted gravel course. The airside pavement needed to be able to withstand the needed to be able to withstand the nearly 70,000 lb. maximum takeoff weight of the Flying Fortress.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 13, 2022

2. Cut Bank International Airport Marker

Note the range finder embedded in the ground to the left of the marker.

The hardstand for the B-17's were circular 74'-to-75' diameter concrete pads, with steel anchors. During the time of base was in operation there were 12 hardstands, one for each B-17 to be parked securely tethered. The hardstands were strategically positioned and separated, in the event one of the airplanes was attacked the others in the fleet could potentially remain undamaged.

The storm drainage system is made up approximately 25,000 linear feet of piping plus over 100 drainage structures that collect surface runoff. The sewer system for the air base was designed to function at a maximum capacity of 3,000 men. The collection system connects into the sewage disposal system on the east side of the Historical District. It was also constructed in 1942-43 and is still in operation.

Many rehabilitation and reconstruction projects have been completed at the airport since the mid-1990s. The active runways and taxiways are engineered to meet modern specifications of the Federal Aviation Administration, and have an expected life cycle of 20 years. We welcome and appreciate the mix of small planes, business jets, emergency and military

Cut Bank International Airport Marker Detail image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Unknown, July 4, 1943

3. Cut Bank International Airport Marker Detail

aircraft that all contribute to the success and growth of our airport.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, World II.

Location. 48° 36.407′ N, 112° 21.99′ W. Marker is in Cut Bank, Montana, in Glacier County. It can be reached from Valier Highway (State Highway 358) near U.S. 2, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2625 Valier Highway, Cut Bank MT 59427, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Western Montana

and in Glacier Country.

It is also in the American Mountain West

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 3 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: A different marker also named Cut Bank International Airport (here, next to this marker); A Dispute Over Horses and Guns

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(approx. 8.6 miles away); Signs of Home (approx. 8.6 miles away).

Credits. This page was last revised on April 14, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 12, 2023, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 362 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 12, 2023, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.