During World War II, the US Army Air Corps saw the potential of Nebraska as a training center well away from the coastline to train aircrews. By mid-1942, Army Airfields had dotted the landscape. Many closed in 1945, however Grand Island, Kearney and the field at Offutt remained open. The advent of World War II dramatically changed much of Nebraska's landscapes ranging from expanses of bunkers near Hastings, Nebraska to an airfield near Ainsworth, NE.