Shaw Air Force Base (Shaw AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located approximately west-northwest of downtown Sumter, South Carolina. It is one of the largest military bases operated by the United States, and is under the jurisdiction of USAF Air Combat Command (ACC). The 20th Fighter Wing (20th FW) is the host unit. History Lt. Ervin David Shaw The base is named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lieutenant Ervin David Shaw. Lt. Shaw was one of the first Americans to fly combat missions in World War I. Shaw, a Sumter County native, was assigned to No. 48 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, as a member of the Royal Canadian Flying Corps. Shaw died after three enemy aircraft attacked his Bristol F.2B while he was returning from a reconnaissance mission on 9 July 1918. Shaw downed one of his attackers before he was killed. World War II Shaw Field was activated on 30 August 1941 and placed under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Air Corps Southeast Air Corps Training Center. The mission of the new airfield was a basic (Phase II) flying school to instruct air cadets in flying, and the Air Corps Basic Flying School was activated at the field on 26 June to operate the school. The airfield consisted of three runways and several auxiliary airfields. Shaw AAF Aux No. 1 – (Burnt Gin Airfield), Wedgefield, South Carolina Shaw AAF Aux No. 2 – (Rembert Airfield), Rembert, South Carolina Shaw AAF Aux No. 3 – (Monaghan Airfield), Sumter, South Carolina Shaw AAF Aux No. 4 – (Sumter Airfield), Sumter, South Carolina Flying activities at the field began on 22 October 1941 using Vultee BT-13 Valiants. Enough construction was completed for the first group of cadets entered training 15 December 1941, and the first class completed training in February 1942. The concrete parking ramp was completed during May 1942. In October 1942, the flight training was changed to Advanced (Phase III) flying training and AT-6 Texan single-engine and Beech AT-10 twin-engine trainers were used. During World War II, the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) Pilot School, under the USAAF Southeast Training Center trained more than 8,600 pilots in the basic and advanced flying curriculum, its graduates were then sent to Advanced Flight Training in single or multi-engine aircraft. On 1 April 1945 jurisdiction of Shaw Field was transferred to the First Air