During World War II the airport was known as Bone Airfield, and was used by the German Luftwaffe. Later captured by the United States Army, the USAAF Twelfth Air Force in the Western Desert Campaign in 1942-1943.



On 17 August 1943, aircraft from the 95th Bomb Group landed at Bone Airfield after bombing targets at Regensburg. From their unit history: 'Over the Swiss Alps to blast Regensburg, and on to airfields in Africa. Planes landed at Bone Airfield, on the edge of the Mediterranean in Algeria. Others went to Telergma. Crews slept on the ground or in makeshift shelters, serviced their planes with little help, and took off again, to bomb Nazi war production at Bordeaux before landing back at home base.'