The original airport opened in 1934; it had a hangar, commercial airline connections, air mail service, lighted fields, a weather bureau station, and was a pilot training facility .

With the United States entry into World War II Scottsbluff promoted its municipal airport for military/defense purposes. On September 5, 1942, Scottsbluff was selected as one of seven satellite air bases in Nebraska. Twenty-eight farms were vacated so construction could begin at a cost of $5.5 million. The original Scottsbluff Municipal Airport closed to make way for the new airfield; the old airport later became a prisoner of war camp.

Construction began on September 7, 1942. A temporary railroad spur was constructed and some 600,000 cubic yards (460,000 m3) of concrete for three runways was poured in forty-five days. There were about 108 buildings on the ground including barracks, mess halls, officers' quarters, warehouses, a hangar, a camouflage instruction building, and a bombsight storage building.

Scottsbluff Army Airfield

The base was occupied as early as 11 October 1942 and was assigned to Second Air Force. Initially, Scottsbluff Army Airfield was a satellite to Casper Army Air Field, Wyoming. The first troops arrived December 4, 1942. The 4190th Army Air Force Base Unit was the host organization at Scottsbluff AAF.

The original mission was to train crews of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberators bombers. Crews based at Casper AAF Wyoming conducted final training at Scottsbluff. All training aircraft at the airfield were assigned to the 4190th AAFBU.

In 1944 base command was transferred from Second Air Force to the 1st Troop Carrier Command, and became a satellite field of Alliance Army Airfield. The 1st TCC used the facility training Douglas C-47 Skytrain and glider crews. Aircraft and radio maintenance personnel also trained here.

Civil use

The airfield closed on December 31, 1945, and the War Department handed over control to the City of Scottsbluff in 1947. Buildings and structures which were not part of the transfer were sold by the U.S. Government in separate agreements and most were removed. The USAF continued to use the airport for training until 1950.

Western Airlines DC-3s were at Scottsbluff by 1945 and United appeared in 1953–54; both left in 1959, replaced by Frontier, which remained until 1984.

In July 1970 Scotts Bluff County took control and has had it since. The county continues to operate the facility as the William B. Heilig Field.

In the summer of 2003 the county created an Airport Authority Board which has made major improvements: a new terminal building, wildlife fence, fire equipment, and remodeling the fire station. Future projects include runway lighting and resurfacing. The board is working with local law enforcement and the TSA for security screening.