Lignerolles Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield near the

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

of Lignerolles in the

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

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of northern France. Located to the south and east of Lignerolles, the

United States Army Air Force The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

established a temporary airfield on 6 July 1944, shortly after the Allied landings in France. The airfield was constructed by the IX Engineering Command, 820th Engineer Aviation Battalion.

History

Known as Advanced Landing Ground "A-12", the airfield consisted of a single Prefabricated Hessian Surfacing runway. In addition, tents were used for billeting and also for support facilities; an access road was built to the existing road infrastructure; a dump for supplies, ammunition, and gasoline drums, along with a drinkable water and minimal electrical grid for communications and station lighting. The fighter planes from Lignerolles flew support missions during the Allied invasion of Normandy, patrolling roads in front of the beachhead; strafing German military vehicles and dropping bombs on gun emplacements, anti-aircraft artillery and concentrations of German troops in Normandy and Brittany when spotted. In the beginning of September 1944, 34 Wing (RAF) was moved from RAF Northolt to Lignerolles. The wing operated two photographic reconnaissance squadrons from the airfield in support of the Canadian Army. After the Americans and British moved east into Central France with the advancing Allied Armies, the airfield was left un-garrisoned and used for resupply and casualty evacuation. It was closed on 4 November 1944 and the land returned to agricultural use.Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.

Major units assigned

362d Fighter Group 36 may refer to: * 36 (number), the natural number following 35 and preceding 37 * One of these years of Gregorian or Julian calendars: ** 36 BC, 1st century BCE ** AD 36, 1st century ** 1936, 20th century ** 2036, 21st century Arts and entertain ...

2 July - 10 August 1944 : 377th (E4), 378th (G8), 379th (B6) Fighter Squadrons (P-47)Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. . * 365th Fighter Group 15 August - 3 September 1944 : 386th (D5), 387th (B4), 388th (C4) Fighter Squadrons (P-47D) * 34 Wing (Royal Air Force), September 1944 : 69 Squadron (MJ) (Spitfires XI), 140 Squadron (ZW) (Mosquito XVI)

Current use

Today there is little or no physical evidence of the airfield's existence. A memorial to the men and units that were stationed at Lignerolles was placed at the site of the former airfield. It is located along a path that starts from the D13 at the place called The Hodam.

References

External links

A-12 Memorial
{{authority control World War II airfields in France Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in France Airports established in 1944

History

Major units assigned

Current use

See also

References

External links