La Vallon Airfield is an abandoned

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

military airfield in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. It is located 13 km north of Istres in Bouches-du-Rhône. La Vallon was an all-weather temporary sod airfield built by

USAAF 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 ...

XII Engineer Command XII may refer to: * 12 (number) or XII in Roman numerals * 12th century or XII in Roman numerals * ''XII'' (album), a 2012 album by American country music singer Neal McCoy * ''XII'' (single), a 2019 single album by K-pop singer Chungha, featur ...

. The runway was in length, wide, and aligned 13/31. The airfield was equipped with 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. Tents were used for billeting and also for support facilities. Designated as an

Advanced Landing Ground Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) were temporary advance airfields constructed by the Allies during World War II during the liberation of Europe. They were built in the UK prior to the invasion and thereafter in northwest Europe from 6 June 19 ...

Y-18 it was turned over to 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 ...

Twelfth Air Force The Twelfth Air Force (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The command is the air component to U ...

on 30 August 1944. The 417th Night Fighter Squadron used the airfield 12 September 1944 – 5 April 1945, flying

Bristol Beaufighter The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter (often called the Beau) is a British multi-role aircraft developed during the Second World War by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was originally conceived as a heavy fighter variant of the Bristol Beaufort ...

s. In addition, the

415th Night Fighter Squadron 415th may refer to: * 415th Bombardment Group, inactive United States Air Force unit *415th Flight Test Flight (415 FLTF), squadron of the United States Air Force Reserves * 415th Tactical Fighter Squadron, inactive United States Air Force unit Se ...

flew Bristol Beaufighters from the airfield 1–25 September 1944. When the Americans pulled out in April 1945, the airfield was dismantled by engineers and returned to agriculture. An outline of the airfield remains as agricultural fields in aerial photos today.

References

* Maurer, Maurer. ''Air Force Combat Units of World War II''. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. . * * 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.
IX Engineering Command ETO Airfields layout

External links

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

See also

References

External links