Montreuil 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, which is located 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
La Bazoge in the
Pays de la Loire
Pays de la Loire (; ; br, Broioù al Liger) is one of the 18 regions of France, in the west of the mainland. It was created in the 1950s to serve as a zone of influence for its capital, Nantes, one of a handful of "balancing metropolises" ().
...
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
of northern
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 ...
.
Located just outside Montreuil (probably to the north of the town), 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 17 August 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
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 ...
"A-38", the airfield consisted of a single 5000' (1500m) prefabricated hessian surfacing/compressed earth runway (3600 PHS/1400 ETH) aligned 01/19. Tents were used for billeting and also for support facilities. An access road was built to the existing road infrastructure. There were a dump for supplies, ammunition, and gasoline drums, along with a drinkable water and minimal electrical grid for communications and station lighting.
The
363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group 363rd or 363d may refer to:
* 363d Expeditionary Operations Group, inactive United States Air Force unit
* 363d Bombardment Squadron or 19th Antisubmarine Squadron, inactive United States Air Force unit
* 363d Fighter Squadron or 164th Airlift Squa ...
based a variety of reconnaissance aircraft at Montreuil from 4 September to 4 October 1944.
After the Americans moved east into Central France with the advancing Allied armies, the airfield was closed on 5 October 1944. Today the long dismantled airfield is indistinguishable from the agricultural fields in the area.
[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.]
See also
*
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 ...
References
External links
{{authority control
World War II airfields in France
Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in France
Airports established in 1944