Amanty Airdrome was a temporary

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

airfield in France. It was located northwest of Amanty, in the

Meuse The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a t ...

department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

in the

Lorraine Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gr ...

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 ...

in northeastern

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 ...

(48.527383,5.598371).

History

The airfield was set up early 1917, with French escadrille C 4 (observation for 2nd Army Corps/French Second Army) arriving on 6 March, and staying until 2 April. The field then fell asleep until escadrille C 43 showed up on 19 Oct, teamed with the 1st Aero Squadron. Later on 14 December, they were joined by the ground personnel of

91st Aero Squadron The 91st Aero Squadron was a unit of the Air Service, United States Army that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The 91st was one of the first five American flying squadrons to reach France, arriving at Chaumont Hill 402 Aerodrom ...

(their pilots still training in Issoudun – they would arrive in March 1918). The I Corps Observation Group School was organized early January 1918 on the field, the ground troops of 91st Squadron certainly used for construction works; the airfield was officially transferred to the

Air Service, United States Army The United States Army Air Service (USAAS)Craven and Cate Vol. 1, p. 9 (also known as the ''"Air Service"'', ''"U.S. Air Service"'' and before its legislative establishment in 1920, the ''"Air Service, United States Army"'') was the aerial warf ...

on February. As with most temporary airfields during World War I, it was set up quickly on existing farmer's fields which was used as an all-way airfield for aircraft takeoffs and landings. Canvas and metal tubing type hangars were erected for aircraft maintenance, and wooden buildings were set up for barracks, operations, maintenance and other station needs. 477th Aero Squadron (Construct.) stayed 12 Jun - 1 August 1918 to improve the camouflage of the installations. The I Corps Observation Group School trained pilots and observers for aerial observation and photography. 1st Aero Squadron left on 4 April, and 91st Aero Squadron on 24 May. Thereafter, Aero Squadrons trained at the airfield were: *

88th Aero Squadron The 88th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the III Cor ...

(Observation), 1 February 1918 – 28 May 1918 *

12th Aero Squadron The 12th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the I Corps, ...

(Observation), 2 February 1918 – 30 April 1918 *

90th Aero Squadron The 90th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the III Co ...

(Observation), 19 April 1918 – 13 June 1918 *

96th Aero Squadron The 96th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a day bombardment squadron, performing long-range bombing attacks on roads and railroads: des ...

(Observation), 18 May 1918 - 10 September 1918 *

135th Aero Squadron The 135th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the IV Corp ...

(Observation), 19 Jul 1918-30 Jul 1918 * 50th Aero Squadron (Observation), 27 July 1918 – 4 September 1918 *

8th Aero Squadron The 8th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the IV Corps, ...

(Observation), 31 Jul 1918-31 Aug 1918 *

104th Aero Squadron The 104th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the V Corp ...

(Observation), 1 August 1918 – 4 August 1918 *

9th Aero Squadron The 9th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as an Army Observation Squadron, performing long-range, strategic night reconnaissance over the en ...

(Observation), 28 August 1918 – 6 September 1918 After completion of training, the squadrons then were assigned to one of the American Army Corps Observation Groups, mainly for battlefield reconnaissance and observation duties. A few Squadrons flew operational missions from the field: *

(Observation), 30 April 1918 - 3 May 1918 *

(Observation), 12 June 1918 - 10 September 1918 *

(Observation), 6–21 September 1918 *

99th Aero Squadron The 99th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I. The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the V Corps ...

(Observation), 31 May 1918 – 1 July 1918Arriving from Haussimont, where it flew missions for the 3rd Army Observation School, it was probably a "trainer" squadron for passing units Beginning in September 1918, the 1st Day Bombardment Group moved to Amanty and began combat operations during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. * 1st Day Bombardment Group, 10 Sep-23 Sep 1918 * 11th Aero Squadron (Day Bombardment), 6 Sep 1918-24 Sep 1918 *

(Day Bombardment), 18 May 1918 – 23 September 1918 * 166th Aero Squadron (Day Bombardment), 21 September 1918 – 25 September 1918 With the advance of Allied forces, the group moved up to

Maulan Aerodrome Maulan Aerodrome, was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located South-Southwest of the commune of Maulan, in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. Overview A small airfield was set up in September, 1914 by ...

to be closer to the line, and Amanty was unused by flying units. After the Armistice with Germany on 11 November 1918, the First Army Air Service remained in place until it was ordered demobilized in April 1919. Afterwards Amanty Airdrome was dismantled, and the airfield was returned to the local farmers for agricultural use. Today little or no traces of it remain.

References

* Series "D", Volume 2, Squadron histories,. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

External links

{{authority control World War I airfields in France World War I sites of the United States

History

See also

References

External links