El Assa Airfield
Encyclopedia
El Assa Airfield is an abandoned World War II
military airfield located in the vicinity of Al `Assah in the Baladiyat al Jumayl region of Libya
. It is about 140 km west of Tripoli
near the Tunisia
n border.
It was used by the United States Army Air Force Ninth Air Force
83d Bombardment Squadron (12th Bombardment Group) during the Eastern Desert Campaign by the British Eighth Army between 3 March and 4 April 1943. The 83d flew B-25 Mitchell
medium bombers from the airfield.
The airfield most likely was constructed from compacted sand with tents being used as support facilities. Today it is probably overlaid by the town of Al `Assah.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
military airfield located in the vicinity of Al `Assah in the Baladiyat al Jumayl region of Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. It is about 140 km west of Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
near the Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
n border.
It was used by the United States Army Air Force Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
83d Bombardment Squadron (12th Bombardment Group) during the Eastern Desert Campaign by the British Eighth Army between 3 March and 4 April 1943. The 83d flew B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
medium bombers from the airfield.
The airfield most likely was constructed from compacted sand with tents being used as support facilities. Today it is probably overlaid by the town of Al `Assah.