Sainte Marie du Zit Airfield
Encyclopedia
Sainte Marie du Zit Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Zaghwan provience, Tunisia
, located about 3 km northeast of Sainte-Marie du Zit; 17 km east-northeast of Zaghouan, and 50 km south of Tunis
.
during World War II
. It was attacked and area near a fuel dump by Ninth Air Force
B-25 Mitchell
s on 3 April 1943, and seized by the United States Army
on 9 May during the Battle of Tunisia.
It was repaired by Army engineers and improved for use by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force. The existing facility was expanded earth dispersal hardstands. Six-man tents were used for billeting, lined up in rows with the orderly room and the mess hall at one end. On 25 July, the 14th Fighter Group with three squadrons of P-38 Lightning
s arrived.
After the Axis defeat in Tunisia, the 14th Fighter Group flew dive-bombing missions during the Allied assault on Pantelleria and helped prepare for and support the invasions of Sicily and Italy
. Lieut H. T. Hanna made ace in one day by destroying five Junkers Ju 87
dive bombers on October 9, 1943. In November the group was assigned to Fifteenth Air Force
and moved to Triolo Airfield, Italy
on 12 December. The facilities at Sainte Marie du Zit were dismantled and the airfield was abandoned.
The land is now an agricultural area, the remains of the main runway being visible on aerial photography. A large disturbed area around the runway is still in evidence.
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...
, located about 3 km northeast of Sainte-Marie du Zit; 17 km east-northeast of Zaghouan, and 50 km south of Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
.
History
The airfield was built by the German LuftwaffeLuftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
during World War II
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...
. It was attacked and area near a fuel dump by 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....
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...
s on 3 April 1943, and seized by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
on 9 May during the Battle of Tunisia.
It was repaired by Army engineers and improved for use by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force. The existing facility was expanded earth dispersal hardstands. Six-man tents were used for billeting, lined up in rows with the orderly room and the mess hall at one end. On 25 July, the 14th Fighter Group with three squadrons of P-38 Lightning
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
s arrived.
After the Axis defeat in Tunisia, the 14th Fighter Group flew dive-bombing missions during the Allied assault on Pantelleria and helped prepare for and support the invasions of Sicily and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Lieut H. T. Hanna made ace in one day by destroying five Junkers Ju 87
Junkers Ju 87
The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka was a two-man German ground-attack aircraft...
dive bombers on October 9, 1943. In November the group was assigned to Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
and moved to Triolo Airfield, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
on 12 December. The facilities at Sainte Marie du Zit were dismantled and the airfield was abandoned.
The land is now an agricultural area, the remains of the main runway being visible on aerial photography. A large disturbed area around the runway is still in evidence.