Verdun-Le-Rozelier Airport
Encyclopedia
Verdun-Le-Rozelier Airport is a regional airport in France
, located 5 miles (8 km) southeasr of Verdun
(Departement de la Meuse, Lorraine), 139 miles (223.7 km) east-northeast of Paris
It supports general aviation
with no commercial airline service scheduled.
The 926th EAR laid down a 5000' grass runway aligned roughly east-west (08/26), along with a small support area. The airfield was declared operationally ready on 19 September and was designated as Advanced Landing Ground
"A-82", or simply "Verdun Airfield".
The airfield was initially used by various transport units for combat resupply of units and for casualty evacuation.
In late October, the 825th Engineering Aviation Regiment returned to the airfield and improved the facility, laying down an all-weather Pierced Steel Planking (PSP) runway for Ninth Air Force
combat fighter use along with upgrading the support site with tents for billeting and also for support facilities; 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.
With the upgraded facility, combat units arrived at Verdun. The first was the 362d Fighter Group
, which based P-47 Thunderbolt
fighters at the field from 5 November 1944 until 8 April 1945. Also the 425th Night Fighter Squadron arrived on 9 November to provide night air defense of the Verdun area, flying P-61 Black Widow
night interceptors. The night fighters also moved out in mid April 1945.
By mid-April the airfield had become redundant combat needs and the facility was returned to being a S&E (Supply and Evacuation) airfield, and was used until being closed on 22 May 1945. The wartime airfield was then turned over to French authorities.
Le-Rozelier Airport today is a modern, well-equipped general aviation airport. On the south side of the runway appears to be the remains of a wartime taxiway, along with concrete footers of long-dismantled wartime buildings, probably aircraft shelters. On the north side appears to be the remains of a wartime parking ramp and part of a taxiway.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, located 5 miles (8 km) southeasr of Verdun
Verdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
(Departement de la Meuse, Lorraine), 139 miles (223.7 km) east-northeast of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
It supports general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
with no commercial airline service scheduled.
World War II
Le-Rozelier Airport's origins begin in September 1944 when the airfield was built by the United States Army Air Force IX Engineer Command 926th Engineering Aviation Regiment. Allied ground forces had moved though the Verdun area during the Northern France Campaign in early September, and on 9 September the combat engineers arrived to lay down a temporary airfield to support the ground forces in their advance against enemy forces.The 926th EAR laid down a 5000' grass runway aligned roughly east-west (08/26), along with a small support area. The airfield was declared operationally ready on 19 September and was designated as Advanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground
Advanced Landing Ground was the term given to the temporary advance airfields constructed by the Allies during World War II in support of the invasion of Europe...
"A-82", or simply "Verdun Airfield".
The airfield was initially used by various transport units for combat resupply of units and for casualty evacuation.
In late October, the 825th Engineering Aviation Regiment returned to the airfield and improved the facility, laying down an all-weather Pierced Steel Planking (PSP) runway for 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....
combat fighter use along with upgrading the support site with tents for billeting and also for support facilities; 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.
With the upgraded facility, combat units arrived at Verdun. The first was the 362d Fighter Group
362d Fighter Group
The 362d Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, stationed at Biggs Field, Texas. It was inactivated on 3 August 1946....
, which based P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
fighters at the field from 5 November 1944 until 8 April 1945. Also the 425th Night Fighter Squadron arrived on 9 November to provide night air defense of the Verdun area, flying P-61 Black Widow
P-61 Black Widow
The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was the first operational U.S. military aircraft designed specifically for night interception of aircraft, and was the first aircraft specifically designed to use radar. It was an all-metal, twin-engine, twin-boom design developed during World War II...
night interceptors. The night fighters also moved out in mid April 1945.
By mid-April the airfield had become redundant combat needs and the facility was returned to being a S&E (Supply and Evacuation) airfield, and was used until being closed on 22 May 1945. The wartime airfield was then turned over to French authorities.
Current
After the war, the temporary wartime faculties were eventually all removed. The airfield was upgraded into a commercial airport, with a new modern asphalt runway being laid down roughly in the same direction as the wartime one. Permanent structures were erected and modern aircraft hangars and servicing facilities were built.Le-Rozelier Airport today is a modern, well-equipped general aviation airport. On the south side of the runway appears to be the remains of a wartime taxiway, along with concrete footers of long-dismantled wartime buildings, probably aircraft shelters. On the north side appears to be the remains of a wartime parking ramp and part of a taxiway.
See also
- Advanced Landing Ground