Le Molay Airfield
Encyclopedia
Le Molay Airfield is an abandoned World War II
military airfield, which is located near the commune
of Le Molay-Littry
in the Basse-Normandie
region
of northern France
.
Located approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Le Molay-Littry, the United States Army Air Force established a temporary airfield after D-Day
on 21 June 1944, shortly after the Allied landings in France The airfield was one of the first established in the liberated area of Normandy, constructed by the IX Engineering Command, 834th Engineer Aviation Battalion.
"A-9", the airfield consisted of a single 4000 ft (1212 m) Square-Mesh Track runway aligned 04/22. Tents were used for billeting and 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.
The 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group based F-4/P-38 Lightnings and F5/P-51 Mustang photo-reconnaissance aircraft at Le Molay from July though August 1944.
After the Americans moved east into Central France with the advancing Allied Armies, the airfield was used for resupply and casualty evacuation. It was closed on 5 October 1944. Today there is little or no physical evidence of the airfield's existence except for a faint disturbance on the landscape indicated at the coordinates listed, which may be the location of the 04/22 runway. In addition, large numbers of possible wartime buildings of the ATSC 16th Air Depot Group seem to be in use as agricultural buildings in the general area.
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, which is located near the commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Le Molay-Littry
Le Molay-Littry
Le Molay-Littry is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-History:On January 23, 1969, Le Molay amalgamated with the old commune of Littry to form into Le Molay-Littry, and uses the old Littry INSEE code 14330.Le Molay-Littry is a small Normandy...
in the Basse-Normandie
Basse-Normandie
Lower Normandy is an administrative region of France. It was created in 1956, when the Normandy region was divided into Lower Normandy and Upper Normandy...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
of northern France
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 approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Le Molay-Littry, the United States Army Air Force established a temporary airfield after D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
on 21 June 1944, shortly after the Allied landings in France The airfield was one of the first established in the liberated area of Normandy, constructed by the IX Engineering Command, 834th Engineer Aviation Battalion.
History
Known as Advanced Landing GroundAdvanced 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-9", the airfield consisted of a single 4000 ft (1212 m) Square-Mesh Track runway aligned 04/22. Tents were used for billeting and 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.
The 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group based F-4/P-38 Lightnings and F5/P-51 Mustang photo-reconnaissance aircraft at Le Molay from July though August 1944.
After the Americans moved east into Central France with the advancing Allied Armies, the airfield was used for resupply and casualty evacuation. It was closed on 5 October 1944. Today there is little or no physical evidence of the airfield's existence except for a faint disturbance on the landscape indicated at the coordinates listed, which may be the location of the 04/22 runway. In addition, large numbers of possible wartime buildings of the ATSC 16th Air Depot Group seem to be in use as agricultural buildings in the general area.
See also
- Advanced Landing Ground