Médiouna Airfield
Encyclopedia
Médiouna Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Morocco
, located in the Casablanca
area.
landings in November 1942, 13 United States Navy
F-4F Wildcats attacked the airfield at Médiouna and destroyed a total of 11 French aircraft, including six from GC II/5. and the airfield was seized by invading Allied ground forces.
Immediately after the landings, the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force 47th Bombardment Group became the first USAAF A-20 Havoc group to participate in large-scale combat in the North African Campaign
, using ferry tanks cross the North Atlantic. The group assembled at Médiouna before flying its first combat mission from Youks-les-Bains Airfield
, Algeria
on 13 December.
On the heels of the 47th, the B-25 Mitchell
equipped 310th Bombardment Group moved from its temporary base at RAF Hardwick
, England
in mid-November. It also moved east quickly to Telergma Airfield, Algeria
on 21 December.
A third group, the 81st Fighter Group was assigned to the field in early January 1943 flying P-39 Aircobras. Its ground echelon arrieved at the field in November, but the air echelon trained for several months in England. Once assembled, it moved to Thelepte Airfield
, Tunisia
at the end of January.
The next USAAF unit to use Médiouna was the P-38 Lightning
14th Fighter Group, after being withdrawn from combat in early March 1943. The group was re-equipped with the P-38F and some P-38Gs and reassigned to Telergma Airfield, Algeria
in early May. Lastly, elements of the 86th Bombardment Group (309th, 310th, 312th Bombardment Squadrons) were at the airfield between 15 May and 11 June 1944.
Following the landings in Algeria and Morocco, the French Armée d'Afrique freed itself from Vichy France and joined the Allies against the Axis forces. The Cherchell-Mediouna French Cadet Officers Academy was established at the airfield in December 1942 in order to provide the Free French Forces with officers. Most of the officers from the Cherchell-Mediouna E.E.A. were trained in Cherchell (Algeria). The Mediouna camp, near Casablanca (Morocco), accommodated cadet officers only between January and May 1943. From January 1943 to June 1945, about 5,000 officers divided into five classes were trained in the Cherchell-Mediouna E.E.A..
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, located in the Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
area.
History
Established as a French military airfield in French Morocco during the 1920s, after the Fall of France in June, 1940, the reconstituted Vichy Air Force established a military airfield at the facility for its limited air resources. During the Operation TorchOperation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
landings in November 1942, 13 United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
F-4F Wildcats attacked the airfield at Médiouna and destroyed a total of 11 French aircraft, including six from GC II/5. and the airfield was seized by invading Allied ground forces.
Immediately after the landings, the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force 47th Bombardment Group became the first USAAF A-20 Havoc group to participate in large-scale combat in the North African Campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
, using ferry tanks cross the North Atlantic. The group assembled at Médiouna before flying its first combat mission from Youks-les-Bains Airfield
Youks-les-Bains Airfield
Youks-les-Bains Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Algeria, located about 20 km northwest of Tebessa. The airfield today consists of several agricultural fields, with the faint remains of its main runway, parts of a taxiway and a few aircraft dispersal hardstands visible in aerial...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
on 13 December.
On the heels of the 47th, the 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...
equipped 310th Bombardment Group moved from its temporary base at RAF Hardwick
RAF Hardwick
RAF Hardwick is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located W of Bungay in Norfolk and a similar distance from the A140 main road from Norwich to Ipswich.-Origins:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in mid-November. It also moved east quickly to Telergma Airfield, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
on 21 December.
A third group, the 81st Fighter Group was assigned to the field in early January 1943 flying P-39 Aircobras. Its ground echelon arrieved at the field in November, but the air echelon trained for several months in England. Once assembled, it moved to Thelepte Airfield
Thelepte Airfield
Thelepte Airfield is an airfield in Tunisia, located about 20 km southwest of Kasserine. It currently is active and in use.It was used by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force in 1943 during the North African Campaign against the German Afrika Korps...
, 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...
at the end of January.
The next USAAF unit to use Médiouna was the 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...
14th Fighter Group, after being withdrawn from combat in early March 1943. The group was re-equipped with the P-38F and some P-38Gs and reassigned to Telergma Airfield, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
in early May. Lastly, elements of the 86th Bombardment Group (309th, 310th, 312th Bombardment Squadrons) were at the airfield between 15 May and 11 June 1944.
Following the landings in Algeria and Morocco, the French Armée d'Afrique freed itself from Vichy France and joined the Allies against the Axis forces. The Cherchell-Mediouna French Cadet Officers Academy was established at the airfield in December 1942 in order to provide the Free French Forces with officers. Most of the officers from the Cherchell-Mediouna E.E.A. were trained in Cherchell (Algeria). The Mediouna camp, near Casablanca (Morocco), accommodated cadet officers only between January and May 1943. From January 1943 to June 1945, about 5,000 officers divided into five classes were trained in the Cherchell-Mediouna E.E.A..