Saint James Airfield
Encyclopedia
Saint James Airfield is an abandoned World War II
military airfield, which is located near the commune
of Saint-James
in the Brittany region
of northern France
.
Located just outside of Saint-James, the United States Army Air Force established a temporary airfield on 8 August 1944, shortly after the Allied landings in France The airfield was constructed by the IX Engineering Command, 825th Engineer Aviation Battalion.
"A-29", the airfield consisted of a single 5000' (1500m) Prefabricated Hessian Surfacing/Compressed Earth runway aligned 13/31. In addition, tents were used 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.
The 373d Fighter Group
, based P-47 Thunderbolt
fighters at Saint James from 19 August though 19 September 1944.
The fighter planes flew support missions during the Allied invasion of Normandy, patrolling roads in front of the beachhead; strafing German military vehicles and dropping bombs on gun emplacements, anti-aircraft artillery and concentrations of German troops in Normandy and Brittany when spotted.
After the Americans moved east into Central France with the advancing Allied Armies, the airfield was closed on 38 September 1944. Today the long dismantled airfield is indistinguishable from the agricultural fields in the 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 Saint-James
Saint-James
Saint-James is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.Saint-James is on the border between Normandy and Brittany.-Heraldry:-Demographics:-World War II:...
in the Brittany 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 just outside of Saint-James, the United States Army Air Force established a temporary airfield on 8 August 1944, shortly after the Allied landings in France The airfield was constructed by the IX Engineering Command, 825th 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-29", the airfield consisted of a single 5000' (1500m) Prefabricated Hessian Surfacing/Compressed Earth runway aligned 13/31. In addition, tents were used 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.
The 373d Fighter Group
373d Fighter Group
The 373d Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with First Air Force stationed at Mitchel Field , New York. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945....
, 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 Saint James from 19 August though 19 September 1944.
The fighter planes flew support missions during the Allied invasion of Normandy, patrolling roads in front of the beachhead; strafing German military vehicles and dropping bombs on gun emplacements, anti-aircraft artillery and concentrations of German troops in Normandy and Brittany when spotted.
After the Americans moved east into Central France with the advancing Allied Armies, the airfield was closed on 38 September 1944. Today the long dismantled airfield is indistinguishable from the agricultural fields in the area.