Schweinfurt Army Heliport
Encyclopedia
Schweinfurt Army Heliport is a military facility near Schweinfurt, Germany, being part of the United States Army Garrison. (USAG Schweinfurt). It is controlled by the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry, 173d Airborne Brigade Combat Team since 6 June 2006.
The unit operates AH-64 Apache
attack helicopters from the airfield.
airfield, its primary mission being the home of light bomber (Dornier Do 17
) and dive bomber (Junkers Ju 87
) units until 1942.
About 1940, the Luftwaffe began assigning anti-aircraft (FlaK) units to the area, in order to provide an air defense for the Schweinfurter Kugellagerwerke and other ball bearing
factories in Schweinfurt, as the city produced most of these critical components. The number of units assigned increased when the city became the target of American Eighth Air Force
stragegic bombing beginning in 1943. Schweinfurt was bombed 22 times during Operation Pointblank by a total of 2285 aircraft. American bombing included the Second Raid on Schweinfurt
on October 14, 1943, ("Black Thursday") and Big Week
in February, 1944.
The United States Army
42nd Infantry Division entered Schweinfurt on 11 April 1945 and conducted house-to-house fighting in the seizure of the city and facilities. Twelfth Air Force B-25 Mitchell
medium bombers conducted pinpoint bombing attacks during the battle on German defenses, the battle being one of the last (in addition to Nuremberg
) major combat between the German Wehrmacht
against American Army units during the Western Allied invasion of Germany. Elements of the USAAF IX Engineering Command were able to move into the airfield on 17 April and clear mines and destroyed aircraft, and made the facility serviceable for use by Allied transport aircraft by 18 April. It was designated as Advanced Landing Ground
"R-25" and was put to use as a combat resupply and casualty evacuation airfield.
Air Force Occupation units began moving into the airfield on 16 June 1945, the facility being renamed Army Air Force Station Schweinfurt. The airfield became an occupation garrison for Air Force units and also became "Schweinfurt Air Depot", being used by Air Technical Service Command. It was redesignated as Schweinfurt Air Base on 1 August 1947, in anticipation of the Air Force becoming a separate branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. On 5 October 1947, control of the airfield was turned over to the United States Army
as the Air Force consolidated its forces around the Munich
area.
Today, the U.S. Army Garrison Schweinfurt is home for roughly 11,000 people, including about 4,000 Soldiers, family members, Department of Defense civilian employees and their dependents, with the heliport being assigned to the Conn Barracks facilities.
The unit operates AH-64 Apache
AH-64 Apache
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...
attack helicopters from the airfield.
History
The facility's origins begin in 1936 as a 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....
airfield, its primary mission being the home of light bomber (Dornier Do 17
Dornier Do 17
The Dornier Do 17, sometimes referred to as the Fliegender Bleistift , was a World War II German light bomber produced by Claudius Dornier's company, Dornier Flugzeugwerke...
) and dive bomber (Junkers Ju 87
Junkers Ju 87
The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka was a two-man German ground-attack aircraft...
) units until 1942.
About 1940, the Luftwaffe began assigning anti-aircraft (FlaK) units to the area, in order to provide an air defense for the Schweinfurter Kugellagerwerke and other ball bearing
Ball bearing
A ball bearing is a type of rolling-element bearing that uses balls to maintain the separation between the bearing races.The purpose of a ball bearing is to reduce rotational friction and support radial and axial loads. It achieves this by using at least two races to contain the balls and transmit...
factories in Schweinfurt, as the city produced most of these critical components. The number of units assigned increased when the city became the target of American Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
stragegic bombing beginning in 1943. Schweinfurt was bombed 22 times during Operation Pointblank by a total of 2285 aircraft. American bombing included the Second Raid on Schweinfurt
Second Raid on Schweinfurt
The second Schweinfurt raid bombed World War II ball bearing factories to reduce production of these vital parts for all manner of war machines. Named Black Thursday because the loss of aircrewmen was the highest for any USAAF mission...
on October 14, 1943, ("Black Thursday") and Big Week
Big Week
Between February 20–25, 1944, as part of the European strategic bombing campaign, the United States Strategic Air Forces launched Operation Argument, a series of missions against the Third Reich that became known as Big Week. The planners intended to lure the Luftwaffe into a decisive battle by...
in February, 1944.
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...
42nd Infantry Division entered Schweinfurt on 11 April 1945 and conducted house-to-house fighting in the seizure of the city and facilities. Twelfth Air Force 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...
medium bombers conducted pinpoint bombing attacks during the battle on German defenses, the battle being one of the last (in addition to Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
) major combat between the German Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
against American Army units during the Western Allied invasion of Germany. Elements of the USAAF IX Engineering Command were able to move into the airfield on 17 April and clear mines and destroyed aircraft, and made the facility serviceable for use by Allied transport aircraft by 18 April. It 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...
"R-25" and was put to use as a combat resupply and casualty evacuation airfield.
Air Force Occupation units began moving into the airfield on 16 June 1945, the facility being renamed Army Air Force Station Schweinfurt. The airfield became an occupation garrison for Air Force units and also became "Schweinfurt Air Depot", being used by Air Technical Service Command. It was redesignated as Schweinfurt Air Base on 1 August 1947, in anticipation of the Air Force becoming a separate branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. On 5 October 1947, control of the airfield was turned over to 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...
as the Air Force consolidated its forces around the Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
area.
Today, the U.S. Army Garrison Schweinfurt is home for roughly 11,000 people, including about 4,000 Soldiers, family members, Department of Defense civilian employees and their dependents, with the heliport being assigned to the Conn Barracks facilities.
See also
- Advanced Landing Ground