Ventiseri-Solenzara Air Base
Encyclopedia
Solenzara Air Base is a front-line French Air Force
( (ALA) base located in the village of Ventiseri
approximately 40 km north-norhteast of Porto-Vecchio
on Corsica
.
the air base was constructed by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force XII Engineer Command as an all-weather temporary field built using Pierced Steel Planking for runways and parking areas, as well as for dispersal sites. 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. As the airfield was not located on mainland France, no Advanced Landing Ground
identifier was designated, and was called Solenzara Airfield.
The airfield was designed for fighter, medium bomber units, as well as for command and control. Known units assigned were:
Both the 310th and 324th flew combat missions in support of the Invasion of Southern France (Operation Dragoon
) during July and August 1944. At the end of the war, the American combat units moved out for their return to the United States. The airfield was then turned over to the French government in July 1945.
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
( (ALA) base located in the village of Ventiseri
Ventiseri
Ventiseri is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.-Population:-References:*...
approximately 40 km north-norhteast of Porto-Vecchio
Porto-Vecchio
Porto-Vecchio is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.It is the seat of the canton of Porto-Vecchio, which it shares with Sari-Solenzara, Conca and Lecci. Port-Vecchio is a medium-sized port city placed on a good harbor, the southernmost of the marshy and...
on Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
.
World War II
During World War IIWorld 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...
the air base was constructed by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force XII Engineer Command as an all-weather temporary field built using Pierced Steel Planking for runways and parking areas, as well as for dispersal sites. 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. As the airfield was not located on mainland France, no 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...
identifier was designated, and was called Solenzara Airfield.
The airfield was designed for fighter, medium bomber units, as well as for command and control. Known units assigned were:
- HQ, 57th Bombardment Wing, 20 April-5 October 1944
- 310th Bombardment Group, 10 December 1943-7 April 1945, B-25 MitchellB-25 MitchellThe 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...
- 324th Fighter Group324th Fighter GroupThe 324th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Army Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with XII Air Support Command, stationed at Fliegerhorst Stuttgart-Echterdingen , Germany. It was inactivated on 7 November 1945....
, 19 July 1944-25 August 1944, P-40 Warhawk
Both the 310th and 324th flew combat missions in support of the Invasion of Southern France (Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...
) during July and August 1944. At the end of the war, the American combat units moved out for their return to the United States. The airfield was then turned over to the French government in July 1945.