Cricqueville Airfield

A-2 Cricqueville-en-Bessin
Cricqueville en Bessin Airfield; Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) A-2
	Calvados, Basse-Normandie Region, France
	Photo of Cricqueville en Bessin Airfield A-2 in June 1947, almost 3 years after the airfield had closed.
	Cricqueville en Bessin Airfield
Coordinates	49°21′46″N001°00′38″W / 49.36278°N 1.01056°W Coordinates: 49°21′46″N001°00′38″W / 49.36278°N 1.01056°W
Type	Military Airfield
Site information
Controlled by	United States Army Air Forces
Site history
Built by	IX Engineering Command
In use	June–September 1944
Materials	Square-Mesh Track (SMT)
Battles/wars	; World War II - EAME Theater Normandy Campaign; Northern France Campaign;
Garrison information
Garrison	Ninth Air Force
Occupants	354th Fighter Group; 367th Fighter Group;
Airfield information
Runways
17/35	5,000 feet (1,520 m) SMT/PSP
	One runway, 4 alert pads, 50 hardstands [1]

Last updated March 21, 2019

Cricqueville en Bessin Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Cricqueville-en-Bessin in the Normandy region of northern France.

World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world's countries—including all the great powers—eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. A state of total war emerged, directly involving more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. The major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, marked by 50 to 85 million fatalities, most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China. It included massacres, the genocide of the Holocaust, strategic bombing, premeditated death from starvation and disease, and the only use of nuclear weapons in war.

The commune is a level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are analogous to civil townships and incorporated municipalities in the United States and Canada, Gemeinden in Germany, comuni in Italy or ayuntamiento in Spain. The United Kingdom has no exact equivalent, as communes resemble districts in urban areas, but are closer to parishes in rural areas where districts are much larger. Communes are based on historical geographic communities or villages and are vested with significant powers to manage the populations and land of the geographic area covered. The communes are the fourth-level administrative divisions of France.

Cricqueville-en-Bessin is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France.

Located just outside Cricqueville-en-Bessin, the United States Army Air Force established a temporary airfield shortly after D-Day on 10 June 1944, shortly after the Allied landings in France The airfield was one of the first established in the liberated area of Normandy, being constructed by the IX Engineer Command, 820th Engineer Aviation Battalion.

History

Known as Advanced Landing Ground "A-2", the airfield consisted of a single 5000' (1500m) Square-Mesh Track/Compressed Earth runway aligned 17/35. In addition, with 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.^[2]

Advanced Landing Ground Temporary advance airfields constructed by the Allies during World War II during the liberation of Europe

Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) were temporary advance airfields constructed by the Allies during World War II during the liberation of Europe. They were built in the UK prior to the invasion and thereafter in northwest Europe from 6 June 1944 to V-E Day, 7 May 1945.

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 left un-garrisoned and used for resupply and casualty evacuation. It was closed on 15 September 1944.^[3]

Major units assigned

354th Fighter Group 22 June-13 August 1944

353d (FT), 355th (GQ), 356th (AJ) Fighter Squadrons (P-51B)^[4]

367th Fighter Group 14 August-4 September 1944

392d (HS), 393d (8L), 394th (4N) Fighter Squadrons (P-38)^[4]

Current use

After its closure by the Americans, the airfield was dismantled in September 1944 and the land returned to agricultural use. Today there is little or no physical evidence of its existence or its location.^[3]

A memorial to the men and units that were stationed at Cricqueville was placed at the site of the former airfield. It is located from the center of Cricqueville (Town Hall-Church), take the D113 direction (toward the Cambe). After 1500 meters, turn left towards the place called "La Grande Lande". The site is about 300 meters immediately to the side of the road on the right.

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References

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/ .

↑ Cricqueville en Bessin Airfield
↑ IX Engineer Command ETO Airfields, Airfield Layout
1 2 Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
1 2 Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.

External links

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[1] Cricqueville en Bessin Airfield

[2] IX Engineer Command ETO Airfields, Airfield Layout

[Johnson,_David_C._1988-3] 1 2 Johnson, David C. (1988), U.S. Army Air Forces Continental Airfields (ETO), D-Day to V-E Day; Research Division, USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.

[Sqd-4] 1 2 Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.