Cricqueville-en-Bessin Airfield

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″N 001°00′38″W / 49.36278°N 1.01056°WCoordinates: 49°21′46″N 001°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
Direction	Length and surface
17/35	5,000 feet (1,520 m) SMT/PSP

One runway, 4 alert pads, 50 hardstands

World War II - EAME Theater

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.

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.

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.

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.

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