RAF Gosfield

RAF Gosfield USAAF Station AAF-154
Gosfield airfield photographed in March 1945
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Military
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force United States Army Air Forces
Location	Gosfield, Braintree, Essex
Built	1943 (1943)
In use	1944-1946 (1946)
Elevation AMSL	292 ft / 89 m
Coordinates	51°57′11″N 000°34′48″E / 51.95306°N 0.58000°E / 51.95306; 0.58000Coordinates: 51°57′11″N 000°34′48″E / 51.95306°N 0.58000°E / 51.95306; 0.58000
Map
RAF Gosfield Location in Essex
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 00/00 0 0 Asphalt 00/00 0 0 Asphalt 00/00 0 0 Asphalt

Royal Air Force Station Gosfield or more simply RAF Gosfield is a former Royal Air Force station in Essex, England. The airfield is located approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Braintree; about 40 miles (64 km) north-northeast of London

Opened in 1943, it was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces. During the war it was used primarily as a combat airfield, with several fighter and bomber units stationed at it After the war it was closed in 1955 after being held in reserve for many years.

Today the remains of the airfield are located on private property being used as agricultural fields.

Gosfield was also one of the airfields where the main construction work was carried out by US Army engineers. The 816th Engineer Battalion (Aviation) arrived at Gosfield on 16 August 1942 where they began setting up tented accommodation. Shortages of construction equipment and other problems caused delays in the early months. By December 1942, the overall airfield building program was in crisis and falling further behind schedule due to the lack of labour and resources. By March 1943, most of the 816th's men were transferred to the more advanced site at RAF Andrews Field. Full-scale construction of Gosfield was resumed in August and by mid-October 1943 the main elements of the landing area had been completed. The 833rd Engineer Aviation Battalion arrived in October 1943 and helped complete Gosfield, including buildings and the drainage system. However, by the time it was completed the Eighth Air Force no longer required the airfield and it was passed to the control of the US Ninth Air Force.

On 10 December 1943 the airfield was bombed by the Luftwaffe, and four servicemen of the 833rd EAB, Stacy J Lindsey, George E Reilly, Norman Shotnakoff Jr, and Fred Svensson were killed when one of the raiders sprayed their hut with cannon fire with fifteen others were wounded.

Gosfield was known as USAAF Station AAF-154 for security reasons by the USAAF during the war, and by which it was referred to instead of location. It's USAAF Station Code was "GF".