| Verdun-Le-Rozelier Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: none – ICAO: LFGW
Verdun -
Le-Rozelier Airport Verdun -
Le-Rozelier Airport (France) |
|||
| Summary | |||
| Location | Verdun, France | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,230 ft / 375 m | ||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 10/28 | 3,775 | 1,120 | Asphalt |
Verdun-Le-Rozelier Airport (ICAO: LFGW) is a regional airport in France, located 5 miles (8.0 km) southeasr of Verdun (Departement de la Meuse, Lorraine), 139 miles (224 km) east-northeast of Paris
It supports general aviation with no commercial airline service scheduled.
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Le-Rozelier Airport's origins begin in September 1944 when the airfield was built by the United States Army Air Force IX Engineer Command 926th Engineering Aviation Regiment. Allied ground forces had moved though the Verdun area during the Northern France Campaign in early September, and on 9 September the combat engineers arrived to lay down a temporary airfield to support the ground forces in their advance against enemy forces.
The 926th EAR laid down a 5000' grass runway aligned roughly east-west (08/26), along with a small support area. The airfield was declared operationally ready on 19 September and was designated as Advanced Landing Ground "A-82", or simply "Verdun Airfield".[1]
The airfield was initially used by various transport units for combat resupply of units and for casualty evacuation.[2]
In late October, the 825th Engineering Aviation Regiment returned to the airfield and improved the facility, laying down an all-weather Pierced Steel Planking (PSP) runway for Ninth Air Force combat fighter use along with upgrading the support site with tents 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.[3]
With the upgraded facility, combat units arrived at Verdun. The first was the 362d Fighter Group, which based P-47 Thunderbolt fighters at the field from 5 November 1944 until 8 April 1945. Also the 425th Night Fighter Squadron arrived on 9 November to provide night air defense of the Verdun area, flying P-61 Black Widow night interceptors. The night fighters also moved out in mid April 1945.[4]
By mid-April the airfield had become redundant combat needs and the facility was returned to being a S&E (Supply and Evacuation) airfield, and was used until being closed on 22 May 1945. The wartime airfield was then turned over to French authorities.[5]
After the war, the temporary wartime faculties were eventually all removed. The airfield was upgraded into a commercial airport, with a new modern asphalt runway being laid down roughly in the same direction as the wartime one. Permanent structures were erected and modern aircraft hangars and servicing facilities were built.
Le-Rozelier Airport today is a modern, well-equipped general aviation airport. On the south side of the runway appears to be the remains of a wartime taxiway, along with concrete footers of long-dismantled wartime buildings, probably aircraft shelters. On the north side appears to be the remains of a wartime parking ramp and part of a taxiway.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.