Chippelle Airfield
| Chippelle Airfield Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) A-5  | |
|---|---|
Basse-Normandie Region, France
  Chippelle Airfield Chippelle Airfield (France)
| |
| Coordinates | 49°14′12″N 000°58′59″W / 49.23667°N 0.98306°W |
| Type | Military Airfield |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by |  United States Army Air Forces, 1944 |
| Site history | |
| In use | June–September 1944 |
| Built by | IX Engineering Command |
| Materials | Square-Mesh Track (SMT) |
| Battles/wars | Western Front (World War II) Normandy Campaign Northern France Campaign |
Chippelle Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of La Chapelle-en-Juger in the Basse-Normandie region of northern France.[citation needed]
Located jut outside of La Chapelle-en-Juger, the United States Army Air Force established a temporary airfield shortly after D-Day on 16 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 Engineering Command, 820th Engineer Aviation Battalion.
History
Known as Advanced Landing Ground "A-5", the airfield consisted of a single 5000' (1500m) Square-Mesh Track runway aligned 06/24. 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.[1]
The 404th Fighter Group, based P-47 Thunderbolt fighters at Chippelle from 6 July-29 August1944.[2]
The fighter planes flew support missions during the Allied invasion of Normandy, patrolling roads in front of the beachhead; stafing 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 closed. Today, the location of the airfield is indistinguishable from the agricultural fields in the area.[3]
A memorial to the men and units that were stationed at Chippelle was placed at the site of the former airfield. It is located on D 15 after he left Le Molay Littry before Epinay and turn right and follow the signs. After crossing the railroad tracks, turn immediately left. The stele is a few hundred meters to the left near a pond. NDW: Note that some map backgrounds suggest that the road along which lies the stele cross the railway track, it seems to be the case.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
- ↑ IX Engineer Command ETO Airfields, Airfield Layout
- ↑ Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
- ↑ 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.
