Prosnes Airfield

Abandoned airfield in France

49°10′34″N 004°16′20″E / 49.17611°N 4.27222°E / 49.17611; 4.27222TypeMilitary airfieldSite informationControlled byUnited States Army Air ForcesSite historyBuilt byIX Engineering CommandIn useSeptember 1944-July 1945MaterialsPierces Steel Planking (PSP)Battles/warsWestern Front (World War II)
Northern France Campaign

Prosnes Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield which is located approximately 12 miles (19 km) east-southeast of Reims; 90 miles (140 km) northeast of Paris.

The airfield was a semi-permanent facility built by the USAAF in the Champagne region west of Monte Carnillet which was a fiercely contested region of the World War I Western Front. The 6000' Pierced Steel Planking runway of the airfield supported Fighters and transports from September 1944 through the end of the war in Europe.

History

Known as Advanced Landing Ground "A-79", the airfield consisted of a single 6000' PSP runway aligned 08/25. 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]

Combat units stationed at the airfield were:^[2]

362d Fighter Group, 19 September-5 November 1944 (P-47)
425th Night Fighter Squadron, 13 October-9 November 1944 (P-61)
438th Troop Carrier Group, 16 February–19 May 1945 (C-47)^[3]

The fighter planes flew support missions, 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 when spotted.

After the war ended, the facility was dismantled, and the land turned over to local French authorities. Today there is little or no physical evidence of its existence or its location other than some isolated concrete areas, which were likely part of the air base. In the woods to the southeast of the base appears to be some World War I relics of trenches, still visible nearly a century after World War I ended.^[4]

References

This article incorporates public domain material from 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.
^ Philip E. Pierson, 1st Lt., Air Corps Historical Officer, 88th Troop Carrier Squadron, 438th Troop Carrier Group, Research Division, REEL A0993 (Feb.- May 1945), USAF Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
^ 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.

External links

USAAF Ninth Air Force in World War II

Stations

Palestine (Mand)	Lydda Muqueibile Ramat David St Jean
Egypt	Abu Sueir Ismailia El Amiriya Daba Deversoir Fayid Kabrit * Landing Ground 174 Payne Sidi Haneish
Libya	Baheira Belandah Benina Castel Benito Berca Darragh El Adem El Assa Gambut Hamraiet Lete Martuba Tmed El Chel Tobruk Tripoli Sidi Azeiz
Tunisia	Ben Gardane Bou Grara Chekira Hani Hazbub Hergla El Djem El Haouaria Kairouan Medenine Menzel Heurr Sfax Soltane
United Kingdom	Aldermaston Andover Andrews Field Ashford Balderton Barkston Heath Beaulieu Birch Bisterne Boreham Bottesford Boxted Charmy Down Chalgrove Chilbolton Chipping Ongar Christchurch Cottesmore Earls Colne Exeter Folkingham Fulbeck Gosfield Great Dunmow Greenham Common Grove High Halden Headcorn Holmsley South Hurn Ibsley Kingsnorth Langar Lashenden Little Walden Lymington Matching Membury Merryfield Middle Wallop North Witham Ramsbury Raydon Rivenhall Saltby Scorton Staplehurst Spanhoe Stansted Stoney Cross Thruxton Upottery Warmwell Welford Weston Zoyland Wethersfield Winkton Woodchurch Wormingford
Europe	Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) in France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany too numerous.

Units

Commands

9th Air Division (was IX Bomber Command)
IX Air Defense
IX Fighter
IX Tactical Air
IX Troop Carrier
XIX Tactical Air
XXIX Tactical Air

Wings

Bombardment	97th Bombardment 98th Bombardment 99th Bombardment
Fighter	8th Fighter 9th Fighter 70th Fighter 71st Fighter 84th Fighter 100th Fighter 303d Fighter
Troop carrier	50th Troop Carrier 52d Troop Carrier 53d Troop Carrier

Groups

Bombardment	12th Bombardment 98th Bombardment 322d Bombardment 323d Bombardment Group 340th Bombardment Group 344th Bombardment Group 376th Bombardment 386th Bombardment 387th Bombardment 391st Bombardment 394th Bombardment 397th Bombardment 409th Bombardment 410th Bombardment 416th Bombardment
Fighter	36th Fighter 48th Fighter 50th Fighter 57th Fighter 79th Fighter 324th Fighter 354th Fighter 358th Fighter 365th Fighter 362d Fighter 363d Fighter 366th Fighter 367th Fighter 368th Fighter 370th Fighter 371st Fighter 373d Fighter 404th Fighter 405th Fighter 406th Fighter 474th Fighter
Troop carrier	61st Troop Carrier 64th Troop Carrier 313th Troop Carrier 314th Troop Carrier 315th Troop Carrier 316th Troop Carrier 349th Troop Carrier 434th Troop Carrier 435th Troop Carrier 436th Troop Carrier 437th Troop Carrier 438th Troop Carrier 439th Troop Carrier 440th Troop Carrier 441st Troop Carrier 442d Troop Carrier IX Troop Carrier Pathfinder (Provisional)
Reconnaissance	10th Reconnaissance 67th Reconnaissance 69th Reconnaissance