Type Military Airfield In use June–September 1944 | Built by IX Engineering Command Garrison Ninth Air Force | |
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Materials Square-Mesh Track (SMT) Battles/wars World War II - EAME Theater
Normandy Campaign
Northern France Campaign Controlled by United States Army Air Forces | ||
Chippelle à Cartigny-L’Épinay (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.
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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.
On 3 July, the first P-47 of the 404th Fighter Group were permitted to land on A-5 and the airfield was declared operational two days later. The grop 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-garrissoned and used for resupply and casualty evacuation. It was closed on 5 September 1944 and the land returned to agricultural use.
Major units assigned
Current use
Today the airfield is a mixture of various agricultural fields. 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 Épinay 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.