A-13 aerodrome

The first field with 2 runways. On July 2, Lt CoL Gait's 833rd Engineer Aviation Battalion received its assignment to the 926th Engineer Aviation Regiment, whose headquarters were established near Chef du Pont in the English Channel. Most of the battalion had landed on June 30 at Omaha while a light motorized element landed at the same time at Utah Beach.
The entire battalion assembled near Chef du Pont. On July 3, C Company was given responsibility for maintaining the A-6 SMT runway at Beuzeville, as well as the 75 aircraft stands. They were also tasked with building an additional 10, as well as an access ramp, and installing 2 x 4,000-liter fuel tanks. On the same day, Company B was tasked with A-7 maintenance at Fontenay/Azeville, as well as setting up a gravel pit to provide gravel for the ditches, in an attempt to gradually bring the runway up to the new fighter-bomber dimensions.
On July 12, while all the battalions of the 922nd E.A.R. were busy elsewhere, the 833rd of the 926th regiment was sent to Tour en Bessin in Calvados to build the first medium bomber airfield, which was to take the name A-13. This airfield was to comprise 2 runways measuring 1525 m by 40 m, entirely covered with PSP (pierced steel plates), a network of taxiways and access roads, and SMT parking for 75 aircraft. With the exception of one platoon from B Company and 2 platoons from C Company, which were retained on A-7 and A-6 respectively, the entire battalion was dedicated to building the new airfield. The work was completed in 16 days. On July 26, the battalion received help from the 846th E.A.B. of MaJor WJ. Battisson landed on July 16. By its originally scheduled commissioning date of July 28, runways, staging areas, taxiways, parking areas and the installation of 2 x 4,000-liter tanks for gasoline and water had been completed within the perimeter requisitioned for the field equipped with a minimum electrical network for communications and camp lighting. A-13 was the first 2-runway airfield built entirely in France by the US Army, and the first to have its runways entirely paved with PSP. It was also the first whose location had been decided solely as a result of aerial reconnaissance. But the Battalion's great pride was to have built it despite the unfavorable opinion of the British, who declared that it was impossible to build runways at this location, the extreme limit of the American sector, with the Drôme river bordering the installations marking the boundary between the 2 sectors. Tents were erected for the cantonment and quartermaster's quarters, and a depot for equipment and ammunition was created along the present-day departmental road 100, a widened access road opened up using the pre-existing network. The work completed, the battalion moved on to Bolleville to build the A-25 C field. From July 19 to August 19, A-13 was the airfield of the P-47s of the 373rd Fighter Group, which they shared from August 5 with those of the 406th F.G. When, as part of the redeployment of the XIX Tactical Air Command to cover the advance of the TOSA, the 2 fighter groups belonging to the 303rd Wing left the airfield, they were replaced by the Martin B-26 Marauders of the 394th Bombardment Group. These medium bombers remained at the site until September 18, a month-long occupation of the facilities. Once the planes had left, the facilities were used as a supply depot and medical evacuation ground until December 2, when it was returned to the French authorities. Today, the right-of-way of the runways is still visible as you walk through the fields, realizing that some of them lack the natural slope of the terrain. What's more, when you stand with your back to the monument on the edge of the old Nationale 13, you can see its orientation by observing the break in continuity in the tangle of hales covering the area

The 373rd FIGHTER GROUP
The 373rd Fighter Group was formed on 25 May 1943. Sent to England in March-April 44, it was assigned in the first week of April directly to the 303rd Wing of the XIX Tactical Air Command of the 9th Air Force. Its 70 or so fighters then took up quarters at Woodchurch. On 8 Mal 44, he flew his first mission, a swap over Normandy. It then took part in the preparations for D-Day, escorting the B-26s as they pounded road and air infrastructure in France, alternating between escort and dive-bombing missions to gain experience. On June 6, the Group was assigned to cover the beaches, and the following days to cover the frontline with low-level strafing. During their stay in England, Colonel William FISchwartz's pilots were credited with 30 air victories for 15 losses. On July 19, the Group was transferred to A13, where it would be fully deployed by the end of the month. From then on, its main task was to prevent enemy reinforcements from reaching the St Lô area, where ground troops broke the front on July 25. They continued to harass the enemy right up to the Falaise-Argentan-Trun-Chambols pocket. On August 19, fl was transferred to St James, not far from Avranches, on the A-29, closer to the 3rd Army to which it was attached. On September 19, he left Normandy for A-620 at Reims. During his time in Normandy, he received his first decoration: the French Croix de Guerre with palm.

The 406th FIGHTER GROUP "The Raider Group"
Created as a dive-bombing group on February 4, 1943,11 it was renamed the 406th Fighter Group in Mal 1944. The pilots, who came from a variety of backgrounds and especially North Africa, received their P47s on December 1, 1943. After a few months' training, they were flown to Europe from Ashford in Kent. Declared operational on May 8, 1944, the Group flew its first mission as part of the 9th Air Force the following day over Normandy. Chases, bomber escorts and dive-bombing missions were carried out on a daily basis until D-Day, when the Group was assigned to cover operations over Utah-Beach. Four missions a day were carried out by each squadron in the group, whose aircraft took it in turns to be constantly over the beaches. Coverage of Utah Beach was uneventful. After the first week, the group carried out armed reconnaissance, dive-bombing a variety of targets including transport vehicles, artillery emplacements, ammunition depots, railroads, marshalling yards and bridges. This was his job throughout the Normandy Campaign. The group's first major tactical operation was against the Cherbourg resistance in July, with good results despite the loss of 5 aircraft and 3 pilots. Created on February 15, 1943, the 394th Bombardment Group (medium) was activated on March 5 on the Manin 8.26 Marauder, then sent to England in February-March 1944 as part of the 9th Air Force tactical group. In March 1944, its aircraft became involved in the preparatory fighting for D-Day, bombing marshalling yards, bridges, airfields, artillery emplacements and all targets likely to be of use to the enemy. On June 6, it bombed the Cherbourg defense installations, then all the targets assigned to it as part of the Battle of Normandy. On July 25, it took part in the Battle of Saint-Lô. From August 7 to 9, it distinguished itself by a particularly effective bombardment of fortified targets in Northern France. On August 25, the 394th Group landed on A-13 from Holmsley in Hampshire, where it remained until September 15, when H left for Orléans-Bricy (A-50). From Normandy, the group took part in bombing resistance points in Brittany and Brest in particular, then began operating over Germany, dropping leaflets designed to weaken enemy morale. Awards received: Distinguished Unit Citation for operations from August 7 to 9, 1944 Croix de Guerre Française with Palm for his role in the Liberation of France from June 6 to September 14, 1944.