Beuzeville Airfield

Beuzeville Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Beuzeville-la-Bastille in the Basse-Normandie region of northern France.

Located just outside of Beuzeville-la-Bastille, the United States Army Air Force established a temporary airfield shortly after D-Day on 7 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, 819th Engineer Aviation Battalion.

History
Known as Advanced Landing Ground "A-6", the airfield consisted of a single 5000' (1500m) Square-Mesh Track runway aligned 05/23. 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.

It was declared operational on 14 June, 8 days after D-Day, and served as the first airfield on the beachhead. Combat units stationed at the airfield were the 371st Fighter Group, which based P-47 Thunderbolt fighters at Beuzeville from 15 June through 18 September 1944, and the 367th Fighter Group, which based P-38 Lightning fighters at the airfield from 22 July through 14 August 1944.

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 on 18 September 1944. Today the airfield is indistinushable from the agricultural fields in the area. Only a small memorial reminds of the once very important airfield.