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Saint-Dizier

Military site : airfield

  • A B-24 Liberator of the 392nd Bomb Group successfully bombs an airfield near St Dizier, France. Image stamped on reverse: 'Keystone Press.' [stamp], '7 Jun 1944.' [stamp] Printed caption on reverse: 'NYP 21841 (KY). US PLANES BLAST GERMAN AIRFIELD IN FRANCE. A Liberator bomber of the Eighth US Army Air Force heads for its home base after helping to blast a German Airfield near St Dizier, in occupied France, where administrative building (upper right) burn fiercely and bombs explode on the dispersal area (lower centre). The airfield, located near the Marne River, is used by the Germans as a defensive fighter plane base. During March, 1944, American war planes flew 29,016 sorties over Germany and German-held Europe and hurled 30,176 tons of bombs on military and industrial targets.' Handwritten caption on reverse: '392BG successfully bombing German afield near St Dizier, France.'

    A B-24 Liberator of the 392nd Bomb Group successfully bombs an airfield near St Dizier, France. Image stamped on reverse: 'Keystone Press.' [stamp], '7 Jun 1944.' [stamp] Printed caption on reverse: 'NYP 21841 (KY). US PLANES BLAST GERMAN AIRFIELD IN FRANCE. A Liberator bomber of the Eighth US Army Air Force heads for its home base after helping to blast a German Airfield near St Dizier, in occupied France, where administrative building (upper right) burn fiercely and bombs explode on the dispersal area (lower centre). The airfield, located near the Marne River, is used by the Germans as a defensive fighter plane base. During March, 1944, American war planes flew 29,016 sorties over Germany and German-held Europe and hurled 30,176 tons of bombs on military and industrial targets.' Handwritten caption on reverse: '392BG successfully bombing German afield near St Dizier, France.'

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  • An airman of the 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Group with his F-6 Mustang (5M-G, serial number 42-1033?). Image via R Woolner. Written on slide casing: '15TRS, 10 PG/ St Dizier.'

    An airman of the 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Group with his F-6 Mustang (5M-G, serial number 42-1033?). Image via R Woolner. Written on slide casing: '15TRS, 10 PG/ St Dizier.'

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  • An airman of the 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Group with his F-6 Mustang. Image via R Woolner.

    An airman of the 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Group with his F-6 Mustang. Image via R Woolner. "Major John Florence, CO of the 12th TRS, poses with the 15th TRS's F-6C, 5MX, 'The Eyes of the World / Nanki-Poo' at St. Dizier." s/n 43-12467 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. - p. 108 & 127 Patton's Eyes in the Sky by Tom Ivie 2003 ISBN 1-903223-26-1

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  • An airman of the 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Group with his F-6 Mustang. Image via R Woolner. Written on slide casing: 'CO 15 TAC, St Dizier 9/44. Hoelwen a/c.'

    An airman of the 10th Photographic Reconnaissance Group with his F-6 Mustang. Image via R Woolner. Written on slide casing: 'CO 15 TAC, St Dizier 9/44. Hoelwen a/c.'

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  • P-47D-27-RA #42-28642

    P-47D-27-RA #42-28642 "Hunilator" Code: K4-W 405th FG - 511th FS - 9th AF St. Dizier, France October 1944

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  • P-47D

    P-47D "The Rebel" 405th FG - 511th FS - 9th AF St, Dizier, France Capt. Lloyd V. New w/foot on tire

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  • Three airmen with a 'war-weary' P-47 Thunderbolt (serial number 42-75105) at Saint Dizier, 1944. Image via M Beneresi. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'P-47 D, Saint Dizier A/F- 1944.' The aircraft had previously served with the 361st FG, assigned to the 375th Fighter Squadron (coded E9-Z). When the unit cconverted to P-51s, their Thunderbolts were disbursed to other units. This ship appears to have been reassigned to the 511th Fighter Squadron (coded K4-WW), 405th FG. The 405th operated from St,. Dizier from November 1944 to the spring of 1945.

    Three airmen with a 'war-weary' P-47 Thunderbolt (serial number 42-75105) at Saint Dizier, 1944. Image via M Beneresi. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'P-47 D, Saint Dizier A/F- 1944.' The aircraft had previously served with the 361st FG, assigned to the 375th Fighter Squadron (coded E9-Z). When the unit cconverted to P-51s, their Thunderbolts were disbursed to other units. This ship appears to have been reassigned to the 511th Fighter Squadron (coded K4-WW), 405th FG. The 405th operated from St,. Dizier from November 1944 to the spring of 1945.

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  • Three airmen with a P-47 Thunderbolt (serial number 42-75105,

    Three airmen with a P-47 Thunderbolt (serial number 42-75105, "War Weary"). The aircraft had previously served with the 375th Fighter Squadron (coded E9-Z), 361st FG. It appears here to be assigned to the 511th Fighter Squadron (coded K4-WW), 405th FG. The unit was stationed at St. Dizier, France from September 1944 to February 1945.

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  • The burnt-out remains of a P-61 Black Widow at St. Dizier airfield in 1945. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'St. Dizier, 1945.'

    The burnt-out remains of a P-61 Black Widow at St. Dizier airfield in 1945. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'St. Dizier, 1945.'

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Detailed history

During the Liberation of France, the airfield was sized by Allied Forces during September, 1944 and taken over by the United States Army Air Force. The IX Engineer Command repaired the war-damaged base and it was designated by the Americans as Saint-Dizier Airfield or Advanced Landing Ground A-64. It was turned over to the Ninth Air Force for operational use on 9 October for fighter and reconnaissance units, as well as for command and control. The following known USAAF units operated from the airfield:
HQ, 100th Fighter Wing, 19 September-29 December 1944.
27th Fighter Group, February–March 1945, A-36 Apache (12th AF)
367th Fighter Group, 1 February-14 May 1945, P-47 Thunderbolt
405th Fighter Group, 14 September 1944-9 February 1945, P-47 Thunderbolt
10th Reconnaissance Group, September–November 1944 (Various photo-reconnaissance aircraft)

With the end of the war in Europe in May, 1945 the Americans began to withdraw their aircraft and personnel. Right after the war, some captured Messerschmitt Me 262s landed at the base, on their way to channel ports to be shipped to the United States for evaluation (Operation Lusty). Control of the airfield was turned over to French authorities on 5 July.[7]

In 1950/51 when as a result of the Cold War threat of the Soviet Union, Saint Dizier-Robinson Air Base was proposed by the United States Air Force to become a NATO light bomber air base as part of a NATO commitment to establish a modern Air Force Base at the site. In the ongoing negotiations, the site was ultimately rejected.[8]

English Heritage's record description

Not yet known

Service

Units

People

  • Clinton Albright

    Military | Flight Officer | Fighter Pilot | 405th Fighter Group
    Assigned to 511FS, 405FG, 9AF USAAF. Transferred to 62FS, 56FG, 8AF. End of War.

  • Robert Anderson

    Military | First Lieutenant | photographer
    He was a photo reconnaissance pilot with the Army Air Corps, flew missions from France and Belgium, including the Battle of the Bulge, in the winter of 1944/1945. Born February 20, 1924 and raised in San Leandro California, Bob enlisted at the age of...

  • Arlie Blood

    Military | First Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot | 405th Fighter Group

  • Clyde East

    Military | Lieutenant Colonel | fighter pilot-1055 single engine/squadron commander | 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Group
    RCAF June 1941 - Jan 1944 ...

  • Ralph Jenkins

    Military | Colonel | Fighter pilot, squadron commander | 405th Fighter Group
    Ralph C. Jenkins: Was a 25 year old Flight Commander flying Thunderbolt fighters in the 510th Squadron, 405th Group 9th Air Force. Became Squadron Commander and flew 129 combat missions beginning on D-Day Normandy. After airfield estabished in...

  • Clyde Knisley

    Military | Major | Fighter Pilot 1055 single engine/Squadron Commander | 405th Fighter Group
    CO 510th FS 405th FG "White Leader" 1 air kill on Dec. 24, 1944. KIA by flak while strafing near the Luxembourg border on Jan. 19, 1945. MACR #11844 Previously in the SW Pacific theater with the 7th FS 49th FG flying P-40 Warhawks.

  • Stanley Pacek

    Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Fighter Pilot-1055 single engine | 367th Fighter Group
    Flight leader 393rd FS 367th FG 65 combat missions 2 kills Shot downed by flak while strafing train on March 30, 1945 MACR #13183 POW for 10 days until liberated. P-47D s/n 44-33037 8L+C Lt Col USAF retired

  • Daryl Shaffer

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Airplane & Engine Mechanic | 405th Fighter Group
    Staff Sergeant Daryl F Shaffer served as an Airplane & Engine Mechanic, and Rifle MKM, in the 9th Air Force's 405th Fighter Group, 511th Fighter Squadron.

Aircraft

Number
A-64
Known as
Robinson Air Base
Construction date
1913
USAAF from date
9 October 1944
USAAF to date
5 July 1945
Closure date
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
02 July 2015 02:22:54 466thHistorian Created entry with name, number, known as, latitude, longitude, usaaf from date, usaaf to date, construction date, history and media associations
Sources

466th BG Historian

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