Toul-Croix de Metz Airfield
Toul-Croix De Metz Airfield Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) A-90 Gengoult Aerodrome | |
---|---|
Lorraine Region, France | |
Condition | Industrial Estate |
Site history | |
Built | 1916 (Approximately) |
In use | 1916-1945 |
Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
Toul-Croix De Metz Airfield is a former military airfield which is located approximately one mile (1.6 km) northeast of Toul (Département de Meurthe-et-Moselle, Lorraine); 160 miles (260 km) east of Paris.
The airfield had its probable origins as early as 1912, as an
After the war, the airfield was redeveloped into a private industrial estate.
History
World War I
Archives concerning the origins of the Toul-Croix de Metz airfield are rather scarce. Some documents show that the area was turned to the Army as soon as 1912, but the "Aero-Guide" of 1913 and the "Guide Michelin pour les Pilotes Militaires" of 1914 mention only two usable airfields around Toul: one at Dommartin, 1 mi. east of town - with a hangar for airships, and military grounds 1.5 mi. west of town. However, the airfield of Croix de Metz is heavily used by the
In April 1918 it was turned over to the
In the first days of September 1918, a detachment of 484th sqn (Construct.) arrived to perform some 1-11/9/18 [préparation offensive Saint Mihiel; retour > Lay St Remy].
American Units at Toul During World War I
Headquarters The buildings of the "Caserne Gengoult" were used the house many headquarters:
- 1st Pursuit Group, 5 May 1918 - 28 June 1918 (formed from 1st Pursuit Organization and Training Center)
- 2d Pursuit Group, 29 June 1918 – 23 September 1918
- 1st Pursuit Wing, 6 July 1918 - c. 24 September 1918
- Air Service, IV Corps, August 1918 - unknown
- Corps Observation Wing, c. 12 August 1918 – September 1918
- I Corps Observation Group, 22 August 1918 - 19 September 1918
- Air Service, Second Army, 12 October 1918 - 15 April 1919
- 4th Pursuit Group, 26 October 1918 – 15 April 1919
Squadrons
- 1st Pursuit Organization and Training Center, then 1st Pursuit Group from 5 May (First Army)
- 94th Aero Squadron (Pursuit), 7 April 1918 - 29 June 1918
- 95th Aero Squadron (Pursuit), 4 May 1918 - 28 June 1918
- 27th Aero Squadron (Pursuit), 1 – 26 June 1918
- 147th Aero Squadron (Pursuit), 1 – 28 June 1918
- 2nd Pursuit Group (First Army, part of the 1st Pursuit Wing from 6 July)
- 13th Aero Squadron (Pursuit), 28 June 1918 - 23 September 1918
- 139th Aero Squadron (Pursuit) 30 June 1918 - 24 September 1918
- 103d Aero Squadron(Pursuit), 4 July 1918 - 7 August 1918
- 49th Aero Squadron (Pursuit), 2 August 1918 - 23 September 1918
- 22d Aero Squadron(Pursuit), 16 August 1918 -22 September 1918
- 28th Aero Squadron (3rd Pursuit Group, First Army) 15–16 July 1918 (transfer from Orly to Vaucouleurs).
- I Corps Observation Group (First Army)
- 1st Aero Squadron(Observation), 22 August 1918 - 21 September 1918
- 12th Aero Squadron (Observation), 22 August 1918 -20 September 1918
- IV Corps Observation Group (First Army, then Second Army from 14 October - HQ in Remicourt then Julvécourt)
- 8th Aero Squadron (Observation), 29 September 1918 - 23 October 1918
- 135th Aero Squadron (Observation), 30 September 1918 – 21 November 1918
- 168th Aero Squadron (Observation), 5 October 1918 - 21 November 1918
- 85th Aero Squadron (Observation), 10–24 November 1918
- 4th Pursuit Group
- 822nd Aero Squadron, becoming 6th Air Park October 1918 - April 1919
- 141st Aero Squadron(Pursuit), 19 October 1918 - 19 April 1919
- 25th Aero Squadron (Pursuit), 24 October 1918 - 15 April 1919
- 17th Aero Squadron (Pursuit), 4 November 1918 - 12 December 1918
- 148th Aero Squadron (Pursuit), 4 November 1918 - 11 December 1918
- 278th Aero Squadron (VII Corps Obs. Group/First Army, 14 Nov to Second Army) 10 November 1918 - 15 April 1919
Other Units
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As Croix de Metz was one of the most active American airfields, other air units might have been assigned to it during World War I, yet unidentified. The Americans at Toul flew reconnaissance sorties, protected observation aircraft, attacked enemy observation balloons, strafed enemy troops, flew counter-air patrols, and bombed towns, bridges, and railroad stations behind the enemy's lines.
Some of the most illustrious names in early American Army aviation were assigned to Toul during World War I, including
The Americans at Toul demobilized and left France after the
Between the wars
The airfield first appears in the navigation charts in 1920 as a 400 x 900 m landing ground. In 1928, a part of it was assigned to the local "Aero-club Toulois", which seems to be the only permanent user. The airfield is expanded in 1936, probably at the same time 4 hangars are built, but still with no unit permanently stationed.
When
With the subsequent German
German use during World War II
Shortly after its capture, the airfield was turned over to the Luftwaffe. The airfield was initially used primarily as a training base for ground support units. In September 1942, Zerstörerschule 2 (Fighter-Destroyer School 2) (ZS 2) used the base as a training facility for Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighter pilots until February 1944.[5]
Toul became an operational airfield in July 1944, when
American use during World War II
The IX Engineer Command moved the 826th Engineer Aviation Battalion to Toul airfield on 14 September 1944. The airfield was relatively intact, and began clearing the airport of mines; destroyed Luftwaffe aircraft, and repairing operational facilities for use by American aircraft. Subsequently, it became a USAAF
Under American control, Toul-Croix De Metz was initially used as a resupply and casualty evacuation (S&E) airfield, with
In November, the
Postwar use
In French control after the war, the airfield was closed and for years was left unused. The growing urban area of
United States Army use
In 1951, the abandoned airfield was turned over by the French to the United States Army for use as an Engineering Depot.[4] Army units were assigned to the field to clear the remnants of the World War II Army Airfield and completely re-design the facility. Railroad spurs, new hard-surfaced roads, permanent buildings, warehouses and utilities were put in, and in December 1952 the facility was re-opened as the Toul Engineer Depot.[4]
Initially used as a reserve depot for supplies and equipment, but in 1955 the facility was upgraded to become a major depot supporting USAREUR units in both France and Germany. This was scaled back in 1956 due to budget reductions to support Army Engineering units in France only.[4] Further budget cuts in 1960 led to its consolidation with the Army's Nancy General Depot, and in November 1961 the facility was closed and returned to French military control.[4]
Current use
The French government sold the land and all of the buildings to private interests during the 1960s. Today in aerial photography, clear outlines of former buildings can be seen in grassy areas, as well as the runways and taxiways of the former airfield, the streets put in by the United States Army. It is now an industrial estate.
See also
- Advanced Landing Ground
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- ^ American Aviators of World War I
- OCLC 72556.
- ^ Lafayette Escadrille - Post WWI Archived 2009-12-25 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d e Unknown. "Toul-Croix De Metz Airfield". Abandoned, Forgotten & Little Known Airfields in Europe. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
- ^ a b The Luftwaffe, 1933-45
- ^ USAFHRA Document 00221383
- ^ a b IX Engineering Command ETO Airfields General Construction Information
- ^ 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.
- ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
- ^ McAuliffe, Jerome J: U.S. Air Force in France 1950-1967 (2005), Chapter 16, Toul-Rosieres Air Base.