ETO Airfields

The units of the IX Engineer Command built or repaired over 300 airfields between 6 June 1944 after landing on Utah and Omaha Beaches and the end of war -- averaging almost one airfield a day. These airfields were used by the 9th Air Force for close air support, bombing, supply and evacuation missions.

The following pages give detailed information about the airfields, the units that built them, the runway configurations and the 9th AF units that used them.

• General airfield information. Lists airfield designator, location, IX EC units responsible, when work was started, when the airfield was first operational and when it was released by the Air Force.
• Airfields grouped by IX EC unit. Lists airfields grouped by IX Engineer Command responsible for construction. (Under construction)
• Runway information. Detailed information on the physical layout of the airfields including number of runways, orientation and construction material.
• 9th Air Force units. Airfields giving the 9th Air Force units that used them. (Under construction)

I recently found a great site that helps convert the old "Modified British System" of coordinates used during World War II to latitude/longitude coordinates. Click here to access the site. At some point I will convert all the coordinates and provide map links.

TM 5-255

In April 1944, the War Department published Technical Manual 5-255 Aviation Engineers. The stated purpose of the manual reads:

1. PURPOSE. a. This manual covers both tactical and technical phases of the training and operations of aviation engineers with special reference to their employment in theaters of operations. It is designed to be used as a reference handbook as well as a text for training purposes.

  b. The technical problems confronting aviation engineer units are so varied they cannot be convered in detail in one text. However each problem requires careful judgement in the application of sound engineering principles. This manual is a guide to those principles and to their applications.

Since the manual was published in April 1944 right as the IX Engineer Command was formed, it does not include the experiences of the Command but is based on the experiences of aviation engineers in the Pacific and North African theaters of operations. Nevertheless, it details the procedures used by the IX Engineer Command during the march across Europe.

• Chapter 9. Advanced landing fields