Time, Weather, Tatics

Mid-September 1944 .. it didn't rain; it poured. In October, it poured, in November, it poured, and the mud was almost knee-deep. In December, January, and February, it rained and snowed and the ground froze and just as quickly a thaw would set in. Mud was the major foe in the field now for the engineers.

These were the months of static warfare, Army regrouping, and stablization in airfield construction operations. These were the tough months. Runways had to be kept operational under all conditions, so the aviation engineers rolled up their sleeves and went to work.

This pcriod began about the time that General Patton's forces reached the line of the Meurthe-Moselle. The lack of supplies and the onset of the fall rains and winter weather brought construction problems to bear that called for improved methods and additional toil, sweat and resourcefulness. At first, the supply situation was the more pressing. During the early fall, the engineers tried to continue the use of the light runways on earth with steel mesh track for taxiways and dispersals. But as the rain continued and the mud became worse, they had to turn to the heavier pierced steel plank and rock reinforcement of the subgrade.

The most strongly fortified strongpoint of the Western Front, at the time was Metz. The vicinity of Nancy was selected as the most suitable area in which to construct bases for the air-ground offensive against the Nazi stronghold. Added to the inclement weather, the soil around Nancy was not suitable for quick airfield construction, but there were no other sites available in this rough territory. Responsibility for construction in this vital area was assigned by the Second Brigade to the 926th Engineer Aviation Regiment.

Elsewhere, the construction program to bring up fighter-bombers to more advanced and permanent bases was taking shape. The 925th Regiment settled in the central sector of the eastern French