On 15 August 1944, United States Army parachute units, which included the 4th, 5th and 6th parachute battalions and 1st Indian Army Pathfinders, dropped into southern France between Frejus and Cannes as part of Operation Dragoon. Their objective was to capture the area, destroy all enemy positions, and hold the ground until the United States Seventh Army came ashore. Frejus Airport was seized from the Italian and German forces in the area and came under American control. Twelfth Air Force combat engineers arrived at the airport with the amphibious forces and laid out a 6000' sod runway, aligned east-west (08/26), making the airport operational for combat aircraft by 26 August. It was designated as Advanced Landing Ground "Y-12 St. Raphael/Frejus".