page_title: Juvincourt Airfield
section_title: Allied use
hierarchical_section_title: Juvincourt Airfield / History / Allied use
caption_attribution_description: English: A-68 Juvincourt Airfield ALG 1944
context_page_description: Juvincourt Airfield is an abandoned military airfield, which is located near the commune of Juvincourt-et-Damary in the Aisne department of northern France.
  Built originally as a grass airfield by the French Air Force before World War II, Juvincourt was expanded to become one of the main German Luftwaffe airfields in France during the German occupation, hosting a wide variety of both fighter and bomber aircraft, including German jet fighters and bombers. Seized by the Allies in September 1944 it became a major United States Army Air Forces base for fighter, bomber and transport units for the remainder of the European War.
  Today, the airfield is a quiet place, hosting paintball fights and a Robert Bosch GmbH automobile testing centre and track. Extensive wartime relics can be found in the area as well as the former airfield.
context_section_description: The airfield was seized from the Germans by Allied ground forces on 5 September 1944. Before abandoning the station, the Germans conducted demolitions of whatever buildings had not been destroyed by Allied air attacks.  Once in American hands, combat engineers of the IX Engineering Command 820th Engineer Aviation Regiment repaired the damaged airfield and declared it operationally ready for combat units on 7 September, only a few days after its capture from German forces, being designated as Juvincourt Airfield (A-68)
  Although operationally usable, Juvincourt was a wrecked base from the numerous Allied air attacks since late 1942 and what was blown up by the Germans as they withdrew. The Americans made do with the portion of the airfield closest to the town of Juvincourt  49°26′36″N 003°53′09″E, repairing the 35/17 NW/SE runway for operational use.  Most of the personnel were billeted in old German and French military barracks that could be used in the town, the barracks facilities in the village being much appreciated by aircrews and ground personnel, who were used to living in tents since their departure from airfields in England in June.  What was not constructed of reinforced concrete was shattered, although even some of those were destroyed by the 500lb GP bombs of the Marauders and Flying Fortresses. Many buildings of masonry construction had been made useless, their contents consisting of nothing but wreckage.
  Under American control, Ninth Air Force used the station for several units from 7 September 1944 until closing the airfield in July 1945. Known units assigned were:
  439th Troop Carrier Group, 8–28 September 1944 (C-47 Skytrain)
  404th Fighter Group, 13 September-4 October 1944 (P-47 Thunderbolt)
  365th Fighter Group, 15 September-4 October 1944 (P-47 Thunderbolt)
  36th Fighter Group, 1–27 October 1944 (P-47 Thunderbolt)
  367th Fighter Group, 28 October 1944 – 1 February 1945 (P-38 Lightning)
  368th Fighter Group, 27 December 1944 – 5 January 1945 (P-47 Thunderbolt)
  410th Bombardment Group, February–May 1945 (A-20 Havoc)
  Each group had three or four combat squadrons of aircraft assigned to the airfield, making Juvincourt one of the largest and most active USAAF fields on the continent.  Attacks on German ground forces, bridges, airfields still in Luftwaffe hands, railroads and any target of opportunity of the German forces were targets of the Thunderbolts as the ground forces moved east into Luxembourg and past the Siegfried Line into Germany. In addition, the Royal Air Force also utilized Juvincourt, units and aircraft are yet to be determined.
  With the war ended, Juvincourt became largely a transport airfield, being used by the RAF also for repatriation of English, Australian and New Zealand prisoners of war.  These transfers were made by Lancasters of No 463 Squadron and No 467 Squadron RAAF, together with No 186 Squadron and No 50 Squadron. (operation Exodus)
  The airfield was returned to French control on 2 July 1945.
caption: A-68 Juvincourt Airfield ALG 1944
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