Châteauroux - Déols Air Base Châteauroux - Déols Air Base is a former United States Air Force base in France . It is located in the Indre " département " of France , located about 3 miles ( 5 km ) northeast of Châteauroux and about 1 mile ( 1 . 6 km ) northeast of Déols on the east side of the Départemental 920 ( D920 ) ( Indre ) road in Central France . During the Cold War , Châteauroux - Déols was a front - line base for the United States Air Forces in Europe ( USAFE ) . The USAF base at Châteauroux - Déols actually consisted of two separate facilities about five miles apart , Châteauroux - Déols Air Depot ( CHAD ) and La Martinerie Airdrome . The base was home to some 8 , 000 Americans between 1951 and 1967 . The site is currently home to the Châteauroux - Déols " Marcel Dassault " Airport . Origins . The airport at Châteauroux started in the late 1920s as a civil transport airfield , providing regional air service within France . In 1935 / 36 Marcel Dassault built his first aircraft factory there , building Bloch bombers for the French Air Force . After the fall of France , the factory was used by the Luftwaffe for the production of sub - assemblies for various German aircraft . What would become Châteauroux Air Base was bombed several times by the United States Army Air Forces and the RAF during World War II . After the war ended , the factory attempted to restart production for the French Air Force , but by 1950 it was closed . La Martinerie was established in 1916 as a pilot training school for World War I aviators . Many American Army Air Service pilots were trained there . After the war , the facility was used by the French Air Force up until the Battle of France in May 1940 . After the German Army retreated in 1944 , the Free French Air Force used it as a bomber airfield , and after the war as a storage depot . NATO acquisition . In 1950 , the faciilty was offered to NATO to develop a depot and maintenance facility for the United States Air Force for joint use by the French and the Americans to support both civil and military aircraft . The final agreement was signed on 27 February 1951 . USAF use . The Châteauroux - Déols Air Depot ( CHAD ) became the largest depot in Europe to support USAFE and other NATO air forces . The mission of CHAD was to : The Châteauroux - Déols commercial airport and La Martinerie storage site had excellent highway connections to the seaports at Bordeaux and La Rochelle , and excellent railroad service . The Marcel Bloch aircraft factory was leased by USAFE for depot level aircraft maintenance . As CHAD was developed as a joint - use NATO facility , its focus was on depot - level maintenance , taking over from Erding Air Depot in West Germany and Burtonwood Air Depot in the United Kingdom . CHAD also provided the flying facilities for Central Air Material Area , Europe ( CAMAE ) . La Martinerie was developed into La Martinerie Air Depot , with its primary role being a logistics hub and Depot - level supply facility . La Martinerie handled all classes of USAF supplies , controlling six sub - depots dispersed throughout France which specialized in specific supply categories . It also was where the Headquarters and Administrative command facilities for CAMAE were located . 73rd Air Depot Wing . Châteauroux was the location of the first USAF unit to move to France . The initial contingent of USAF personnel arrived at Châteauroux on 10 January 1951 to get the facility up and operational as soon as possible . the 73rd Air Depot Wing was moved to Châteauroux from Kelly Air Force Base Texas in July . USAF reservists were being mobilized as part of the Korean War at the time , and about 1 , 500 personnel were mobilized and assigned to this depot wing . The wing began operations immediately as supply center for the new USAF bases in France , as considerable construction materials were required in their construction . The Châteauroux Air Depot was established as USAFE ' s primary depot and was commanded directly by HQ USAFE at Wiesbaden West Germany until 31 December 1955 . On 1 January 1956 , Châteauroux was transferred to Air Material Command and it was renamed Central Air Material Area , Europe . CAMAE ' s mission was to procure supplies and parts , contracting services , and maintaining all USAF equipment . In addition to the depot supply function for Europe , Châteauroux Air Depot managed the task of equipment maintenance and disposal for Europe . Aircraft depot level maintenance became a huge task , with thousands of American and NATO aircraft assigned to Europe . Originally manning was a combination of USAF personnel , American civilians and French employees , however the scope of the mission soon became apparent that a facility about six times the size of the Châteauroux facility would be needed to accommodate the work involved . The resolution to this was to contract the workload within Western Europe , using the skilled civilian technicians of various airlines ' workforce . KLM , SABENA , Air France , Air Italia , SAS , CASA , Fiat , Fairy , SNCNF - Marseilles , and SNCASO - Toulouse all provided IRAN ( inspect and repair as necessary ) services on USAFE & NATO aircraft . Châteauroux would perform contract administration , quality control , test flying and logistical support , while much of the actual work was performed remotely at various NATO civil facilities with CHAD and USAF representatives on - site to monitor performance and coordinate the logistical support needed from Châteauroux . One of the unusual tasks at Châteauroux was the support of new aircraft procurement . Two fighters , peculiar to NATO and not flown by the USAF , were purchased with MDAP funds : 221 North American F - 86Ks and 225 Dassault Mystere IV - As . The F - 86Ks were produced by Fiat in Italy and Châteauroux managed the US government furnished equipment they required . F - 86K Sabre interceptors were supplied to France , Italy , Netherlands , Norway , Turkey , and West Germany . The Mystere IV - A , produced by Dassault Aviation at Bordeaux , were only flown by French fighter squadrons as part of NATO ' s 4th ATAF ( Allied Tactical Air Force ) . These aircraft programs helped develop NATO ' s manufacturing capacity . Sub Depots . In addition to the main facility at Châteauroux , the 73rd Air Depot Wing operated several Sub - Depot facilities for supplies and equipment . These were located at Bordeaux for clothing and medical supplies ; Niort ( Chizé ) for aircraft ammunition ; Metz for vehicles and construction supplies ; St . Mihiel for conventional ammunition storage ; Moulins for vehicle storage and maintenance , and Villefranche for parts storage . 4th Aerial Port Squadron ( MATS ) . The Military Air Transport Service ( MATS ) operated a major European aerial port at Châteauroux with air service to and from Dover Air Force Base Delaware . The 4th Aerial Port Squadron operated this facility 24 / 7 moving air cargo and personnel throughout Europe and the Middle East . Cargo / Transport aircraft commonly seen at Châteauroux were C - 47 ' s , C - 54 ' s , C - 97 ' s , C - 118 ' s , C - 119 ' s , C - 121 ' s , C - 123 ' s , C - 124 ' s , C - 130 ' s , C - 131 ' s C - 133 ' s , and C - 135 ' s . 7120th Airborne Command & Control Squadron ( USAFE ) / Silk Purse Control Group ( US EUCOM ) . Activated at Châteauroux Air Base the unit operated EC - 118 Command Post until the Squadron relocated to RAF Mildenhall , United Kingdom and reequipped with EC - 135H aircraft . USAF closure . On 7 March 1966 , French President Charles De Gaulle announced that France would withdraw from NATO ' s integrated military structure . The United States was informed that it must remove its military forces from France by 1 April 1967 . The 73rd operated the depot until departure of all US forces from France , leaving Châteauroux Air Base on 20 March 1967 . Current uses . After the USAF ' s departure in 1967 , Châteauroux was developed into a commercial airport , business jet center and an aircraft overhaul facility . Most of the USAF presence has been erased by new construction and expansion of the facility , however a few old buildings remain being used for various non - military activities . Much effort and money has been invested in Châteauroux over the years since the departure of the Americans .