Berteaux Airfield Berteaux Airfield is an abandoned World War II United States Army Air Forces military airfield in Algeria , which was located approximately 9 km east of Telerghma ; 35 km southwest of Constantine . The airfield was constructed as a semi - permanent facility in late 1942 and early 1943 , with a hard asphalt runway and concrete taxiways . Numerous hardstands were built , as well as a pierced steel planking parking apron and a steel control tower . There were probably a few structures erected with at least one blister - type hangar . A mixture of medium bomber and fighter groups and squadrons from Twelfth Air Force used the airfield during the North African Campaign . History . The first operational unit to use Berteaux was the 310th Bombardment Group and its 379th , 380th , 381st and 428th Squadrons , flying B - 25 Mitchell s . Elements of the group arrived in late December 1942 from Telergma Airfield , with Group HQ arriving on 1 January 1943 . The group engaged primarily in support and interdictory operations against German forces in Algeria and Tunisia . Almost simultaneously , the 14th Fighter Group with its P - 38 Lightning equipped 48th , 49th and 50th Squadrons on 9 January . The 14th flew escort for the B - 25s as well as engaging in strafing and reconnaissance missions until the beginning of March when it moved to Mediouna Airfield outside Casablanca . The 14th was replaced by the P - 40 Warhawk equipped 33d Fighter Group in early March , and the P - 38 Lightning equipped 82d Fighter Group at the end of March . The 58th , 59th and 60th squadrons of the 33d , as well as the 95th , 96th and 97th squadrons of the 82d meant the airfield was home to over 100 fighter and bomber aircraft . Also the support facilities were hard pressed to handle the large numbers of ground support personnel , all billeted in tents . The 33d Fighter Group moved out to Ebba Ksour Airfield , Tunisia , in the middle of April , reducing the crowded conditions somewhat , with the 82d and 310th Bomb Groups moving east in June as the battle of North Africa moved into Tunisia . Berteaux Airfield was used as a support base for transient aircraft for a few months until the 68th Reconnaissance Group moved its P - 38 and P - 51 reconnaissance aircraft to the airfield in early September . The group flew combat reconnaissance missions over Tunisia and Sicily until October 1943 when it also moved east to Massicault Airfield in Tunisia , the North African Campaign ended and the combat moving to Italy . Along with the Recon squadrons , the 1st , 2d , and 3d Fighter Training Squadron provided P - 40 Warhawk and P - 38 Lightning training to French pilots and the 122d Liaison Squadron flew courier and observation operations . Other units assigned to Berteaux were the Air Technical Service Command 318th and 359th Service Squadrons which supported and maintained the aircraft assigned to the field . After the 68th moved out in October , Berteaux stayed in service as an Air Technical Service Command supply and maintenance support airfield until the end of March , 1944 . Afterward , what could be dismantled from the airfield was moved east and the airfield was turned over to local authorities . Today the area where Berteaux Airfield was constructed is now an agricultural area , although the ground still shows evidence of its existence in aerial images .