Medenine Airfield

Near: Medenine, Tunisia

Medenine Airfield

Location in Tunisia

Coordinates| 33°20′59.45″N 010°26′32.72″E﻿ / ﻿33.3498472°N 10.4424222°E﻿ / 33.3498472; 10.4424222
Site information
Operator|  French Air Force
Luftwaffe (National Socialist)
Royal Air Force
United States Army Air Forces
Controlled by| French Air Force (1935-1942)
German Luftwaffe (1942-43)
Royal Air Force (1943-45)
Ninth Air Force (1943)
Site history
In use| 1938-45
Battles/wars| World War II

* Western Desert Campaign

Medenine Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield in Tunisia, which was located just to the west of Medenine, 46 km N of Tataouine; 430 km south-southeast of Tunis.

## History[edit]

Medenine Airfield was a French Air Force (French: Armée de l'Air) facility built in Tunisia prior to World War II. After the Fall of France in June 1940, it was briefly used by the Vichy French Air Force (French: Armée de l'air de Vichy) until November 1942 when as part of Case Anton, the military occupation of Vichy France carried out by Germany and Italy, it was taken over by the German Luftwaffe.

During both the American West African Campaign and British Western Desert Campaign, the airfield was attacked repeatedly by elements of the American Twelfth and Ninth Air Forces, along with the British Royal Air Force beginning in late January 1943 with B-24 Liberator heavy bombers, and was strafed with P-40 Warhawk fighter-bombers. The airfield was seized by New Zealand Commonwealth ground forces during March 1943.[1]

It was then repaired by Royal Engineers and placed back into operational service. With the end of combat in Tunisia during the summer or 1943, the airfield was dismantled and abandoned. Today the remains of the main runway is visible on aerial photography, and perhaps some taxiways.[2][3]

## Major units assigned[edit]

French Air Force/Luftwaffe

* Undetermined units

Royal Air Force

* No. 450 Squadron RAAF (6–14 April 1943)

United States Army Air Forces (Ninth Air Force)[2]

* 12th Bombardment Group, 3–15 April 1943, B-25 Mitchell
* 340th Bombardment Group, March–April 1943, B-25 Mitchell
* 66th Fighter Squadron (57th Fighter Group), (4–11 April 1943) (P-40 Warhawk)[3]

## References[edit]

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

1. ^ COMBAT CHRONOLOGY US ARMY AIR FORCES MEDITERRANEAN - 1943, PART 1
2. ^ a b Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1983). Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
3. ^ a b Maurer, Maurer, ed. (1982) [1969]. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II (PDF) (reprint ed.). Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-405-12194-6. LCCN 70605402. OCLC 72556.

## External links[edit]

* v
* t
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USAAF Ninth Air Force in World War II

Stations|

| Palestine (Mand)|

* Lydda
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|

Egypt|

* Abu Sueir
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Libya|

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Tunisia|

* Ben Gardane
* Bou Grara
* Chekira
* Hani
* Hazbub
* Hergla
* El Djem
* El Haouaria
* Kairouan
* Medenine
* Menzel Heurr
* Sfax
* Soltane

United Kingdom|

* Aldermaston
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Europe|

* Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) in France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany too numerous.

Units|

| Commands|

* 9th Air Division (was IX Bomber Command)
* IX Air Defense
* IX Fighter
* IX Tactical Air
* IX Troop Carrier
* XIX Tactical Air
* XXIX Tactical Air

|

Wings|

| Bombardment|

* 97th Bombardment
* 98th Bombardment
* 99th Bombardment

|

Fighter|

* 8th Fighter
* 9th Fighter
* 70th Fighter
* 71st Fighter
* 84th Fighter
* 100th Fighter
* 303d Fighter

Troop carrier|

* 50th Troop Carrier
* 52d Troop Carrier
* 53d Troop Carrier

Groups|

| Bombardment|

* 12th Bombardment
* 98th Bombardment
* 322d Bombardment
* 323d Bombardment Group
* 340th Bombardment Group
* 344th Bombardment Group
* 376th Bombardment
* 386th Bombardment
* 387th Bombardment
* 391st Bombardment
* 394th Bombardment
* 397th Bombardment
* 409th Bombardment
* 410th Bombardment
* 416th Bombardment

|

Fighter|

* 36th Fighter
* 48th Fighter
* 50th Fighter
* 57th Fighter
* 79th Fighter
* 324th Fighter
* 354th Fighter
* 358th Fighter
* 365th Fighter
* 362d Fighter
* 363d Fighter
* 366th Fighter
* 367th Fighter
* 368th Fighter
* 370th Fighter
* 371st Fighter
* 373d Fighter
* 404th Fighter
* 405th Fighter
* 406th Fighter
* 474th Fighter

Troop carrier|

* 61st Troop Carrier
* 64th Troop Carrier
* 313th Troop Carrier
* 314th Troop Carrier
* 315th Troop Carrier
* 316th Troop Carrier
* 349th Troop Carrier
* 434th Troop Carrier
* 435th Troop Carrier
* 436th Troop Carrier
* 437th Troop Carrier
* 438th Troop Carrier
* 439th Troop Carrier
* 440th Troop Carrier
* 441st Troop Carrier
* 442d Troop Carrier
* IX Troop Carrier Pathfinder (Provisional)

Reconnaissance|

* 10th Reconnaissance
* 67th Reconnaissance
* 69th Reconnaissance

Squadrons|

| Liaison|

* 14th Liaison
* 47th Liaison

|

Night fighter|

* 422d Night Fighter
* 425th Night Fighter

* United States Army Air Forces

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