Youks-les-Bains Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Algeria, located about 20 km northwest of Tebessa. The airfield today consists of several agricultural fields, with the faint remains of its main runway, parts of a taxiway and a few aircraft dispersal hardstands visible in aerial photography.
The facility was built as a civilian airport, probably during the 1930s. During the World War II 1940 Battle of France, the French Air Force GB II/11 flew across the Mediterranean with 14 Lioré et Olivier LeO 45 medium bombers, arriving on 21 June. From Youks-les-Bains, the squadron attacked Italian forces at Palermo, Sicily on 23 and 24 June, before the Armistice with Nazi Germany and Italy took place on 25 June. After the armistice, Youks-les-Bains became a base for the limited Vichy French Air Force (French: Armée de l'Air de Vichy) allowed by the Germans.
As part of the North African Campaign, on 15 November 1942, thirty-three C-47 Skytrain transports dropped three hundred men of the United States Army 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Regiment on Youks-les-Bains airfield during the initial attacks on occupied Tunisia by the Tunisian Task Force. As the planes carrying the 509th approached the airfield, soldiers were seen in the trenches around the field. There were several anxious moments as the paratroopers started their jump, not knowing whether the troops below were French or German. Upon reaching the ground, the Americans found a poorly equipped, but friendly and helpful, unit of the French Army in possession of the area.
By the end of the Battle of Tunisia, the Twelfth Air Force units had moved east and the Allied use of the airfield was reduced to a skeleton stationkeeping unit, being used as an emergency landing field for Air Transport Command units flying between Tunis and Algiers. It was abandoned by the American forces after the end of the European War during the summer of 1945.
Referencesedit
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN0-89201-092-4.
External linksedit
March 19, 2024
youks, bains, airfield, abandoned, military, airfield, algeria, located, about, northwest, tebessa, airfield, today, consists, several, agricultural, fields, with, faint, remains, main, runway, parts, taxiway, aircraft, dispersal, hardstands, visible, aerial, . Youks les Bains Airfield is an abandoned military airfield in Algeria located about 20 km northwest of Tebessa The airfield today consists of several agricultural fields with the faint remains of its main runway parts of a taxiway and a few aircraft dispersal hardstands visible in aerial photography Youks les Bains AirfieldPart of Twelfth Air ForceCoordinates35 29 50 83 N 007 55 43 76 E 35 4974528 N 7 9288222 E 35 4974528 7 9288222TypeMilitary airfieldSite informationControlled byUnited States Army Air ForcesSite historyBuilt1942In use1942 1943Youks les Bains Airfieldclass notpageimage Location of Youks les Bains Airfield AlgeriaHistory editThe facility was built as a civilian airport probably during the 1930s During the World War II 1940 Battle of France the French Air Force GB II 11 flew across the Mediterranean with 14 Liore et Olivier LeO 45 medium bombers arriving on 21 June From Youks les Bains the squadron attacked Italian forces at Palermo Sicily on 23 and 24 June before the Armistice with Nazi Germany and Italy took place on 25 June After the armistice Youks les Bains became a base for the limited Vichy French Air Force French Armee de l Air de Vichy allowed by the Germans As part of the North African Campaign on 15 November 1942 thirty three C 47 Skytrain transports dropped three hundred men of the United States Army 2nd Battalion 509th Parachute Regiment on Youks les Bains airfield during the initial attacks on occupied Tunisia by the Tunisian Task Force As the planes carrying the 509th approached the airfield soldiers were seen in the trenches around the field There were several anxious moments as the paratroopers started their jump not knowing whether the troops below were French or German Upon reaching the ground the Americans found a poorly equipped but friendly and helpful unit of the French Army in possession of the area Once in Allied hands the airfield became a major United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force base of operations against the German Afrika Korps Known units assigned to Youks les Bains were 47th Bombardment Group 7 January 6 March 1943 A 20 Havoc 14th Fighter Group 22 November 1942 9 January 1943 P 38 Lightning 31st Fighter Group 21 25 February 1943 Spitfire 33d Fighter Group 8 20 February 1943 P 40 Warhawk 52d Fighter Group 9 March 14 April 1943 Spitfire 81st Fighter Group 22 24 February 1943 P 39 Airacobra 15th Bombardment Squadron Twelfth Air Force 22 December 1942 February 1943 A 20 Havoc 154th Observation Squadron 68th Observation Group 21 January 13 March 1943 F 4 P 38 Lightning By the end of the Battle of Tunisia the Twelfth Air Force units had moved east and the Allied use of the airfield was reduced to a skeleton stationkeeping unit being used as an emergency landing field for Air Transport Command units flying between Tunis and Algiers It was abandoned by the American forces after the end of the European War during the summer of 1945 References edit nbsp This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Maurer Maurer Air Force Combat Units of World War II Maxwell AFB Alabama Office of Air Force History 1983 ISBN 0 89201 092 4 External links edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Youks les Bains Airfield amp oldid 944813887, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
