Cretteville Airfield

Cretteville Airfield Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) A-14
Manche, Basse-Normandie Region, France
Remains of Cretteville Airfield (A-14) after dismantling by the IX Engineering Command
Tour-en-Bessin Airfield
Coordinates	49°20′17″N 001°22′39″W / 49.33806°N 1.37750°W / 49.33806; -1.37750 (A-14 Cretteville)Coordinates: 49°20′17″N 001°22′39″W / 49.33806°N 1.37750°W / 49.33806; -1.37750 (A-14 Cretteville)
Type	Military Airfield
Site information
Controlled by	United States Army Air Forces
Site history
Built by	IX Engineering Command
In use	July–September 1944
Materials	Prefabricated Hessian Surfacing (PHS)
Battles/wars	World War II - EAME Theater Normandy Campaign Northern France Campaign
Garrison information
Garrison	Ninth Air Force
Occupants	358th Fighter Group 406th Fighter Group
Airfield information
Runways Direction Length and surface 04/22 3,600 feet (1,100 m) SMT/PSP
One runway, 4 alert pads, 50 hardstands

World War II - EAME Theater

Cretteville Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Cretteville in the Normandy region of northern France.

Located to the southeast of Cretteville, the United States Army Air Force established a temporary airfield on 23 July 1944, shortly after the Allied landings in France The airfield was constructed by the IX Engineering Command, 819th Engineer Aviation Battalion.

Known as Advanced Landing Ground "A-14", the airfield consisted of a single Prefabricated Hessian Surfacing runway. In addition, tents were used for billeting and also for support facilities; an access road was built to the existing road infrastructure; a dump for supplies, ammunition, and gasoline drums, along with a drinkable water and minimal electrical grid for communications and station lighting.

The airfield hosted the 358th and 406th Fighter Groups, both equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts. The fighter planes flew support missions during the Allied invasion of Normandy, patrolling roads in front of the beachhead; strafing German military vehicles and dropping bombs on gun emplacements, anti-aircraft artillery and concentrations of German troops in Normandy and Brittany when spotted. On 5 July the Group, benefiting from milder weather, was sent to support a large-scale attack in the region of Sainteny - Périers. Very heavy fighting between the American ground forces and Germans reinforced by the arrival of the 2nd SS Panzer without Périers area went fairly slowly. Regarding the aviation cooperation work system with ground troops becoming more effective despite a very aggressive flak causing many casualties.