Saizerais Aerodrome
| Saizerais Aerodrome | |
|---|---|
| Part of American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) | |
| Located near: Saizerais, France | |
|
VI Corps Observation Group officers with a De Havilland DH-4, Saizerais Airfield, France, November 1918 | |
  Saizerais Aerodrome | |
| Coordinates | 48°47′46″N 006°01′25″E / 48.79611°N 6.02361°E |
| Type | Combat Airfield |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by |
 Air Service, United States Army |
| Condition | Agricultural area |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1918 |
| In use | 1918–1919 |
| Battles/wars |
 World War I |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison |
VI Corps Observation Group United States First Army Air Service |
Saizerais Aerodrome, was a temporary World War I airfield in France. It was located 1.0 mile (1.6 km) West-Northwest of Saizerais, in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.
Overview
The airfield was briefly used by the United States VI Corps Observation Group, Second Army Air Service in late October, early November 1918 as a main operating base. It likely consisted of a series of tents for personnel and headquarters, with two squadrons of observation aircraft parked on basically agricultural fields, along with some photo processing trailers to develop film and forward the reconnaissance information to Second Army headquarters. Second Army was established in October primarily to carry out offensive operations in the Metz area, however, before it could become fully operational, the war ended. Due to the brief nature of its operations, Saizerais Aerodrome was never fully developed.
After the armistice, the Americans moved into the Rhineland as part of the Third Army of occupation and Saizerais Aerodrome was abandoned. It was turned over to the French and eventually it was returned to agricultural use. Today it is a series of cultivated fields located to the northwest of Saizerais, to the east of the Départmental 907 (D907) and south of the D611, with no indications of its wartime use.
Known units assigned
- Headquarters, VI Corps Observation Group, 25 October-11 November 1918
- 8th Aero Squadron (Observation), 22 October-11 November 1918
- 354th Aero Squadron (Observation), 25 October-11 November 1918
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
- Series "D", Volume 2, Squadron histories,. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.