Saizerais Aerodrome, was a temporary
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
airfield in France, used by the French Air Service, and briefly by the
Air Service, United States Army
The United States Army Air Service (USAAS)Craven and Cate Vol. 1, p. 9 (also known as the ''"Air Service"'', ''"U.S. Air Service"'' and before its legislative establishment in 1920, the ''"Air Service, United States Army"'') was the aerial warf ...
. It was located approximately north-northwest of
Nancy in the
Meurthe-et-Moselle
Meurthe-et-Moselle () is a '' département'' in the Grand Est region of France, named after the rivers Meurthe and Moselle. Its prefecture and largest city is Nancy and it borders the departments of Meuse to the west, Vosges to the south, ...
department in north-eastern
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
.
Overview
The airfield was built in late Spring 1916 by and for the French Air Service, and continuously operational until early April 1918.
484th Aero Squadron (Construct.) arrived about 10 October 1918, probably to make to tidy up an airfield which had not been used for some time. United States
VI Corps Observation Group,
Second Army Air Service two squadrons arrived on 23–25 October, with the Group's HQ; Second Army was established in October primarily to carry out offensive operations in the
Metz
Metz ( , , , then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle (river), Moselle and the Seille (Moselle), Seille rivers. Metz is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Moselle (department), Moselle Departments ...
area, however, before it could become fully operational, the war ended and the Group most likely did not perform many missions.
After the armistice, the Group's HQ stayed at Saizerais until being disbanded on 15 April 1919. The
354th Aero Squadron
The 354th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I.
The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical rec ...
moved to Rhineland, while its second squadron,
8th Aero Squadron
The 8th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I.
The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the IV Corps ...
, had already left in late November 1918. The airfield was eventually returned to agricultural use; today it is a series of cultivated fields located 1/2 miles to the southwest of Saizerais, at the edge of Saizerais forest's northern tip.
Known units assigned
* Headquarters,
VI Corps Observation Group, 25 Oct – 15 April 1919
*
8th Aero Squadron
The 8th Aero Squadron was an Air Service, United States Army unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I.
The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical reconnaissance over the IV Corps ...
(Observation), 23 October – 21 November 1918
*
354th Aero Squadron
The 354th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I.
The squadron was assigned as a Corps Observation Squadron, performing short-range, tactical rec ...
(Observation), 25 October – 15 April 1919
See also
*
References
* Series "D", Volume 2, Squadron histories,. Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917–1919, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
External links
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20th-century military history of the United States
World War I airfields in France