This airfield was used by the French Air Force from 1911, until captured by the Germans during WWII. It then was used as a Luftwaffe base until captured by the Americans in September of 1944.

Tom’s 417th Night Fighter Squadron was briefly stationed there, from April 7th until April 23rd, 1945.

From Wikipedia:

Saint-Dizier has a long aviation history, with an early French military aircraft landing close to the city on 11 August 1910. An Armée de l’Air airdrome was established in 1913, which has been in use ever since, being used for combat operations during both 20th-Century World Wars.

Some of the pre-World War II French Air Force aircraft assigned to the base were Blériot Aéronautique, Morane-Saulnier, Stampe, de Havilland Tiger Moth and Dewoitine D.520s^[3]

German use during World War II[edit]

Seized by the Germans in June 1940 during the Battle of France, St. Dizier was used as a Luftwaffe military airfield during the occupation. Known units assigned (all from Luftlotte 3, Fliegerkorps IV):^[4][5]

• • Jagdgeschwader 54 (JG 54) 29 March-1 April 1941 Messerschmitt Bf 109E
  • Nachtjagdgeschwader 4 (NJG 4) February 1942-January 1944 Messerschmitt Bf 110, Dornier Do 217
  • Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27) 12 September-18 November 1943 Messerschmitt Bf 109G
  • Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1) March–May 1944 Messerschmitt Bf 110
  • Nachtjagdgeschwader 5 (NJG 5) 4 May–August 1944 Messerschmitt Bf 110
  • Kampfgeschwader 101 (KG 101) 10 June–July 1944 Junkers Ju 88A-4, Mistel
  • Jagdgeschwader 301 (JG 301) 12–30 June 1944 Messerschmitt Bf 109G

JG 54 flew missions over England during the Battle of Britain; NJG 4, NJG 1, and NJG 5 were night interceptor units which attacked Royal Air Force bomber attacks. JG 27 and JG 301 were day interceptor units that engaged American Eighth Air Force heavy bomber units over Occupied France.

Largely due to its use as a base for Bf 109 interceptors, Saint-Dizier was attacked by USAAF Ninth Air Force B-26 Marauder medium bombers and P-47 Thunderbolts mostly with 500-pound General-Purpose bombs; unguided rockets and .50 caliber machine gun sweeps when Eighth Air Force heavy bombers (B-17s, B-24s) were within interception range of the Luftwaffe aircraft assigned to the base. The attacks were timed to have the maximum effect possible to keep the interceptors pinned down on the ground and be unable to attack the heavy bombers. Also the P-51 Mustang fighter-escort groups of Eighth Air Force would drop down on their return to England and attack the base with a fighter sweep and attack any target of opportunity to be found at the airfield.^[6]

American use[edit]

During the Liberation of France, the airfield was seized by Allied Forces during September, 1944 and taken over by the United States Army Air Force. The IX Engineer Command repaired the war-damaged base and it was designated by the Americans as Saint-Dizier Airfield or Advanced Landing Ground A-64. It was turned over to the Ninth Air Force for operational use on 9 October for fighter and reconnaissance units, as well as for command and control. The following known USAAF units operated from the airfield:

• • HQ, 100th Fighter Wing, 19 September-29 December 1944.
  • 27th Fighter Group, February–March 1945, P-47 Thunderbolt (12th AF)
  • 367th Fighter Group, 1 February-14 May 1945, P-47 Thunderbolt
  • 405th Fighter Group, 14 September 1944 – 9 February 1945, P-47 Thunderbolt
  • 10th Reconnaissance Group, September–November 1944 (Various photo-reconnaissance aircraft)

With the end of the war in Europe in May, 1945 the Americans began to withdraw their aircraft and personnel. Right after the war, some captured Messerschmitt Me 262s landed at the base, on their way to channel ports to be shipped to the United States for evaluation (Operation Lusty). Control of the airfield was turned over to French authorities on 5 July.^[7]