List of American military locations in France

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Chaumont Air Base, 1959

The list of American military bases in France shows the locations of the units of the armed forces of the United States of America stationed in France from 1952 to 1967 . The stationing served to establish, maintain and secure the supply route from the French Atlantic coast to Rhineland-Palatinate for the American stationing forces in the Federal Republic of Germany . After the growing tensions between the victorious powers of the Second World War in the Cold War , the logistical strand from Bremerhaven along the zone border to the Soviet occupation area in the Frankfurt am Main area appeared to be too vulnerable. Despite the considerable additional costs, the US armed forces fundamentally changed their supply route from 1951.

Contractual basis

The stationing was regulated in several intergovernmental agreements, the most important of which were:

  • Bidault-Caffery Agreement on the transfer of military facilities in France to the USA in connection with the occupation in Germany and Austria between French Foreign Minister Georges Bidault and the Ambassador of the United States in Paris , Jefferson Caffery , of February 16, 1948.
  • Parodi-Bruce Agreement on the establishment of a line of communication through France (Line of Communication, LOC for short) between Alexandre Parodi, Secretary General in Quai d'Orsay , and David KE Bruce , Ambassador of the United States in Paris, November 6, 1950.

Management staff

The troop strength was around 45,000 soldiers in 1953; the number was subject to great fluctuations in the following years.

The command staff of the land forces European Command Communications Zone (USAREUR COMZ) was set up on July 15, 1951 in Orléans . Subordinate to him were Advance Section USAREUR COMZ (ADSEC) in Verdun and Base Section USAREUR COMZ (BASEC) in La Rochelle , furthermore Orléans Area Command (OAC) and Seine Area Command - Command Zone (SAC-CZ) for NATO and US Management staff in Paris. In 1956 the Base Section headquarters was moved from La Rochelle to Poitiers , and in 1958 the Advance Section became 4th Logistical Command and Base Section 5th Logistical Command. Another reclassification took place in 1960 with the creation of the Theater Army Support Command (TASCOM) in Verdun and Port Area Command (PAC) in La Rochelle instead of the two logistics commands; OAC and SAC-CZ remained.

The air force was subordinate to Twelfth Air Force at Ramstein Air Base and thus the US Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) headquarters in Wiesbaden . The logistics units, both the central depot "Chad" ( Châteauroux Air Depot) and the material and ammunition depots scattered around the country, were subordinate to the Central Air Material Area in Europe (CAMAE) in Châteauroux. The telecommunications troops were directly subordinate to Signal Command, and there was also a separate Central Europe Pipeline System (CEPS) organization for the pipeline to supply fuel to the NATO air force in Germany.

The end of the US military presence

With the end of the Fourth Republic and the election of General Charles de Gaulle as President in 1958, the American military presence in France was severely affected. During the crisis in the Middle East , de Gaulle saw right at the start of his term of office how the US, without consulting him, used the French bases to send troops to Lebanon . De Gaulle called for fundamental changes in the power structure of NATO, especially a say in American nuclear weapons. Neither the USA nor Great Britain were prepared to do this, and de Gaulle therefore followed up his words with deeds in the spring of 1959. He detached the French Mediterranean fleet from NATO integration, prohibited the storage of nuclear weapons on French territory and withdrew French participation in integrated air defense.

The administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower felt compelled to act quickly. The nuclear-armed F-100 Supersaber fighter -bombers of the US Air Force were stationed in France, but regularly patrolled Germany. The American nuclear weapons intended for use were stored at Sembach Air Base in Rhineland-Palatinate ; so a stopover in Sembach was necessary for each mission, a time-consuming and costly procedure.

The rift between France on the one hand and the United States and Great Britain on the other widened. The French rejection of the nuclear Multilateral Force (MLF) enforced by the USA , the expressis verbis veto de Gaulle against British accession to the European Community and finally the development of an independent French nuclear power, the Force de frappe , and the associated doctrine of the Defense à tous azimuts unlike the new Flexible response of NATO , meant that there was a serious decision in the spring 1966th After negotiations about the subordination of American bases in France under French command had remained unsuccessful, de Gaulle asked the NATO allies to move all troops stationed in the country and the international headquarters by April 1, 1967. France will remain a member of NATO, but will withdraw from military integration.

The American military bases USAREUR COMZ - Orléans

The list is structured according to the American stationing areas, then the French departments in the usual numerical order. In brackets after the place names, the abbreviations as Advanced Landing Ground from the time of the Second World War, as well as the field post number, APO (Army Post Office).

Advance Section USAREUR COMZ - Verdun

1958: 4th Logistical Command - Verdun 1960: Theater Army Support Command (TASCOM) - Verdun

  • Charente Department (16)
    • La Braconne (APO 211): supply depot
  • Charente-Maritime Department (17)
    • Bussac-La Lande (APO 215): Army Post Bussac (from 1960), 106th Truck Battalion, 78th Truck Company, 583rd Truck Company, Terminal Point (LOC)
    • Fontenet (APO 259): 595th Truck Company
    • La Rochelle (APO 21, Lagord): 1st Regional Office (Movement Control), Terminal Point (LOC)
  • Gironde Department (33)
    • Bordeaux (APO 255): Transportation Movement Office (TMO) Bordeaux
    • Captieux (APO 213): ammunition depot
  • Indre Department (36)
  • Loire-Atlantique (44)
    • Saint-Nazaire (APO 203): Transportion Movement Office (TMO) St-Nazaire
  • Loiret Department (45)
    • Orléans (APO 58): 594th Transport Group Terminal Point (LOC)
    • Saran: 37th Transportation Highway Transport Command (THTC) Headquarters, 1st Truck Company, 76th Truck Company
  • Maine-et-Loire Department (49)
    • Saumur (APO 256): Telecommunications depot
  • Marne Department (51)
    • Trois-Fontaines (APO 122): ammunition depot
    • Vitry-le-François : Medical depot, 70th Truck Company, Terminal Point (LOC)
  • Meurthe-et-Moselle (54)
    • Croix-de-Metz (A-90): pioneer depot
    • Nancy (A-95) (APO 204): Material depot (Forêt de Haye), 2nd Truck Battalion
    • Toul (A-96) (APO 288): Military Hospital, Army Post Toul (from 1960), 574th Truck Company, Terminal Point (LOC)
  • Meuse department (55)
    • Etain (APO 122): 82nd Truck Company, 543rd Truck Company
    • Sampigny (APO 122): chemical depot
    • Vassincourt (APO 287): Medical depot
    • Verdun (Y-28) (APO 122): ADSEC Headquarters, 1958 4th Logistical Command, 1960 TASCOM, Military Hospital, Army Post Verdun (from 1960), Transportation Movement Office (TMO) Verdun
  • Moselle Department (57)
    • Metz (APO 216): 2nd Regional Office (Movement Control)
  • Paris department (75)
    • Paris (APO 163): Movement Control
  • Vienne Department (86)
    • Ingrandes (APO 258): 72nd Truck Company, Terminal Point (LOC)
    • Poitiers (APO 44): Army Post Poitiers (from 1960), Transportation Movement Office (TMO) Poitiers

Base Section USAREUR COMZ - La Rochelle, 1956 Poitiers

1958: 5th Logistical Command - Poitiers 1960: Port Area Command (PAC) - La Rochelle

  • Charente-Maritime Department (17)
    • Bussac-La Lande (APO 215): Quartermaster depot
    • Croix-Chapeau (APO 219): medical depot
    • Fontenet (APO 259): Material depot
    • La Pallice (APO 21, Laleu): port
    • Rochefort (APO 217): port, material depot
    • La Rochelle (APO 21): BASEC headquarters 1952–1956, PAC headquarters from 1960, port, material depot
  • Dordogne Department (24)
  • Gironde Department (33)
    • Bassens: material depot
    • Bordeaux (APO 255): port
    • Le Verdon (APO 255): landing area, material depot
  • Indre-et-Loire department (37)
    • Quinone (APO 256): military hospital, pioneer depot
  • Loire-Atlantique (44)
    • Le Pellerin: material depot
    • Saint-Nazaire (APO 203): port, material depot
  • Manche (50)
    • Cherbourg (APO 230): Port for personnel exchange
  • Morbihan Department (56)
  • Vendée (85)
  • Vienne Department (86)
    • Ingrandes (APO 258): Quartermaster depot
    • Poitiers (APO 44): 1956 BASEC headquarters, 1958–1960 5th Logistical Command

Orléans Area Command - Orléans

  • Loiret Department (45)
    • La Chapelle (APO 58): supply depot
    • Orléans (APO 58): USAREUR COMZ headquarters, OAC headquarters, military hospital

Seine Area Command - Command Zone - Paris

Signal Command USAREUR

The telecommunication units in France were subordinate to the 102nd Signal Battalion, Karlsruhe , Smiley Barracks (KRE). In brackets after the place names the US internal abbreviation in telecommunications.

  • Loiret Department (45)
    • Bois de Beaumont (BMT): relay station
    • Maison-Forte (MFT): Terminal Station
    • Orléans (OLS): Terminal Station
    • Saint-Lyé-la-Forêt (SLE): relay station
    • Saran (SRN): Relay station
  • Marne Department (51)
    • Les Essarts-le-Vicomte (LES): relay station
    • Soulières (SLS): relay station
    • Tilloy (TLY): Relay Station
  • Meuse department (55)
    • Clermont-en-Argonne (CMT): Relay station
    • Verdun (VEN): Terminal Station
  • Moselle Department (57)
    • Angevillers (ARS): Terminal Station
  • Seine-et-Marne department (77)
    • Le Chesnoy (LCY): Relay station
    • Fromont (FMT): Relay Station
    • Le Plessis (LPS): relay station
    • Vernou (VNU): Control Center Company D, 102nd Bn
  • Yvelines Department (78)
    • Camp des Loges (CDL): EUCOM Camp
    • Marly-le-Roi (SHE) (APO 55): SHAPE Terminal Station

USAFE - Wiesbaden / Châteauroux

NATO Air Bases in France 1965

The abbreviations for Advanced Landing Ground from the time of the Second World War are in brackets.

  • Aisne department (02)
    • Laon-Athies (A-69): Alternative airport
    • Laon-Couvron (A-70) (APO 17): Air Base, provided by the Joint Strategic Plans Committee in 1951, expanded 1952-1953, used until 1966; 1952 126th BW (L) from Bordeaux-Mérignac, 38th BW (Tac) 1953-1958, 1955 as the first USAFE formation equipped with nuclear-capable B-57s, moved to Hahn Air Base in 1958 ; 66th TRW moved to RAF Upper Heyford in 1966, closed in 1966
    • Saint-Simon-Clastres (A-71): Alternative airport
  • Allier department (03)
    • Moulins-Yzeure: material depot, closed in 1957 due to being too far from Châteauroux
    • Villefranche-sur-Allier: material depot
  • Ardennes department (08)
    • Vouziers: alternate airfield, closed in 1959
  • Aube department (10)
    • Brienne-le-Château: alternate airfield, designated as an air base by the Joint Strategic Plans Committee in 1951, closed in 1959
  • Bouches-du-Rhône department (13)
    • Istres : not realized, planned as an air base by the Joint Strategic Plans Committee in 1951,
  • Charente Department (16)
    • Cognac (Y-36): shooting range, closed in 1953, replaced by Cazaux
  • Department Eure (27)
    • Évreux : military hospital
    • Évreux-Fauville (B-028) (APO 253): Air Base, provided by the Joint Strategic Plans Committee 1951, expanded from 1952-54, 322nd Air Division (Combat Cargo), 465th TCW from Toul 1957-64, 317th TCW from 1957 Neubiberg, closed in 1966
    • Saint-André (B-024): Supply Depot (US Army Aerial Support Center)
  • Eure-et-Loir department (28)
    • Dreux-Senonches (A-41) (APO 84): Air Base, designated by the Joint Strategic Plans Committee in 1951, built 1952-54, 60th TCW 1955-61, 1961 DOB, closed in 1966
  • Gironde Department (33)
    • Bordeaux: material depot
    • Bordeaux-Mérignac (APO 16): Air Base, provided by the Joint Strategic Plans Committee in 1951, 1951-52 126 BW (L), relocated to Laon-Couvron in 1952, closed in 1957
    • Cazaux (R-51): shooting range
  • Indre Department (36)
    • Châteauroux (APO 10): Headquarters CAMAE (Central Air Material Area in Europe), Central Air Depot “Chad” (Châteauroux Air Depot) instead of Erding, RAF Burtonwood
    • Déols: supply airfield
    • La Martinerie: material depot
  • Manche (50)
    • Cherbourg: not realized, designated as an air base by the Joint Strategic Plans Committee in 1951
  • Marne Department (51)
    • Châlons-Vatry: Alternative airfield, designated as an air base by the Joint Strategic Plans Committee in 1951, DOB 1960, closed in 1966
    • Suippes: shooting range, closed in 1966
  • Haute-Marne department (52)
    • Chaumont-Semoutiers (APO 119): Air Base, provided by the Joint Strategic Plans Committee in 1951, expanded from 1952, 48th FBW 1954-58, 1960 DOB, closed in 1966
  • Meurthe-et-Moselle (54)
    • Chambley (APO 247): Air Base, designated by the Joint Strategic Plans Committee 1951, built 1952-54, completed in 1955, 21st FBW 1954-58, 1960 DOB, closed in 1966
    • Chenevières: alternate airfield, designated as an air base by the Joint Strategic Plans Committee in 1951, closed in 1959
    • Lunéville (Y-02): alternate airport
    • Toul-Rosières (A-98) (APO 83): Air Base, provided by the Joint Strategic Plans Committee in 1951, ceded in 1951, assigned in 1952, expanded 1952-53, 1954-56 fighter rotations, 50th FBW 1956-58, relocated to 1958 Spangdahlem, 1960 womenswear, closed in 1966
  • Meuse department (55)
    • Étain-Rouvres (A-82) (APO 87): Air Base, designated by the Joint Strategic Plans Committee 1951, built 1952-54, completed 1955, 388th FBW 1954-57, 49th FBW 1957-59, 1959 relocated to Spangdahlem, 1966 closed
    • Saint-Mihiel: ammunition depot
  • Moselle Department (57)
    • Phalsbourg: Air Base, provided by the Joint Strategic Plans Committee in 1951, built 1952-54, Det 10, 32nd TRS and 38th TRS 1957-59 from Spangdahlem 1954-59, 513th FIS from RAF Manston 1958-59, 1960 DOB for Toul, 1966 closed
  • North Department (59)
    • Cambrai (A-74): alternate airport
    • Lille-Lesquin (B-051): alternative airport
    • Merville-Calonne (B-053): alternate airport
  • Yvelines Department (78)
    • Villacoublay: flight school, Air Training Advisory Group (ATAG), flight training for allied nations
  • Deux-Sèvres (79)
    • Chizé: ammunition depot
  • Somme department (80)
    • Péronne (A-72): alternative airport

US Navy

CEPS - Versailles

  • Eure-et-Loir department (28)
    • Brou: Tank Farm
  • Loire-Atlantique (44)
    • Donges (APO 11): Tank Farm, Unloading Port
  • Marne Department (51)
    • Châlons-sur-Marne (APO 11): Tank Farm
  • Meurthe-et-Moselle (54)
    • Saint-Baussant: Tank Farm
  • Seine-et-Marne department (77)
    • Melun (A-55) (APO 11): QM POL Distribution Company
  • Yvelines Department (78)
    • Versailles: CEPS headquarters
  • Essonne Department (91)
    • Ferté-Alais: Tank Farm

Abbreviations

  • AATCo Army Air Force Transport Company
  • ADSEC Advance Section
  • AFCENT Allied Forces Central Europe
  • APO Army Post Office
  • ATAG Air Training Advisory Group
  • BASEC Base Section
  • BW (L) Bomber Wing (Light)
  • BW (TAC) Bomber Wing (Tactical)
  • CAMAE Central Air Material Area in Europe
  • CEPS Central Europe Pipeline System
  • Chad Châteauroux Air Depot
  • COMZ Communications Zone
  • Detachment
  • DOB Dispersed Operating Base
  • EUCOM European Command
  • FBW Fighter Bomber Wing
  • FIS Fighter Interception Squadron
  • LOC Line of Communications
  • MLF Multilateral Force
  • NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization
  • OAC Orléans Area Command
  • PAC Port area Command
  • POL Petrol, Oil, Lubrication
  • QM Quartermaster
  • RAF Royal Air Force
  • SAC - CZ Seine Area Command - Command Zone
  • SHAPE Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
  • TASCOM Theater Area Support Command
  • TCW Troop Carrier Wing
  • THTC Transportation Highway Transport Command
  • TMO Transportation Movement Office
  • TRS Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
  • USA United States of America
  • USAFE United States Air Forces Europe
  • USAREUR United States Army Europe

literature

  • Pottier, Olivier, Les bases américaines en France (1950–1967), Préface de Maurice Vaïsse, Paris 2003.
  • Historical highlights. United States Air Forces in Europe 1942–1997 , Fifty-fifth Anniversary Edition, Headquarters USAFE, Ramstein , Germany, 1997.

See also