ALG A-22 C – Colleville-sur-Mer
Battle of Normandy
This page presents the history of ALG (Advanced Landing Groud) A-22 C, used by the 9th United States Air Force during the Battle of Normandy.
9th United States Air Force
Localisation : Colleville-sur-Mer, Calvados (14)
Code : A-22 C (“Cargo”)
Coordinates: 49°20’17”N – 000°50’13”W
Construction: from June 30 to July 13, 1944 by the 816th Engineer Aviation Battalion (EAB)
Operational period: from July 13 to November 4, 1944
Airstrip: Prefabricated Bituminous Surfacing (PBS)
Length: 1 143 m (3 750 feet)
Width: 40 m (120 feet)
Azimuth: 93°
ALG A-22 C history:
ALG A-22 C is built one kilometer south of Colleville-sur-Mer in order to allow the supply of troops, the transport of authorities and the evacuation of wounded (hence the name “C” like Cargo).
The sappers build a track covered with PBS (Prefabricated Bituminous Surfacing). PBS, also known as “Hessian Mat”, is a solid coating consisting of layers of bitumen and Hessian fabric which is particularly meticulous and requires the use of special machines. It avoids the negative effects of mud and dust.
