Reims-Wez-Thuisy
Validation date: 26 08 2014
Updated on: Never
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49°12'22"N 004°15'32"E
Runway: 08/25 - 1500x50m - PSP
Reims-Wez-Thuisy airfield (French: Aérodrome Reims-Wez-Thuisy, also known as Advanced Landing Ground A-79 'Porsnes') was an airfield 145 kilometers northeast of Paris.
It was built after the French State acquired the site in 1936. It was located on the northern edge of the RN31 (current RD931) road and immediately south of the Air Weapons Range in the Champagne -mountains. It was outfitted immediately after the State had acquired the 95 hectare site to serve as a base for airfield operations under a single administrative act on 8 May 1936. As such, it was used by the Armée de l'Air during the Battle of France.
The airfeld was rebuilt by the IX Engineer Command's 825th Engineer Aviation Battallion as Advanced Landing Ground A-79 'Porsnes' for 9th Air Force. Construction began on 9 september 1944 and it became limited operational on 21 September 1944. The base contained a single runway made of Pierced Steel plates (PSP), oriented 08 /25.
The base operated fighters and troop transports from September until November 1944 the airfield was home to:
- 362nd Fighter Group, between 19 September to 15 November 1944, equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts
- 425th Night Fighter Squadron, from 13 October to 9 November 1944, equipped with P-61 Black Widow night fighters
Combat aircraft flew close air support missions by dropping bombs on German artillery, anti-aircraft artillery and marked positions of German troop concentrations.
During December 1944 and January 1945, the airfield was prepared by the 830 EAB for conversion as a transport base. It was then used for the transport of troops by the 438th Troop Carrier Group equipped with C-47 Skytrain transports from February to May 1945. To facilitate the troops, the Americans had built a camp called 'Cleveland', located at the junction of the RN31 and the road to Beine-Nauroy. The airfields runway cut the latter road. 
Aerial view of ALG A-79 'Porsnes' or as it was known in France: Reims-Wez -Thuisy (Marne) on 2 June 1945 (courtesy of Yves Catois)
Camp Cleveland - Prosnes 1945 - One of the 17 American "City Camps" in the Reims region (courtesy of Yves Catois)
Thousands of soldiers stayed in 'Cleveland'. Some officers lived in houses in Prosnes, however. In front of the camp another camp had been built for German prisoners. Up to 10,000 Germans were held captive here.
Reims-Wez-Thuisy