Orly Air Base: Difference between revisions
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On [[1 July]] [[1952]], HQ [[USAFE]] assumed command of Orly Air Base because the majority of its work was in support of USAFE missions. A small detachment from MATS remained as a tenant unit to manage passenger traffic. The 1606th ABGp was redesignated as the '''7415th Air Base Group'''. The 1950 lease was expanded to provide additional property for a headquarters building. officers club, NCO club, airmen's service club, personnel office, a new passenger terminal, billeting for 450 troops, a 500-man mess hall, motor vehicle shop, aircraft parking apron for fifteen assigned aircraft, and an expanded dispensary with twenty-five hospital beds. Additional construction during 1954/55 completed the largest USAF air terminal in France, a new AFEX snack bar, a large service club, group headquarters building, fire station, Air Police center, officers open mess, BOQ, VIP billets, and a vehicle repair shop. Most buildings were single story concrete masonry construction, however a few portable prefab buildings were erected to save construction time and funds. |
On [[1 July]] [[1952]], HQ [[USAFE]] assumed command of Orly Air Base because the majority of its work was in support of USAFE missions. A small detachment from MATS remained as a tenant unit to manage passenger traffic. The 1606th ABGp was redesignated as the '''7415th Air Base Group'''. The 1950 lease was expanded to provide additional property for a headquarters building. officers club, NCO club, airmen's service club, personnel office, a new passenger terminal, billeting for 450 troops, a 500-man mess hall, motor vehicle shop, aircraft parking apron for fifteen assigned aircraft, and an expanded dispensary with twenty-five hospital beds. Additional construction during 1954/55 completed the largest USAF air terminal in France, a new AFEX snack bar, a large service club, group headquarters building, fire station, Air Police center, officers open mess, BOQ, VIP billets, and a vehicle repair shop. Most buildings were single story concrete masonry construction, however a few portable prefab buildings were erected to save construction time and funds. |
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The air terminal at Orly replaced the troopship as the common carrier for USAF personnel heading to France. The '''7113th Personnel Processing Squadron''' operated the Paris Air Passenger Center (PAPC) in Paris. PAPC processed 15,300 inbound and 21,100 outbound personnel during the last six months of 1957. Outbound Air Force troops were given a three hour time block to report to PAPC, then moved by bus to Orly AB for their flight back to CONUS. The average processing time for inbound troops assigned to France was three hours. This time was measured from aircraft off-loading at Orly to bus off-loading at a Paris train station for their trip to their new assignments in France. |
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By 1955 there were forty units attached to the 7415th ABG for administrative and logistical support around France. The 7415th operated fifteen [[C-47 Skytrain|C-47A Skytrains]], one [[C-54|C-54G Skymaster]], one [[C-121|C-121A Lockheed Constellation]], and one Convair C-131B Samaritan aircraft based at Orly for VIP transportation within Europe (Special Air Support), and for proficiency flying. |
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[[Image:C124-orly-1954.jpg|thumb|300px|French military personnel board a C-124 Globemaster at Orly Field, Paris, bound for Indochina, May 3, 1954]] |
[[Image:C124-orly-1954.jpg|thumb|300px|French military personnel board a C-124 Globemaster at Orly Field, Paris, bound for Indochina, May 3, 1954]] |
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Revision as of 20:33, 24 February 2007
For the French civilan use of this facility, see Paris - Orly Airport Template:Airport frame Template:Airport title Template:Airport image Template:Airport infobox Template:Runway title Template:Runway Template:Runway Template:Runway Template:Airport image Template:Airport end frame Paris-Orly Air Base was located at Aeroport de Paris-Orly, nine miles (15 km) south of Paris off Autoroute A6/A10m with a highway exit directly into the base. The primary use of Orly Air Base was to meet the needs of NATO political and military leaders going to Paris area.
Origins
Orly Airport was opened in 1932 as a secondary civil airport to Le Bourget. During World War II Orly Airport was used by the occupying German Luftwaffe and was repeatedly bombed by the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force (USAAF), with runways, buildings and hangars being destroyed.
After the Battle of Normandy, Orly was repaired by the USAAF Ninth Air Force in July and August 1944 and used as tactical airfield A-47. The 50th Fighter Group flew P-47 "Thunderbolts" until September from Orly then liaison squadrons used the airfield until October 1945.
Until March 1947 the American USAAF 1408th Army Air Force Base Unit was the primary operator at Orly Field, when control was returned to the French Government.
USAF/NATO Use
Orly was reactivated as a commercial airport on 1 January 1948, however the United States Air Force's 1630th Air Base Squadron leased a small portion on the east side of the Airport.
Post World War II international diplomatic and military travel was changing from ship and rail to aircraft transportation, requiring a special air terminal in the Paris area for NATO meetings. The first NATO tenant at Aeroport Orly-Paris was the United States Air Force Military Air Transport Service in June 1950. Agreement was reached on 10 November 1950 on a new lease to allow for aircraft parking. Also located on this parcel were five usable Quonset huts.
On 1 April 1951 the Air Base Squadron was expanded to support the air transport needs of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), which was activated on the same day in Fontainebleau. Another important mission developing at Orly Air Base was providing aircraft and facilities to maintain the flying proficiency of USAF pilots assigned to the Paris region. On 10 October 1951 the 1630th AB Squadron was upgraded to the 1606th Air Base Group.
On 1 July 1952, HQ USAFE assumed command of Orly Air Base because the majority of its work was in support of USAFE missions. A small detachment from MATS remained as a tenant unit to manage passenger traffic. The 1606th ABGp was redesignated as the 7415th Air Base Group. The 1950 lease was expanded to provide additional property for a headquarters building. officers club, NCO club, airmen's service club, personnel office, a new passenger terminal, billeting for 450 troops, a 500-man mess hall, motor vehicle shop, aircraft parking apron for fifteen assigned aircraft, and an expanded dispensary with twenty-five hospital beds. Additional construction during 1954/55 completed the largest USAF air terminal in France, a new AFEX snack bar, a large service club, group headquarters building, fire station, Air Police center, officers open mess, BOQ, VIP billets, and a vehicle repair shop. Most buildings were single story concrete masonry construction, however a few portable prefab buildings were erected to save construction time and funds.
The air terminal at Orly replaced the troopship as the common carrier for USAF personnel heading to France. The 7113th Personnel Processing Squadron operated the Paris Air Passenger Center (PAPC) in Paris. PAPC processed 15,300 inbound and 21,100 outbound personnel during the last six months of 1957. Outbound Air Force troops were given a three hour time block to report to PAPC, then moved by bus to Orly AB for their flight back to CONUS. The average processing time for inbound troops assigned to France was three hours. This time was measured from aircraft off-loading at Orly to bus off-loading at a Paris train station for their trip to their new assignments in France.
By 1955 there were forty units attached to the 7415th ABG for administrative and logistical support around France. The 7415th operated fifteen C-47A Skytrains, one C-54G Skymaster, one C-121A Lockheed Constellation, and one Convair C-131B Samaritan aircraft based at Orly for VIP transportation within Europe (Special Air Support), and for proficiency flying.
In 1954 USAF C-124 transports assisted the French by airlifting 500 paratroop/commandos and their equipment to Indochina, landing at Da Nang's Tourane Airfield during March. It was the longest troop airlift in history at that time. Later, wounded French soldiers were flown back to Orly from Saigon by USAF transports after the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in July.
By 1955 military flight operations from Orly were greatly reduced as the civil use of Orly was expanded. The United States Air Force's presence was reduced to supporting VIP transports and diplomatic flights, with most cargo and transport operations being shifted to Chateauroux-Deols Air Base about 125km southwest of Paris.
In 1967 the USAF closed their operations at Orly Airport, ending military use of the facility.
References
- McAuliffe, Jerome J: U.S. Air Force in France 1950-1967 (2005), Chapter 14, Paris-USAF Operations.