AAF bases at Dakar and Marakesh

[Grittis]

I didn't see and a specific forum for base facilities in wwII, so here goes: My father was in a replacement B24 crew flying to England in Jan, 1944 along the Southern Route. I am interested in how the air base at Daker, Senegal came under US control. The history for references that I have seen so far for Daker concentrate on the Vichy/Free French battles. I assume that after Torch these assets were taken over by US forces, but have seen no narrative of any detail. Just that in early 1943 the US was flying planes into this important base from Natal, Brazil. I guess that the base was developed by the ATC in cooperation with Pan American airlines as part of their push east through Africa. Any specific references that document this? ATC and its current incarnation say no records of operations during the war have survived... I'm also interested in the development info for the base at Marakech.

 

[EwenS]

I didn't see and a specific forum for base facilities in wwII, so here goes: My father was in a replacement B24 crew flying to England in Jan, 1944 along the Southern Route. I am interested in how the air base at Daker, Senegal came under US control. The history for references that I have seen so far for Daker concentrate on the Vichy/Free French battles. I assume that after Torch these assets were taken over by US forces, but have seen no narrative of any detail. Just that in early 1943 the US was flying planes into this important base from Natal, Brazil. I guess that the base was developed by the ATC in cooperation with Pan American airlines as part of their push east through Africa. Any specific references that document this? ATC and its current incarnation say no records of operations during the war have survived... I'm also interested in the development info for the base at Marakech.

There were 2 air bases set up at /near Dakar in 1943/44 for Air Transport Command. For 4 engined aircraft with sufficient range a crossing of the Atlantic could be made from Natal to Dakar. Shorter ranged aircraft still had to go via Ascension Island.

1943 - Eknes Field
1944 - Mallard Field

You can find some of the background here.

HyperWar: Army Air Forces in WWII: Volume VII: Services Around the World [Chapter 3]

Marrakech was another big ATC base.

 

[Grittis]

There were 2 air bases set up at /near Dakar in 1943/44 for Air Transport Command. For 4 engined aircraft with sufficient range a crossing of the Atlantic could be made from Natal to Dakar. Shorter ranged aircraft still had to go via Ascension Island.

1943 - Eknes Field
1944 - Mallard Field

You can find some of the background here.

HyperWar: Army Air Forces in WWII: Volume VII: Services Around the World [Chapter 3]

Marrakech was another big ATC base.

EwenS: Thanks for the ref. I had forgotten the ...hyperwar... site. It puts the Dakar bases in context for my purposes. I am hoping to find a bit more detail. Are you familiar with any books written about the ATC's experience developing Africa? Any personal accounts by contract pilots flying the southern route? Maybe they were older than the AAF wanted, but the pilots that flew for the airlines and then ATC were probably a colorful group of hired guns. I have found few references to the cadre and the records of A/C flown through the system, I'm told, does not exist except in the form of raw numbers. The years 1942-1943 were turbulent years for the organization with monthly changes and developments.
Anyone with references to personal accounts of flying Dakar, Marrakech would be appreciated.