Monument record MDS 149 - Mendlesham airfield

Mendlesham WWII airfield. Flying field is at Wetherup Street on E side of A140 whereas living sites were on the western side of the A140. A class A AMDGW specificiation, first until moved in during February 1944. When the Americans departed in 1945, Mendlesham was not used for regular flying and became a subsite of the No.4 Maintenance Unit and was for an ammunition storage depot. In Jue 1954, it was reduced to inactive status. St Ives Sand and Gravel company cleared the site and the technical area was developed for industrial purposes. The Anglia TV mast was erected on the former HQ site during the 1950's. A memorial stands at the boundary of the old flying field, subscribed to by men of the 34th group and erected in 1949. The base was the home to Spitfires and many various squadrons. Built by the USAAF in 1942-3, east of the main road, close to the hamlet of Wetherup Street with living quarters on the other side of the road. T2 hangar and petrol installation tombs are considered worthy of protection (S3).
A former World War Two military airfield, opened in 1943 and closed in 1954. The airfield had three concrete and tarmac runways and was equipped with two aircraft hangars (type T2), situated on opposite sides of the airfield. There was a bomb store and a fuel store to the south of the flying field, with a further fuel store to the north-west and a control tower on the west side. It was initially used by Czech fighter units of the Royal Air Force (310, 312, 313 Squadrons). In April 1944 these were replaced by the American 34th Bomb Group of the 8th United States Army Air Force. The Americans designated the Airfield as Station 156. They were mainly concerned with targeting infrastructure, industry and airfields in Germany. After the war, from 1950 to 1952 the airfield served as a Royal Air Force ammunition store. After closure in 1954 it was used for light industry (S4).