Base Lieutenant Étienne Mantoux, formerly known as Étain-Rouvres Air Base (ICAO: LFQE), serves as a base for the French Army Light Aviation. Situated on the Lorraine Plateau in northeastern France, it lies approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) west of Étain, adjacent to the village of Rouvres-en-Woevre in the Meuse département, along the Départemental 906 (D906) road about 12 miles east of Verdun. Originally constructed in 1937, the base has historically been utilized by the French, British, and U.S. Air Forces. However, since 1967, it has been under the control of the French Army.

Rouvres Airdrome was constructed by the French Air Force in 1937. Initially, it served as a base for Bloch-131 tactical reconnaissance aircraft. With the onset of World War II, the Royal Air Force took over the facility, deploying Hawker Hurricanes from No. 73 Squadron RAF.

After the fall of France, the Luftwaffe used the base, flying Focke-Wolfe Fw-190D fighters.

The 926th Engineering Aviation Regiment laid down a 5000-foot grass runway, oriented approximately east–west (08/26), and established a small support area. On 13 September 1944, the 7th Field Hospital was stationed at the airfield. C-47 transports operated by the IX Tactical Air Command evacuated wounded soldiers from the front lines to General Hospitals located in the rear, utilizing the facilities at Rouvres Airdrome.

The 926th EAR laid down a 5000′ grass runway aligned roughly east–west (08/26), along with a small support area. The 7th Field Hospitalwas stationed here on 13 Sep 1944, whereC-47 transportsof the IX Tactical Air Command evacuated wounded to General Hospitals in the rear.[^[1]

In late October 1944, the 825th Engineering Aviation Regiment returned to the airfield and improved the facility, laying down an all-weather Pierced Steel Planking (PSP) runway for Ninth Air Force combat fighter use along with upgrading the support site with tents for billeting and also for support facilities; an access road was built to the existing road infrastructure; a dump for supplies, ammunition, and gasoline drums, along with a drinkable water and minimal electrical grid for communications and station lighting.^[2]

The United States Army Air Forces Ninth Air Force 362nd Fighter Group operated from the captured airfield from 5 November 1944 to early April 1945. Designated as A-82, the airfield was known as Verdun/Etain Advanced Landing Ground (ALG). Three squadrons of P-47 “Thunderbolts” from the 362nd Fighter Group conducted bombing and strafing missions targeting flak positions, armored vehicles, and troop concentrations during the Battle of the Bulge. During this time, there was controversy regarding the co-location of a hospital and a combat unit on the same airstrip, as it violated the Geneva Conventions. However, the 7th Field Hospital remained stationed at the airfield until 15 January 1945, when it was relocated after the capture of Metz.^[1]

The 362d received a Distinguished Unit Citation for action over the Moselle-Rhine River triangle. Despite the intense anti-aircraft fire encountered while flying armed reconnaissance in close cooperation with infantry forces in that area on 16 March 1945, the 362d hit enemy forces, equipment, and facilities, its targets including motor transports, armored vehicles, railroads, railway cars, and gun emplacements.

In addition to the P-47 “Thunderbolts,” P-61 “Black Widows” from the 425th and 416th Night Fighter Squadrons also operated from Verdun/Etain until they were redeployed into occupied Germany in 1945. By mid-April, the airfield’s combat usefulness had diminished, prompting its transition back to a Supply and Evacuation (S&E) airfield. It continued to serve in this capacity until its closure on 22 May 1945. Following the cessation of hostilities, the wartime airfield was relinquished to French authorities.^[3]

In the immediate postwar years, Etain Air Base was unused.

In May 1952 the World War II airfield at Etain was proposed for expansion into a modern air base. An agreement was reached to redevelop Etain and to stationUnited States Air Forcetactical fighter-bombers there by the end of 1954. However budget restrictions delayed major construction for about a year. Although a base facility was ready for the USAF to use at the end of 1954, the facility was not ready for full acceptance until the summer of 1956 with the railroad spur into Etain not being completed until June 1955, and underground fuel storage was delayed until 1956.

The initial USAF personnel to arrive at Etain Air Base were from Flight “C” of the 73rd Support Group (Depot), transferred from Chateauroux-Deols Air Base on 1 February 1953. This advanced unit’s primary responsibilities included safeguarding USAF property and coordinating construction activities to establish operational readiness. Additionally, the 7005th Air Base Squadron was activated to facilitate the base’s development and ensure its readiness for operational activities.

The first USAF unit to use Etan AB was the 388th Fighter-Bomber Wing, deploying to France from Clovis Air Force Base,New Mexicoin December 1954. The 388th FBW’s flying elements consisted of the 561st, 562d, and 563d Fighter-Bomber Squadrons, each equipped with North American F-86 Sabre (F models). The mission of the 388th FBW was to train for and conduct tactical nuclear weapons delivery.

Headquarters, 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing was reassigned to Étain Air Base, integrating the assets previously held by the 388th Fighter-Bomber Wing. This relocation marked a transfer from Misawa Air Base, Japan, to France..

After the departure of the 49th TFW, the base was maintained byDetachment 1, 7514th Support Group, headquartered at Toul Air Base. Étain Air Base was put into a standby status by the USAF. U. S. Army units were moved onto the base from the Verdun area to relieve overcrowding there.

In the spring of 1960 Company C and Headquarters & Service Company of the 97th Engineer Battalion (Construction) relocated to the airfield from the Maginot caserne in Verdun. They provided general engineering services in the area including in Verdun, the old Maginot Line (NATO facilities), and in Etain. The 249th Engineer Battalion (Construction) also was assigned the base to build a railroad spur line to a munitions dump near the old World War I battlefield. In late summer of 1965, the 249th relocated back to Germany while the 97th moved to Sidi Brahim Barracks in Étain town proper, freeing up the base for Air Force reserve use during the Berlin Wall crisis.

In addition to these Army units, some small USAF weather, civil engineering and postal squadrons were assigned to the base.

After two years without any permanent flying units, on 5 September 1961 Étain Air Base was reactivated as part of Operation Tack Hammer, the United States response to the Berlin Crisis.

The 121st Tactical Fighter Wingof the Ohio Air National Guard were called to active duty for a period of twelve months on 1 October. When activated, the wing consisted of three operational units, the 162nd TFSquadron, based at Springfield Municipal Airport, Springfield Ohio; the 164th based at Mansfield-Lahm Municipal Airport, Mansfield Ohio, and the 166th based at Lockbourne AFB, Ohio. However, due to funding shortages, only 26 F-84Fs of 166th TFS was deployed to France, although several ground support units from the 162nd and 164th were also deployed.

On 4 November the first ANG T-33 aircraft arrived at Etain, with the F-84s arriving on 16 November. On 11 December, the deployed units of the 121st TFW were redesignated the7121st Tactical Wing. In July 1962 the deployed Air National Guardsmen were no longer needed in Europe and the 7121st began to redeploy its personnel to Ohio. All the aircraft and support equipment, however, remained at Etain to equip a new wing being formed there, the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing. .

The last of the ANG personnel departed on 9 August 1962. The7368th Combat Support Groupwas activated to operate the base after their departure.

The 366th Tactical Fighter Wing was an experiment within USAFE (United States Air Forces in Europe). Its headquarters were activated at Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base on 8 May 1962. The wing comprised four operational aircraft squadrons equipped with aircraft left behind by the deployed Air National Guard wings during the Berlin Crisis. The assets of the Air National Guard 166th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Etain were assigned to the 391st Tactical Fighter Squadron, while additional squadrons were formed at Chambley, Phalsbourg, and Chaumont Air Bases.

The ANG 166th TFS had transferred 25 F-84Fs to the 366th at Etain, and the squadron allocation was 20, 5 aircraft were transferred to Phalsbourg. In addition, several pilots from the 166th remained on active duty in France performed instructor duty for the new pilots being assigned to Etain.

The 366th TFW/391 TFS remained at Étain until 16 July 1963 when the 366th TFW moved to Holloman Air Force Base,New Mexico. .

The 7368th CSG remained to maintain the base in a reserve status for the next several years. The No. 1 Wing RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) from Marville AB used Étain during May 1965 for NATO exercises, but otherwise the base remained largely unoccupied.

On 7 March 1966, French President Charles De Gaulle announced that France would withdraw from NATO’s integrated military structure. The United States was informed that it must remove its military forces from France by 1 April 1967.

By 16 November all American equipment was removed from the facility and on 15 March 1967 Étain Air Base was returned to the French.

After the departure of the USAF, Étain Air Base was taken over by the French Army and repurposed as a helicopter base. It was subsequently renamed Base Lieutenant Étienne Mantoux. Presently, the 3rd Combat Helicopter Regiment (3 RHC) operates from this base, utilizing SA341, SA342, SA 342L1, and 342M1 VIVIANE “Gazelles”, as well as SA 330 “Pumas” helicopters. Approximately 1000 soldiers serve with the regiment, which has been actively involved in operations across various regions, including Côte d’Ivoire, the Balkans, Indonesia, Lebanon, and Chad. Furthermore, the 3rd RHC is set to become the first numeric regiment of the brigade, incorporating systems such as SIR and SIT.

The base has undergone continuous maintenance and expansion over the years, ensuring its readiness as a front-line French military installation.