, Tafraoui base, 1943. During World War II, it was a primary mission objective of the
United States Army 34th Infantry Division during the Allied
Operation Torch landings on 8 November 1942, and became a major
Twelfth Air Force base of operations during the
North African campaign against the German
Afrika Korps. Tafaraoui became a staging and transit point for many units: • 11–20 November 1942 -
1st Fighter Group HQ and the 27th, 71st and 94th Fighter Squadrons, flying
Lockheed P-38 Lightnings, arrived then departed Tafaraoui. • 14 November 1942 - HQ
14th Fighter Group, HQ
62d Troop Carrier Group, and the 4th and 7th Troop Carrier Squadrons arrive at Tafaraoui with
Douglas C-47 Skytrains • 16 November 1942 - 8th Troop Carrier Squadron, 62d Troop Carrier Group, arrive at Tafaraoui from the UK with C-47s; the 111th and 154th Observation Squadrons,
68th Observation Group, moves from St Leu to Tafaraoui with A-20s • 17 November 1942 - 437th and 438th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium), 319th Bombardment Group (Medium), move from
Saint-Leu to Tafaraoui with B-26s. • November 42 - HQ
319th Bombardment Group (Medium) and the 439th, and 440th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) move from St Leu to Tafaraoui with
Martin B-26 Marauders; "A" flight of the air echelon of the 15th Photographic Mapping Squadron, 3d Photographic Group, arrives at Tafaraoui with
B-17 Flying Fortresses and F-4s (P-38 photo reconnaissance aircraft). The new desert
Supermarine Spitfires of the
31st Fighter Group were also assigned to Tafaraoui. Other aircraft at the field included P-38s of the 14th, B-26s,
North American B-25 Mitchells,
Douglas A-20 Havocs, General
Jimmy Doolittle's B-17G, some French
Amiot bombers around, and some old wrecks fixed up as dummies. ==Current use==