Le Mans was an industrial target for the Allies due to the Renault manufacturing facilities during the Occupation of France by the Germans.

[4] The Luftwaffe airfield was seized by Allied ground forces about 12 August 1944 during the Northern France Campaign.

The engineers laid down a single 5000' (1500m) all-weather Prefabricated Hessian Surfacing/Compressed Earth runway (3600 PHS/1400 ETH) aligned 14/32.

The 36th was replaced by the 440th Troop Carrier Group, which flew C-47 Skytrains from the airfield from 30 September until 2 November 1944 [6] The fighter planes flew support missions during the Allied invasion of Normandy, patrolling roads in front of the beachhead; strafing German military vehicles and dropping bombs on gun emplacements, anti-aircraft artillery and concentrations of German troops in Normandy and Brittany when spotted.

After the Americans moved east into Central France with the advancing Allied Armies, the airfield was closed on 30 November 1944.