PB4Y-1 Navy Liberator flying over North Africa, 1944. VB-111 operated out of Craw Field, Port Lyautey, French Morocco, North Africa from November 1943 until July 1944.

The Naval Air Facility at Port Lyautey was establighed on 12 January 1944. Craw Field, the original name of the airstrip, included two 6,000 foot runways in the valley of the Wadi Sebou. It was named after Army Aviation Officer Col. Demas "Nick" Craw, a Medal of Honor winner who was killed by French troops loyal to the Vichy French government while leading an assault during the initial invasion by American troops at Port Lyautey.

VB-111's duties while at Port Lyautey were to conduct anti-submarine warfare against German and Italian submarines operating in the Mediterranean Sea and provide escort duty for Allied shipping.