Chièvres Air Base | |||||||
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| Chièvres,Hainaut,Wallonia in Belgium | |||||||
 Aerial view of Chièvres Air Base | |||||||
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| Site information | |||||||
| Type | NATO support airfield | ||||||
| Operator |  United States Air Force | ||||||
| Controlled by | Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) | ||||||
| Condition | Operational | ||||||
| Location | |||||||
  Chièvres Shown in Belgium. | |||||||
| Coordinates | 50°34′33″N003°49′52″E / 50.57583°N 3.83111°E /50.57583; 3.83111 | ||||||
| Site history | |||||||
| Built | 1917 (1917) | ||||||
| In use | 1917 – present | ||||||
| Garrison information | |||||||
| Occupants | 424th Air Base Squadron | ||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||
| Identifiers | ICAO: EBCV,WMO: 6432 | ||||||
| Elevation | 194 feet (59 m)AMSL | ||||||
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| Sources: BelgianAIP,[1] DoD FLIP[2] | |||||||
Chièvres Air Base (ICAO:EBCV), also referred to asSHAPE Airfield at Chievres Air Base,[2] is aNATO airfield operated by theUnited States Air Force. It is located 1nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi) east southeast[1] of theWalloon town ofChièvres in the province ofHainaut,Belgium and about 12 mi (19 km) from Headquarters,Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), inCasteau. It is mainly used to provide logistic support to NATO and SHAPE. Infrastructure support is provided by theUnited States Army Garrison Benelux for NATO.
The first airfield at Chièvres was established in 1914 by theGerman Empire during their occupation of Belgium inWorld War I.
The current airfield was built by the Belgian Army in the 1930s, and at the end of 1939, the Belgian military began converting Chièvres into a diversion airfield. It was captured during theBattle of Belgium by the invading GermanWehrmacht in May 1940.
Shortly after its capture, the airfield was turned over to theLuftwaffe, and Chièvres became a major air base during theBattle of France. On 2 June,Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) movedMesserschmitt Bf 109E fighters to the airfield and on 9 JuneKampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30) movedJunkers Ju 88A attack bombers to the field. Both of these units were heavily engaged in combat operations with the French and theBritish Expeditionary Force in France.[3]
KG 26 moved into France within a few days, while KG 30 remained at Chièvres until September, taking part in theBattle of Britain.[3] In addition to the Luftwaffe, theCorpo Aereo Italiano stationedFiat BR.20M Cigogna (43° Stormo) andCant Z.1007bis bombers (172° Squadriglia Ricognizione Strategica Terrestre) at the base on 27 September, also taking part in the Battle of Britain. The Italians received heavy casualties, and by December 1940 they were recalled to Italy.
By late 1940 Chièvres had been taken off operational status by the Luftwaffe. The Germans found the airfield construction work incomplete, and began rebuilding and expanding the airfield. Construction began and two 1,800 m (5,900 ft) length concrete runways were laid down, extensive taxiways and dispersal pads, and a support facility consisting of maintenance shops, barracks, warehouses and hangars.[3]
The base became operational again in March 1941 when a bomber unit,Kampfgeschwader 3 (KG 3) arrived from Le Culot Airfield (Beauvechain Air Base), withDornier Do 17 light bombers. From Chièvres KG 3 flew raids against Britain and anti-shipping missions in support of theU-boats during theBattle of the Atlantic campaign. It later transitioned toJunkers Ju 88A attack bombers, and in February 1942 IV.(Erg)./KG 3 assisted the German warshipsScharnhorst andGneisenau in the famous "Channel Dash". In January 1943, it moved toIstres Air Base in Southern France, to attackAllied shipping in the Mediterranean.[3]
Luftwaffe operational units returned to Chièvres during the summer of 1944 when a series ofJunkers Ju 88 units,Kampfgeschwader 6 (KG 6); Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30), andKampfgeschwader 76 (KG 76) arrived in June and July. The units attacked targets in England, and later against Allied shipping in the English Channel after theNormandy Invasion of France. The base also served as a diversion field for Luftwaffe fighters.[3]
In August, the base became a base for day interceptors against the AmericanEighth Air Force bomber fleets attacking targets in Occupied Europe andNazi Germany. As part of the "Defense of the Reich" campaign,Messerschmitt Bf 109s of Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) attacked the heavy bombers. Later in August,Kampfgeschwader 51 (KG 51) arrived with theMesserschmitt Me 262A jet interceptor for a few days before departing.[3]
Chièvres Air Base was a frequent target of USAAFNinth Air ForceB-26 Marauder medium bombers. The medium bombers would attack in coordinated raids, usually in the mid to late afternoon, with Eighth Air Force heavy bombers returning from attacking their targets in Germany. The attack was timed to have the maximum effect possible to keep the Luftwaffe interceptors pinned down on the ground and be unable to attack the heavy bombers. Also, theP-47 Thunderbolts of Ninth Air Force would be dispatched to perform fighter sweeps over Chièvres after the Marauder raids, then meet up with the heavy bombers and provide fighter escort back toEngland. As theP-51 Mustang groups of Eighth Air Force began accompanying the heavy bombers all the way to their German targets by mid-1944, it was routine for them to also attack Chièvres on their return to England with a fighter sweep and attack any target of opportunity to be found at the airfield.[4]
The Luftwaffe was forced to withdraw from the base by 1 September 1944, leaving the installation heavily damaged.
On September 3, Allied troops arrived and assumed command of the airbase. Once in American hands, combat engineers of the IX Engineering Command 846th Engineer Aviation Regiment repaired the damaged airfield and applied numerous patches to the two concrete runways and taxiways of the field. It was declared operationally ready for combat units on 16 September, only a few days after its capture from German forces, being designated asAdvanced Landing GroundA-84 or "Chievres Airfield".[5]
Although operationally usable, Chièvres was a wrecked base from the numerous Allied air attacks and what was blown up by the Germans as they withdrew. The Americans made do with what could be repaired, with the 843d Engineer Aviation Regiment moving in what equipment was necessary to conduct combat operations.[6]
In October 1944, theP-47D Thunderbolts of theUSAAFNinth Air Force368th Fighter Group andEighth Air ForceP-51 Mustangs of the361st Fighter Group were stationed at Chièvres. During theBattle of the Bulge the base was also used by theHawker Typhoons of 123 WingRAF. In March 1945 the352d Fighter Group, equipped withP-51D Mustangs, were stationed at the base.[7]
After theGerman surrender Chièvres became both a transit station for US soldiers returning home and a GermanPOW camp. By the end of 1945 the base was turned over to the Belgian authorities.[6]
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In 1947 the base was rebuilt and expanded to serve as a jet-fighter base. On 1 December 1950 the 7th Fighter Wing, equipped with theGloster Meteor, was stationed at Chièvres and joined a year later by the10th Fighter-Bomber Wing[8] operatingSpitfire XIV. After converting to theF-84E Thunderjet the 10th Wing left Chièvres in 1953 forKleine Brogel in Limburg.
In June 1956 the 7th Wing converted to theHawker Hunter Mk. 4, and two years later to the Hunter F6. In 1963, the 7th Wing was disbanded, and on 31 December 1967 the Belgian authorities officially turned over Chièvres Airbase to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).
The Americans established the NATO/SHAPE Support Group (US) in 1968 at Caserne Daumerie adjacent to the air base and just east of the town of Chièvres to operate the base and provide logistic support to NATO and SHAPE. This small unit was part of Theater Army Support Command (TASCOM), which was part of U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR). The NATO/SHAPE Support Group was later renamed 80th Area Support Group (NATO/SHAPE Support Group).
The air base did serve as rehearsal and arrival point of US Precision Helicopter Team that competed in September France 1989. The US Team would take the first seven places over teams fromUSSR in overall competition.[9]
_RAF_-_20-21_juin_1987_-_Chi%25C3%25A8vres_(1).jpg)
The 80th Area Support Group (NATO/SHAPE Support Group) was renamed USAG BENELUX (NATO/SHAPE Support Group) in 2005.
In 2007 construction work started on a 94-room Army lodge. A $17 million commissary at Chièvres opened in 2010.[10] One major project nearing completion is the runway renovation effort which sees the runway lengthened and resurfaced.[11]
309th Airlift Squadron was the lastUSAF operational flying unit at Chièvres Air Base. It was attached to the86th Operations Group atRamstein Air Base,Germany. It primarily operatedGulfstream V aircraft (Designated C-37A) providing executive airlift for senior personnel assigned to SHAPE and NATO headquarters.
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The United States Air Force 424th Air Base Squadron (ABS) is the operational unit at Chièvres Air Base. It is supported by the86th Operations Group atRamstein Air Base,Germany. It functions as the Senior Airfield Authority for the airfield on behalf of the US. The airfield is considered part of SHAPE as NATO provides the US funding to maintain and operate the airfield. Even though the U.S. Air Force's 424th ABS Squadron operates the airfield and runways, overall airfield maintenance operations and the base operations are entrusted to the USAG BENELUX, a U.S. Army unit. Chievres Air Base is, in the eyes of Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and the Kingdom of Belgium, a SHAPE base and not a US Army base.
USAG Benelux provides base support operations and supports retirees and other personnel assigned to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe.
Flying and notable non-flying units based at Chièvres Air Base.[12][13]
US Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA)
US Army Europe(USAREUR)
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)The new $16 million store opened its doors Jan. 20 to eager customers braving a long line and frosty temperatures for the chance to be among the store's first shoppers.
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