Military Bases In Belgium - 50°34′33″N 003°49′52″E / 50.57583°N 3.83111°E / 50.57583; 3.83111 Coordinates: 50°34′33″N 003°49′52″E / 50.57583°N 3.83111°E / 50.57583; 3.83111
A NATO air base operated by the United States Air Force. 1 nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi) east-southwest.
Military Bases In Belgium
The Walloon city of Chièvres in the province of Hainaut, Belgium and 12 mi (19 km) from the Headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), in Casteau. It is often used to provide technical support to NATO and SHAPE. Special assistance by the United States Army Garrison Belux for NATO.
A Belgian Instructor Demonstrates Tactical Combat Casualty Care To U.s. Soldiers With United States Army Garrison Benelux Brussels Military Police, Members Of The Belgian Local Police Zone Of Zaventem, And To A Group
The first airport in Chièvres was established in 1914 by the German Government during the occupation of Belgium during the First World War.
Currt Airport was built by the Belgian Army in the 1930s, and in 1939, the Belgian military began to convert Chièvres into an airport. Captured during the Battle of Belgium by the invading German Wehrmacht in May 1940.
Shortly after the capture, the airport was turned over to the Luftwaffe, and Chièvres was the main air base during the Battle of France. On 2 June, Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) moved Messerschmitt Bf 109E fighters to the airfield, and on 9 June Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30) moved Junkers Ju 88A fighters to the airfield. . Both units were very important in the war against the French and the British Army in France.
KG 26 moved to France within a few days, KG 30 remained at Chièvres until September, joining the Battle of Britain.
Chievres Army Lodge :: Chievres :: Us Army Mwr
In addition to the Luftwaffe, the Corpo Aereo Italiano placed Fiat BR.20M Cigogna (43 ° Stormo) and Cant Z.1007bis bombers (172 ° Squadriglia Ricognizione Strategica Terrestre) at the base on 27 September, participating in in the Battle of Britain. . The Italians suffered heavy casualties and in December 1940 were sent back to Italy.
By the end of 1940, Chièvres had lost control of the Luftwaffe. The Germans found it incomplete and began building and expanding the airfield. Construction began, two 1,800 m (5,900 ft) lgth concrete roads were laid, taxiways and roundabouts, and a support area including maintenance shops, shelters, warehouses and structures. .
The base was reactivated in March 1941 with the arrival of a bomber group, Kampfgeschwader 3 (KG 3) from Le Culot Airfield (Beauvechain Air Base), with Dornier Do 17 light bombers. From Chièvres KG 3 flew raids against Britain and the anti-submarine mission to support U-boats during the Battle of the Atlantic. It was later replaced by the Junkers Ju 88A attack bomber, and in February 1942 IV.(Erg)./KG 3 assisted the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisau in the famous "Channel Dash". In January 1943, it was transferred to Istres Air Base in southern France, to attack Allied shipping in the Mediterranean.
Luftwaffe operational units returned to Chièvres in the summer of 1944 in a series of Junkers Ju 88 units, Kampfgeschwader 6 (KG 6); Kampfgeschwader 30 (KG 30), and Kampfgeschwader 76 (KG 76) arrived in June and July. The group attacked the submarine and later attacked Allied ships at Glish Station after the Normandy invasion of France. The base also served as a staging area for Luftwaffe fighters.
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In August, the station became a base for bombers during the day to attack bombers of the Eighth Air Force of the United States to attack targets in Europe and Nazi Germany. As part of the "Defse of the Reich", Messerschmitt Bf 109s of Jagdgeschwader 26 (JG 26) attacked heavy bombers. Later in August, Kampfgeschwader 51 (KG 51) arrived with a Messerschmitt Me 262A jet interceptor for a few days before taking off.
Chièvres Air Base is a target for USAAF Ninth Air Force B-26 Marauder fighter jets. Light bombers attacked in coordinated attacks, usually in the mid to late afternoon, with heavy bombers of the Eighth Air Force returning from attacks on their targets in Germany. The attack was planned in order to obtain the best possible power to send the Luftwaffe defenders to the ground so that the heavy bombers could not attack them. In addition, the P-47 Thunderbolts of the Ninth Air Force were sent to form a flank over Chièvres after the Marauder raids, providing heavy bombers and resupplying troops. later. When the P-51 Mustangs of the Eighth Air Force began accompanying heavy bombers to their German targets in mid-1944, it was customary for them to attack Chièvres again in their return. and attacking a target. available spaces at the airport.
The Luftwaffe was forced to evacuate the base on 1 September 1944, leaving the installation in utter disrepair.
On September 3rd, Army troops came to take control of the airport. Once in American hands, crews from the IX Engineer Command 846th Engineer Aviation Regimt repaired the damaged airfield and built concrete runways. It was declared ready for combat units on September 16, just a few days after being captured by German forces, and designated Advanced Landing Ground A -84 as "Chievres Airfield".
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Although it could be used, Chièvres was hidden from many Allied air raids, and the Germans bombed it as they left. The Americans did what could be repaired, with the 843d Engineer Aviation Regimt operating as needed to conduct combat operations.
In October 1944, P-47D Thunderbolts of the USAAF Ninth Air Force 368th Fighter Group and Eighth Air Force P-51 Mustangs of the 361st Fighter Group were stationed at Chièvres. During the Battle of the Bulge it was also used by the Hawker Typhoons of the 123 Wing RAF. In March 1945 the 352d Fighter Group, with P-51D Mustangs, was assigned to the base.
After the German invasion, Chièvres became a transit point for American soldiers returning home and a camp for German POWs. In 1945 the base was handed over to the British authorities.
In 1947 the base was rebuilt and expanded to become an air base. On 1 December 1950, the 7th Fighter Wing, with the Gloster Meteor, was stationed at Chièvres and was joined a year later by the 10th Fighter-Bomber Wing.
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Operated Spitfire XIV. After converting to the F-84E Thunderjet the 10th Wing left Chièvres in 1953 for Kleine Brogel in Limburg.
In June 1956 the Seventh Wing converted to the Hawker Hunter Mk. 4, two years later the Hunter F6. In 1963, the 7th Wing was disbanded and on December 31, 1967 the Belgian authorities officially handed over the Chièvres Airbase to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).
The Americans established the NATO / SHAPE Support Group (US) in 1968 at Caserne Daumerie near the airfield and east of the city of Chièvres to manage the base and provide technical assistance to NATO and the SHAPE. This sub-unit is part of the Theater Support Army (TASCOM), part of US Army Europe (USAREUR). The NATO / SHAPE Support Group later became the 80th Area Support Group (NATO / SHAPE Support Group).
The airport served as a model for the arrival of the US Precision Helicopter Team that competed in France in September 1989. The US Team placed first among teams from the USSR throughout the competition. .
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Children cheer as Elmo arrives on stage during the Sesame Street/USO Experience for military families at Chièvres Air Base in Belgium September 13, 2009.
In 2007, construction began on a 94-room Army house. A $17 million investment in Chièvres opened in 2010.
The 309th Airlift Squadron is the USAF's last airlift squadron at Chièvres Air Base. He was assigned to the 86th Operations Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Gulfstream V aircraft (designated C-37A) were initially operated to provide air power for personnel assigned to SHAPE headquarters and NATO.
The United States Air Force 424th Air Base Squadron (ABS) is the operational unit at Chièvres Air Base. It is supported by the 86th Operations Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. It will serve as the Sior Airfield Authority for US airports. The airport is considered part of SHAPE because NATO funds the United States to maintain and operate the airport. Although the 424th ABS Squadron of the US Air Force manages the airfield and runways, the overall maintenance of the airfields and bases rests with USAG BELUX, a unit of the US Army. Chievres Air Base, in the view of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and the Government of Belgium, is a SHAPE base, not the US Army.
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USAG Belux provides basic support operations and support to retirees and other personnel assigned to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe. 19. (U.S. Photo by Christophe Morel, USAG Benelux Public Affairs) (Photo Credit: Christophe Morel) REFER TO ORIGINAL
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