Chièvres Air Base
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| Chièvres Air Base
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| IATA: none – ICAO: EBCV | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Military | ||
| Operator | U.S. Army Garrison BENELUX | ||
| Location | Chièvres | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 200 ft / 60 m | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 08/26 | 6,271 | 1,911 | Concrete |
Chièvres Air Base (ICAO: EBCV) is a United States military airbase, located in the Belgian town of Chièvres about 12 miles from SHAPE, which is mainly used to provide logistic support to NATO and SHAPE. It is currently operated by the U.S. Army Garrison BENELUX.
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[edit] History
[edit] World War I and II
The first airfield at Chièvres was established in 1917 by the Germans.
At the end of 1939, the Belgian military started works to turn Chièvres into a diversion airfield. The German invasion found the work incomplete and in June 1940 the Germans started rebuilding and expanding the airfield.
On September 27, 1940, the Corpo Aereo Italiano stationed Fiat BR.20M Cigogna (43° Stormo) and Cant Z.1007bis bombers (172° Squadriglia Ricognizione Strategica Terrestre) at the base. These planes participated in several raids against Britain during the Battle of Britain during which they received heavy casualties and by December 1940 they were recalled to Italy. The Luftwaffe then used the base to station bomber-units equipped with the Ju 88, Ju 188, He 111 and Ju 86. The base also served as a diversion field for Luftwaffe fighters.
By September 1, 1944, the last Luftwaffe aircraft had evacuated Chièvres and the installation were heavily damaged. On September 3, the Allied troops arrived and took over command of the airbase and U.S. Army engineers started rebuilding the base infrastructure.
In October 1944, the P-47D Thunderbolts of the 361th Fighter Groups were stationed at Chièvres. During the Battle of the Bulge the base was also used by the Hawker Typhoons of 123 Wing RAF. In March 1945, 352 Fighter Group, equipped with P-51D Mustangs were stationed at the base.
After the German surrender, Chièvres became a transit station for US soldiers returning home as well as being used as a German POW camp. By the end of 1945, the base was turned over to the Belgian authorities.
[edit] Cold War years
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 the Gloster Meteor, was stationed at Chièvres and one year later they were joined by the 10th Fighter Wing, operating Spitfire XIV. After reconversion to the F84E Thunderjet, the 10th Wing left Chièvres in 1953 for Kleine Brogel in Limburg.
In June 1956, the 7th Wing converted to the Hawker Hunter Mk. 4 and two years later to the Hunter F6. In 1963, the 7th Wing was disbanded and on December 31, 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).
[edit] Post Cold War years
In 2005, the 80th Area Support Group (NATO/SHAPE Support Group) was later renamed USAG BENELUX (NATO/SHAPE Support Group).
In 2007, construction work is started on a 94-room Army lodge at Chièvres Air Base in Belgium. A future project will include a $17 million commissary for Chièvres. One major project nearing completion is the runway renovation effort which sees the runway lengthened and resurfaced.[1]
The 309th Airlift Squadron, part of the 86th Airlift Wing, uses Chièvres for C-37 Gulfstream V. Even though the U.S. Air Force's 309th Airlift Squadron operates the airfield and runways, overall operations are entrusted to the USAG BENELUX, a U.S. Army unit. This make Chievres Air Base the only actual "base" in the Army since Army installations are usually referred to as a "post" or "airfield".
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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