RAF Chelveston

Infobox Military Structure
name= Royal Air Force Station Chelveston
USAAF Station 105
location= Located Near Chelveston, Northamptonshire, England
coordinates=coord|52|18|46|N|000|32|04|W


caption= Chelveston Airfield in 1945
type= Air Force Base
code=
built=1940
builder=
materials=
height=
used= 1940-1962
demolished=
condition=
controlledby=United States Army Air Forces
Royal Air Force
United States Air Force
garrison=Eighth Air Force
RAF Maintenance Command
Strategic Air Command
United States Air Forces in Europe
commanders=
occupants=
battles= European Theatre of World War II
Air Offensive, Europe July 1942 - May 1945 Location map|Northamptonshire
label =
lat = 52.31278
long = -0.53444
caption = Map showing the location of RAF Chelveston within Northamptonshire
float = right
background = white
width = 200

RAF Chelveston was a military air base located on the south side of the A45, 5 miles east of Wellingborough, near the village of Chelveston in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom.

During World War II the base was occupied by both the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Force. It was given USAAF designation Station 105.

During the Cold War, Chelveston housed some flying units, however its main role was that of a readiness station to receive USAF units from the United States in case of an emergency.

In the mid-1970s, the majority of the base was sold by the Ministry of Defence to private landholders, with the exception of a military housing area currently occupied by American servicemembers assigned to RAF Alconbury and RAF Molesworth.

Origins

Construction of Chelveston began in 1940 with short grass runways and three hangars grouped together. The airfield opened in August 1941 as a RAF base. It was utilized initially for the Central Gunnery School, then the Experimental Airborne Establishment took over with their gliders.

However, the grass landing strips were deemed unsuitable for heavy 4-engine bombers, so concrete runways were constructed along with taxiways and hardstands.

World War II Use

60th Troop Carrier Group

In early 1942, Chelveston was turned over to the American Eighth Air Force. The first USAAF unit to occupy Chelveston was the 60th Troop Carrier Group. The 60th consisted of the 10th, 11th, 12th and 26th squadrons, equipped with 53 C-47 aircraft.

The 60th arrived in early July, but its stay was brief, moving to RAF Aldermaston at the end of the month. After its training in the UK, the unit moved on to the 12th Air Force for operations in the Mediterranean theater.

301st Bombardment Group (Heavy)

On 9 August 1942, the 301st Bombardment Group (Heavy) took up residence on the base. The 301st was assigned to the 1st Combat Wing at RAF Brampton. It's operational squadrons were the 32d, 352d, 353d, 354th and 415th Bomb Squadrons, each equipped with B-17Fs.

The unit was the second heavy USAAF bomber group to arrive in England. It flew its first operational mission on 5 September 1942 to the Rouen marshaling yards in northern France. During its stay at Chelveston, the unit attacked submarine pens, airfields, railroads, bridges, and other targets on the Continent, primarily in France.

The 301st BG was allocated to Operation Torch, and on 26 November 1942 it departed for the Twelfth Air Force, being moved to Tafaraoui, Algeria.

305th Bombardment Group (Heavy)

The next group to use Chelveston was the 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moving in from RAF Grafton Underwood in December 1942.

The 305th BG was assigned to the 40th Combat Wing at RAF Thurleigh. The group tail code was a "Triangle G". It's operational squadrons (and fuselage codes) were the 364th(WF), 365th (XK), 366th (KY) and 422d (JJ) Bomb Squadrons, each initially equipped with B-17Fs, then upgraded to the B-17G in 1944.

The 305th Bomb Group was one of the most decorated USAAF bomb groups in the European Theater.

During the winter of 1942/43, the 305th was commanded by Colonel Curtis LeMay and pioneered many of the techniques of daylight bombing used by the USAAF over Nazi-controlled Europe. These fundamental procedures and techniques were later adapted to the B-29 Super Fortresses which fought the war to its conclusion in the Pacific.

The 305th BG bombed the navy yards at Wilhelmshaven on 27 January 1943 when heavy bombers of Eighth AF made their first penetration into Germany. Through mid-1943, the group attacked strategic targets as submarine pens, docks, harbors, shipyards, motor works, and marshaling yards in France, Germany, and the Low Countries.

The 305th BG received the Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission on April 1943 when an industrial target in Paris was bombed with precision in spite of pressing enemy fighter attacks and heavy flak.

During the second half of 1943, the unit began deeper penetration into enemy territory to strike heavy industry. Significant objectives included aluminum, magnesium, and nitrate works in Norway, industries in Berlin, oil plants at Merseburg, aircraft factories at Anklam, shipping at Gdynia, and ball-bearing works at Schweinfurt.

A second Distinguished Unit Citation was awarded to the 305th for withstanding severe opposition to bomb aircraft factories in central Germany on 11 January 1944. The unit participated in the intensive campaign of heavy bombers against the German aircraft industry during Big Week, 20-25 February 1944.

In addition to bombardment of strategic targets, the 305th BG often flew tactical interdictory missions and supported infantry units. Prior to the Normandy invasion in June 1944, it helped to neutralize enemy installations such as V-weapon sites, airfields, and repair shops. On D-Day, 6 June, the unit bombed enemy strongholds near the battle area. During the Battle of Normandy the 305th attacked enemy positions in advance of ground forces at St Lo in July 1944 and struck antiaircraft batteries to cover the airborne invasion of Holland in September.

The 422nd Bomb Squadron became a specialist unit in the summer of 1943, taking part in experimental night bombing missions with the B-17 and carrying out leaflet dropping sorties in the darkness. In 1944, the squadron extended its activities to pathfinder techniques using the H2X airborne radar.

The 305th took part in the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945, by bombing military installations in the battle zone, and supported the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945.

Medal of Honor

1st Lt William R Lawley Jr and 1st Lt Edward S Michael, pilots in the 364th Bomb Squadron, each received the Medal of Honor for similar performances on 20 February and 11 April 1944, respectively.

In each case a B-17 was severely damaged by fighters after it had bombed a target in Germany, crew members were wounded, and the pilot himself was critically injured; recovering in time to pull his aircraft out of a steep dive, and realizing that the wounded men would be unable to bail out, each pilot flew his plane back to England and made a successful crash landing.

Legacy

After V-E Day, the 305th moved to St Trond Air Base, Belgium in July, 1945 and Chelveston was returned to the RAF in October 1945. The 305th Bomb Group became part of the United States Air Forces in Europe, performing occupation duty at Lechfeld Air Base, Germany, December 1945 - 25 December 1946. The group was inactivated in Germany on 25 December 1946.

During the Cold War The United States Air Force 305th Bombardment Wing was activated in 1951 as a Strategic Air Command Boeing B-29 "Superfortresses", later B-47 Stratojet bomber wing. In 1952, the wing was bestowed the linage, honors and history of the World War II USAAF 305th Bombardment Group. In 1970, the unit was reequipped with Boeing KC-135 "Stratotankers" and was redesignated as the 305th Air Refueling Wing.

In 1992, the 305th was realigned to Air Mobility Command and redesignated as the 305th Air Mobility Wing. It was equipped with the Lockheed C-141B Starlifter. The 305th retired the last USAF C-141B in September 2004, and was reequipped with the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III.

The 305th AMW is currently on active duty at McGuire AFB New Jersey with over 55 years of service.

Postwar Use

In the immediate aftermath of World War II, Chevelston was placed into 'care and maintenance' status by the RAF and became a satellite field for the No. 25 Maintenance Unit.

20th Century Fox film crews shot the opening sequence of the film "Twelve O'Clock High" at Chelveston. In these scenes, an American AAF veteran played by Dean Jagger returns to "Archbury" (Chelveston), the home station for his bomb group. The airfield is mostly deserted, except for the occasional cow, but the control tower, huts and hangars still remain as ruined yet evocative reminders of what was once his home away from home.Fact|date=March 2008

Cold War Use By USAF

With the Korean War and the growing threat of the Soviet Union, the US and UK agreed to an expanded US military presence in the United Kingdom. On 1 December 1952, Chelveston returned to American control.

RAF Chelveston was allocated to the Strategic Air Command (SAC), and a completely new jet runway (11,000') was constructed on the base to accommodate intercontinental bombers. Also, wartime buildings that were in a state of disrepair were replaced with new facilities.

No permanent USAF wing was assigned to Chelveston. The base's main mission was to be a reserve base, kept in a state of high readiness to receive USAF units from the CONUS in the event of an emergency. The B-47 Stratojet was a familiar sight at Chelveston as wings deployed on 90-day rotations. Two of the SAC B-47 Wings which deployed to Chelveston were the 301st Bombardment Wing and the 305th Bombardment Wing, direct descendents of the two World War II B-17 Bombardment groups assigned to the base.

Starting in November 1955 the base was transferred to the SAC Seventh Air Division as a standby facility. In 1958 the church of St James in Thrapston received the pews which had previously been installed in the Chelveston based chapel.

Chelveston was turned over to USAFE in August 1959. Shortly thereafter, it became the home for RB-66C's of the 42nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron from RAF Alconbury's 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. In March 1962, the active runway at Chelveston was closed and the B-66's were transferred to Toul-Rosieres Air Base France.

After the B-66s departed the base was returned to a reserve status. The RAF used Chelveston for Civil Defense exercises. Mostly though, the base was maintained by a small British skeleton support staff. In August 1968, the base was put on alert during the Czechoslovakian Crisis, but no units were deployed there.

Throughout USAF jurisdictions, servicemen were encouraged and assisted to pursue hobbies and use base workshops. Chelveston and Alconbury servicemen often built and raced stock-cars, and especially in the 1960s were famous around English race tracks for their building and racing skills and for their access to American-built V-8 engines. See http://www.oldstox.com for photographs of some of these.

Chelveston Today

In the early 1970s due to budget cutbacks, the MOD decided to close Chelveston. The concrete runways, taxiways and hardstands were broken up and removed in 1977, with large quantities of aggregate being supplied to various construction projects in the Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire markets.

The large J-Type hangar was used by the 10th TRW at RAF Alconbury for storage of War Reserve Material (WRM) assets until the late 1980s. It was razed after the closure of the Alconbury flightline. An RAF signals facility was retained on the former airfield site, with a large array of antennas (part of UK STCICS). This site incorporated a microwave relay mast linking the site with the MOD in London and RAF Strike Command in High Wycombe. One mast was of 600W power that transmitted RAF VOLMET on 5.450 MHz USB and 11.253 MHz USB. The site was disposed of by the MOD in 2004.

In late 2005, RAF Chelveston were sold by Defence Estates to a businessman who is in the process of developing it into Chelveston Renewable Energy Park. Other parts of the base were sold to private agricultural interests, with the exception of some housing units retained by the USAF for families of personnel assigned to RAF Molesworth.

Almost nothing of the former airbase remains. In May 2007 a new memorial to the men that served at the base during the Second World War was unveiled in their memory by some of their comrades.

RAF Chelveston USAAF/USAF Emblems

ee also

* List of RAF stations
* United States Air Forces in Europe
* United States Air Force in the United Kingdom
* USAAF Eighth Air Force - World War II
* Strategic Air Command in the United Kingdom
* 60th Air Mobility Wing
* 301st Fighter Wing
* 305th Air Mobility Wing

References

* Freeman, Roger A. (1978) Airfields of the Eighth: Then and Now. After the Battle ISBN 0900913096
* Freeman, Roger A. (1991) The Mighty Eighth The Colour Record. Cassell & Co. ISBN 0-304-35708-1
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
* Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
* USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to Present [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html]

External links

* [http://www.301bg.com 301st Bombardment Group]
* [http://www.louisbelk.com 305th Bombardment Group]
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041996 IMDB Entry for "Twelve O'Clock High"]
* [http://www.controltowers.co.uk/C/Chelveston.htm Photographs Of 1950's Chelveston]
* [http://mighty8thaf.preller.us/php/1Loc.php?Base=Chelveston United States Army Air Forces - Chelveston]
* [http://8thcontrails.com/ipw-web/gallery/album32?page=1 Historic Chelveston Photo Gallery]
* [http://www.rushden.org/chelv.html RAF Chelveston Buildings/Aircraft]
* [http://www.rushden.org/airmen.html RAF Chelveston Airmen & Staff]
* [http://multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=500000&Y=268000&width=700&height=400&gride=&gridn=&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=&pc=&zm=0&scale=25000&up.x=288&up.y=3 Aerial Photo of RAF Chelveston From Multimap.Com]
* [http://leesbane.tripod.com Viewing War from the Nose]