chièvres air base was a frequent target of usaaf ninth air force b-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, the p-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 to england. as the p-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.