The Allies had the opportunity to use a small airfield near the road to Arnhem for Operation Market Garden. But this airfield was overlooked in the planning. Only when, on the first day of Market Garden, it was discovered by a U.S. patrol, was the machinery set in motion to actually put it to use. This lasted a few days. On September 26 1944, reinforcements and supplies were landed at this small airfield. In a short time, 209 Skytrains landed with 900 men and 380 tons of cargo on board. Unfortunately, this was too late for the success of Market Garden.
The airfield then became the scene of a tug-of-war between the Americans and British. The latter drew the longest straw, and thus Keent airfield became a fighter base called the B-82 Grave Airstrip.
