USAF Patch Fighter c 562 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron F 105 Vietnam

USAF Patch 562 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron F 105 Thunderchief Strike 1964 Deployed Vietnam Fully embroidered cut edge 115mm by 94mm four and one half inches by three and eleven sixteenth inches.

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Squadron History

562 Bombardment Squadron Heavy was activated at Gowen Field Idaho on 24 December 1942 assigned to 388 Bombardment Group and relocated to Wendover Field Utah on 5 February 1943 equipped with B 17 Flying Fortress bombers. The Squadron deployed to RAF Knettishall England on 17 July 1943 and undertook approximately 300 combat missions over Europe followed food and supply airlift operations to aid the starving people of the Netherlands before being inactivated on its return to the US at Sioux Falls Army Air Field South Dakota on 28 August 1945.

The Squadron was reactivated in the Reserve as 562 Bombardment Squadron Very Heavy at Orchard Place Airport Illinois on 12 June 1947 equipped with AT 6 Texan and AT 11 Kansan  aircraft tasked with bomber aircrew training receiving C 46 Commando C 47 Skytrain and B 26 Marauder aircraft in early 1949. 562 Bombardment Squadron Very Heavy was inactivated on 27 June 1949.

The Squadron was reactivated as 562 Fighter Bomber Squadron on 23 November 1953 at Clovis AFB NM assigned to 388 Fighter Bomber Group equipped with F 86 Sabre fighter bomber aircraft. The Squadron relocated to Spangdahlem AB Germany on 12 December 1954 tasked with strike operations in support of USAFE and NATO. 562 FBS moved to Etain Rouvres AB France on 15 September 1955 upgrading to F 100 Super Sabre fighter bombers in 1957 before being inactivated on 10 December 1957.

The Squadron was reactivated as 562 Tactical Fighter Squadron at McConnell AFB Kansas on 1 May 1962 assigned to 388 Tactical Fighter Wing equipped with F 105 Thunderchief fighter bomber aircraft tasked with strike attack. The Squadron was reassigned to 23 Tactical Fighter Wing when it was reactivated at McConnell on 8 February 1964 with its Squadrons renumbered 560 561 562 and 563 TFSs. In response to the Gulf of Tonkin Crisis 23 TFW immediately began TDY 5 month rotational Squadron deployments to Takhli AB Thailand for combat strike missions over North Vietnam. Following the 563 deployments 562 TFS began its tour on 6 August 1964 initially attached to 6235 Tactical Fighter Wing to 8 November and then 355th Tactical Fighter Wing until 4 December 1965 when relieved by 561 TFS. On its return to McConnell AFB with its intense combat experience the Squadron was tasked with F 105 pilot replacement training in January 1966.

Increased US losses due to intensification and sophistication of North Vietnamese Surface to Air Missile SAM capability led to air operations over North Vietnam restricted to below the 19th parallel on 31 March 1968 and the bombing campaign over North Vietnam halted on 1 November 1968 with combat missions changed to intensive operations against the enemy in South Vietnam. With the increased vulnerability of the Thunderchief and use of the more capable F 4 Phantom II fighter for strike attack missions the primary task F 105 Thunderchief became the suppression of enemy air defense SEAD and 562 TFS upgraded to F 105Gs to continue pilot and crew replacement training. 562 TFS was inactivated on 31 July 1972.

The Squadron was reactivated as 562 Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated on 31 October 1974 at George AFB CA assigned to 35 Tactical Fighter Wing equipped with F 105G Thunderchief Wild Weasel aircraft tasked with SEAD crew training in Wild Weasel radar detection and suppression operations for deployment to operational units in Okinawa and Germany. The Squadron undertook deployments in the US and to Europe for NATO reinforcement exercises including Spangdahlem AB West Germany for Exercise Coronet Yankee in August 1976 and Karup AB Denmark for Coronet Club in August 1977 and Coronet Sparrow in August 1978.

562 TFS was redesignated 562 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron on 9 October 1980 and reequipped with F 4G Phantom II Wild Weasel when the Squadron absorbed the aircraft and personnel of 39 TFS inactivated at George AFB at the same time. 562 TFTS began electronic warfare training in March 1981 and deployed elements in support of 561 TFS F 4G Wild Weasel combat operations for Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991. 562 TFTS was redesignated 562 Fighter Squadron on 1 November 1991 before being inactivated on 30 June 1992.

The Squadron was reactivated as 562 Flying Training Squadron on 14 May 1993 at Randolph AFB Texas assigned to 12 Flying Training Wing equipped with T 43 Bobcat aircraft to train rated navigators and naval flight officers in Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training JUNT. 562 FTS was inactivated on when navigator training and Electronic Warfare Training was combined into the Combat Systems Officer CSO Training and was relocated to Naval Air Station Pensacola.

This patch dates from 1964.