USAF Patch EW c 429 u ECS Electronic Combat Squadron EF 111A

USAF 429 ECS Electronic Combat Squadron EF 111A Raven SIP System Improvement Program Mountain Home AFB 1992 Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 107mm four and one quarter inches diameter.

USAF 429 ECS Electronic Combat Squadron Patch EF 111A Raven

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WWII

P 38 Lightning

429 Fighter Squadron was activated Glendale Airport California on 1 August 1943 equipped with P 38 Lightning fighter aircraft assigned to 474 Fighter Group of IV Fighter Command. The Squadron moved to Van Nuys Airport California on 11 October 1943 and to Oxnard Flight Strip California on  5 January 1944. The Squadron embarked for the UK with the Group on 6 February 1944 and formed up at RAF Warmwell on 12 March 1944 as part of Ninth Air Force.

429 FS began combat sweeps against ground targets over France in April 1944 and on D Day provided patrols over the invasion fleet. The Squadron carried out offensive patrols from RAF Warmwell until crossing to France on 6 August 1944 continuing US Army ground air support operations from liberated airfields. 429 Fighter Squadron moved to its first German base Langansalza Airfield on 22 April 1945 before relocating to AAF Station Schweinfurt Germany on 16 June 1945. The Squadron became part of the United States Air Forces in Europe army of occupation on 7 August 1945. The Squadron relocated to AAF Station Stuttgart Echterdingen Germany on 25 October 1945 demobilised and left for the US without personnel and equipment on 21 November 1945. On arrival 429 Fighter Squadron was inactivated on 7 December 1945.

F 84G Thunderjets

429 Fighter Bomber Squadron was reactivated at Misawa AB Japan on 10 July 1952 as assigned to 474 Fighter Bomber Group replacing Federalized Georgia Air National Guard personnel and taking over their F 84G Thunderjets. 429 FBS relocated to Kunsan AB K 8 South Korea in August 1952 undertaking combat operations bombing and strafing enemy ground targets including bridges bunkers troop concentrations and artillery positions. The Squadron moved to Taegu AB K 2 in April 1953 attached to 58 Fighter Bomber Wing continuing interdiction and close air support missions and began attacking special strategic targets including military schools dams and port facilities in North Korea until the June 1953 Armistice.

F 86H Sabre

The Squadron remained in South Korea to ensure Communist compliance with the cease fire until retuning to Clovis AFB NM in November 1954 and reequipped with F 86H Sabre fighter bombers and maintained proficiency in tactical fighter operations with worldwide deployments in support of NATO USAFE PACAF AAC and other organizations.

F 100 Super Sabre

429 FBS reequipped with F 100 Super Sabre fighters in 1957. 429 Fighter Bomber Squadron was redesignated 429 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 July 1958 and deployed with the rest of 474 TFG Squadrons to the southeastern US in 1962 in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Squadron deployed TDY to Bien Hoa AB South Vietnam on 13 July 1965 for close air support combat operations returning in December 1965 before being inactivated on 15 November 1966.

F 111A Aardvark

429 Tactical Fighter Squadron was reactivated with 474 Tactical Fighter Wing at Nellis AFB Nevada on 15 September 1968 as part of the first Wing to receive the new F 111A Aardvark fighter bombers. The F 111As continued development following its combat deployment to Veitnam with the Wings 428 TFS under the Combat Lancer programme during 1968 and the Squadron continued training reaching operational status in 1971.

The Squadron deployed with the rest of 474 TFW to Takhli RTAFB Thailand in September 1972 in response to the North Vietnamese Easter Offensive. 429 TFS participated in the Linebacker II aerial offensive against targets in North Vietnam and Laos operating during the monsoon season without electronic countermeasures escort aircraft or air refuelling support and being able to deliver five times the bomb load of an F 4 Phantom II. The Squadron carried out twenty strikes over North Vietnam on 8 November 1972 in weather which grounded most other aircraft and with the Wings other Squadrons 428 and 430 TFSs flew 4000 combat missions with excellent success rates in hitting targets even when visibility was near zero with only six aircraft lost in action. The Squadron returned to the US in March 1973 leaving its assigned aircraft at Takhli AB.

At Nellis AFB the Squadron with 428 and 430 TFSs were reassigned to 347 Fighter Wing on 30 July 1973 and were deployed back to Takhli RTAFB on permanent status reequipped with the aircraft it had left behind in March 1973. Combat operations began immediately with missions in Cambodia until 15 August 1973 when the last Constant Guard mission was completed. Following the cease fire 347 TFW remained maintained in a combat ready status in case of resumption of hostilities.

With the closure of Taklhi AB 429 TFS moved with the Wing to Korat RTAFB Thailand on 12 July 1974 to maintain readiness for strike missions in the event of hostilities numerous exercises and firepower demonstrations and undertook sea surveillance patrol operations between January and May 1975. The Squadron participated in the recovery of the SS Mayaguez from Cambodian Communist forces in May 1975.

F 4D Phantom II

The Squadron returned to Nellis AFB on 21 June 1975 reassigned back to 474 TFW transferring its F 111A Aardvarks to 366 TFW at Mountain Home AFB and reequipping with F 4D Phantom II in 1977 tasked with strike interdiction.

F 16 A and B Fighting Falcon

429 TFS reequipped with Block 1 to 5 F 16 A and B Fighting Falcon fighters and conducted routine Tactical Air Command training and deployments from Nellis AFB. The Squadron upgraded to Block 10 to15 Model F 16s in the early 1980s before being inactivated on 30 September 1989 when their aircraft were considered no longer front line combat capable.

EF 111A Raven Electronic Warfare SIP aircraft and EC 130 Hercules electronic warfare aircraft

The Squadron reactivated at Mountain Home AFB Idaho as 429 Electronic Combat Squadron ECS on 11 September 1992 assigned to 366 Operations Group equipped with the EF 111A Raven Electronic Warfare SIP System Improvement Program aircraft tasked with electronic warfare jamming and monitoring. The Squadron relocated to Cannon AFB NM reassigned to 27 Operations Group on 22 June 1993 taking over the EF 111 A Raven and EC 130 Hercules electronic warfare aircraft of the newly inactivated 430 Electronic Combat Squadron leaving 429 ECS as the USAFs only Raven Squadron. 429 ECS deployed its EF 111A Ravens and its EC 130 Hercules to Italy for combat Electronic Warfare jamming missions over the Balkans and to the Gulf for combat operations over Iraq with 2780 days and 32 rotations of continuous support to Operation Southern Watch. 429 Electronic Combat Squadron was inactivated on 19 June 1998 on the retirement of the EF 111A Raven.

USAF 429 ECS Electronic Combat Squadron EF 111A Raven SIP System Improvement Program Mountain Home AFB

 

This USAF 429 ECS Electronic Combat Squadron patch dates from 1992 when the Squadron was based at Mountain Home AFB Idaho equipped with EF 111A Raven electronic warfare aircraft