USAF Patch Fighter Vietnam c 480 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron F 4 Phantom

USAF Patch Vietnam 480 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron Flight Suit Patch Phantom F 4D Fighters Hawk Facing Right Late 1960s Japanese Made embroidered on twill cut edge 99mm three and seven eighth inches diameter.

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Squadron History

480 Tactical Fighter Squadron TFS deployed to Da Nang Air Base South Vietnam in 1966 with its F 4 Phantom fighters under 366 TFW as part of USAF build up in Southeast Asia and engaged in combat operations primarily over North Vietnam. In 1969 the Squadron relocated to Phu Cat Air Base South Vietnam reassigned to 37 TFW and scored nine MiG kills including the first MiG 21. 37 TFW was inactivated at Phu Cat AB on 31 March 1970 on its redesignation as 12 Tactical Fighter Wing previously at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base. On 20 October 1971 480 TFS flew its last combat mission in Vietnam with its F 4Ds and although originally scheduled for redeployment the Squadron was inactivated in South East Asia on 17 November 1971.

480 TFS was reactivated with 52 Tactical Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem West Germany on 15 November 1976 with F-4D Phantom IIs for Air Defense and converting to F-4E and F-4Gs Advanced Wild Weasels for the additional hunter-killer role with F-4Gs hunting SAM sites and the F-4Es destroying them with AGM-45 Shrike and later AGM-88 Harm missiles.

In 1987 the Warhawks received F-16C Fighting Falcons taking over the Hunter role of the F-4Es while retaining the F-4Gs to carry out the Killer role. At the end of Desert Storm in 1991 the Squadrons remaining F-4Gs were transferred to 81 TFS with the Squadron becoming an all F-16 unit and being re-designated 480 Fighter Squadron. The Squadron lost its SEAD mission retaining the Air Defence role but additional tasked with tactical nuclear strike on the disbandment of Hahn ABs nuclear strike squadrons. In 1993 the 480 FS became the USAFs first squadron to
be equipped with Block 50 F-16s and was again tasked with SEAD. The Squadron was inactivated on 1 October 1994 as part of the post-Cold War force reductions.

As a result of the drawdown of F-16s from 52 Operations Group Spangdahlem the 22 and 23 Fighter Squadrons were deactivated on 13 August 2010 and re-formed as 480 Fighter Squadron. In March 2012 the Squadron deployed to Turkey to train the Turkish Air Force in Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses.

This patch dates from the late 1960s.