USAF Patch Fighter USAFE c 612 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron F 4 Phantom a4b

USAF Patch USAFE 612 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron F 4 Phantom 1972 Torrejon AB Spain Fully embroidered cut edge 104mm by 82mm four and one sixteenth inches by three and one quarter inches.

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Squadron History

612 Fighter Bomber Squadron was activated on 8 February 1954 at Alexandria AFB Louisiana with the F 84 Thunderjet fighters under 401 Fighter Bomber Group. Alexandria AFB renamed England Air Force Base on 23 June 1955. The Squadron participated in numerous firepower demonstrations tactical exercises and manoeuvres in the US and overseas with rotational TDY deployments to Europe and the Middle East in support of NATO. 612 FBS reequipped with F 100 Super Sabre fighters and was redesignated 612 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 July 1958.

The Squadron deployed with 401 TFW to Homestead AFB Florida during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis for possible tactical airstrikes. From February 1964 to November 1965 the Squadron TDY deployments shifted to the Far East and Southeast Asia.

612 TFS was reassigned to 475 Tactical Fighter Wing and relocated to Misawa AB Japan on 3 November 1965 to provide air defense over Japan and South Korea and undertook rotational TDY deployments to South Korean air bases. The Squadron was reassigned to 35 Fighter Wing reequipped with F 4E Phantom II fighter bombers relocating to Phan Rang AB South Vietnam on 15 March 1971 for tactical fighter bomber close air support and interdiction combat missions in support of South Vietnamese operations in Laos and Cambodia.

As part of USAF drawdown of forces from Vietnam 612 TFS was reassigned to 401 Tactical Fighter Wing and relocated to Torrejon AB with its F 4E Phantoms on 15 July 1971. In September 1973 Phantom F 4C were received and replaced in 1978 with Phantom F 4D.

612 TFS reequipped with F 16AB Fighting Falcons receiving 401 TFWs first F 16s on 19 March 1983 which were upgraded to F 16C D in July 1988.

With the Spanish Governments demands for the USAF withdrawal from Spain a new agreement was reached in January 1988 for an initial term of eight years but requiring the F 16 force to be removed from Torrejon AB by mid 1991 however implementation was delayed by the 1990 91 crisis in Kuwait when 401 TFW was one of the first US fighter Wings to respond with 612 TFS deploying to Incirlik AB Turkey 614 TFS Lucky Devils deploying to Doha Qatar while 613 TFS remained at Torrejon AB.

612 TFS undertook numerous missions from Incirlik during Operation Desert Shield and combat missions over Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. Following the ceasefire in March 1991 the Squadron returned to Torrejon AB and the closing process of the base began with 612 Tactical Fighter Squadron inactivated on 1 October 1991.

This patch dates from 1972.