USAF Patch Airlift USAFE 5 MAPS Mobile Aerial Port Squadron RAF Mildenhall Cr e

USAF Patch USAFE 5 MAPS Mobile Aerial Port Squadron C 130 Hercules Combat Cargo Parachute Insertion RAF Mildenhall 1980s Subdued Uniform removed Embroidered on twill cut edge 75mm by 70mm three inches by two and three quarter inches.

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Squadron History 

5 Aerial Port Operations Squadron APOS was activated at Donaldson AFB SC in 1953 assigned to 63 Troop Carrier Wing with manning commencing in January 1954 to provide management processing and movement of cargo and passengers transported in the Military Airlift System including an aerial delivery section for rigging loads for and managing combat cargo airdrops and airborne troop parachute operations over locations in which aircraft cannot land and deployed assets to forward locations to provide cargo handling services otherwise unavailable.  

5 APOS relocated to Wheelus AB Libya via ship arriving on 17 December 1954 was reassigned to 317 Troop Carrier Wing and began operating the passenger terminal and space control at Wheelus AB in conjunction with 1615 Support Squadron. With personnel qualified in parachute air dropping heavy equipment from C 119 Flying Boxcar aircraft the Squadron established a school to train new and qualified loadmaster and dropmaster operatives. The Squadron activated Detachments at Nouasseur Morocco Rome Italy Athens Greece and Neubiberg West Germany.  

The Squadron relocated to Neubiberg West Germany to join 317 TCW in December 1954 increasing its detachments operating twelve airfreight terminals within USAFE area of operations in Europe and around the Mediterranean Sea from Morocco into eastern Turkey by 1958. In addition the Squadron provided qualified loadmasters and dropmasters for cargo and troop parachute drops air mobility movement of unusual or oversized loads and joint tactical airlift training with the US Army. The Squadron assisted with classified clandestine special operations at remote landing sites and established three parachute qualified Pathfinder Combat Control Teams of air traffic controllers and radio operators responsible for setting up marking and providing air traffic control over airborne forces drop zones and bare bases. The Squadrons Support Section included a motor pool with forklift trucks weapons carriers trucks trailers and specialist equipment necessary for rapid loading and offloading of aircraft and recovery of drop zone equipment a parachute packing and repair shop medical technicians and security police with heavy infantry weapons for local defence of the tactical airheads or drop zones also made available to the Combat Control Teams. 

5 APOS relocated to Evreux Fauville AB France in April 1957 with 317 TCW and its C 119 Box Car flying Squadrons to convert to C 130 Hercules aircraft operations joining 465 TCW and 6 Aerial Port Squadron Detachment 3 with its C 130 jump qualified Combat Control Team already based at Evreux. 317 and 465 Troop Carrier Wings were inactivated in July 1957 with their Squadrons and 5 APOS reassigned to 322 Air Division Combat Cargo the command element which controlled all airlift units assigned to USAFE and the host unit for Evereux AB. 5 APOS absorbed 6 Aerial Port Squadron Detachment 3 in October 1958 and moved to Dreux AB France supported by 60 Troop Carrier Wing. 

5 APOS set up a complete air terminal at Rabat Morocco for the humanitarian response to the Agadir major earthquake and tidal wave on 29 February 1959 for the unloading of relief supplies and support to the search and rescue operations. The Squadron established two air terminals with Airhead security in the Congo in 1960 following the outbreak of civil war for evacuation of civilians and the airlift of relief supplies cargo and UN troops to restore peace operating them for over a year.  

5 APOS was redesignated 5 Aerial Port Squadron and moved back to Evreux Fauville AB in October 1960 when more space became available at the base after departure of the C 119 aircraft and personnel. With the requirement for all C 130 loadmasters and APS Officers to be air drop qualified 5 APSs Aerial Delivery School undertook training for all personnel assigned to USAFE Aerial Port Squadrons and with CCT air controllers having to maintain parachute jumping proficiency a number of practice drop zones established around Dreux and Evreux Air Bases were regularly used. 

International relations between France and the US deteriorated in the late 1950s resulting in French President Charles de Gaulle announcing withdrawal from NATOs integrated military structure and demanding the removal of NATO forces from the country. Under project Red Richard USAFE relocated its units from France and 513 Troop Carrier Wing was activated at Evreux AB on 15 April 1966 to facilitate the removal of USAF assets from France to Germany and United Kingdom. 

5 Aerial Port Squadron relocated to RAF Mildenhall on 25 July 1966 with 513 Troop Carrier Wing which became 513 Tactical Air Wing in July 1967. The Squadron was redesignated 5 Mobile Aerial Port Squadron MAPS in the 1970s to reflect its mobility to deploy to forward locations to provide cargo handling services otherwise unavailable and cargo and troop parachute insertions. The Squadron undertook humanitarian operations as well as major US Army and NATO airdrop exercises 

Ninety percent of 5 MAPS personnel were deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990 for Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm including a joint 5 Mobile Aerial Port Squadron Royal Air Force RAF UKMAMS movements detachment formed at Tabuk Saudi Arabia dealing with all RAF and USAF transport aircraft during the deployment.  

5 MAPS was inactivated in 1992.

This patch dates from the 1980s.