USAF Patch Cmd USAFE b 65 AD Air Division Torrejon Air Defence

USAF Patch USAFE 65 Air Division Air Defense Fighter TDY Rotation 1957 Torrejon AB Spain Fully embroidered cut edge 92mm by 88mm three and five eighth inches by three and seven sixteenth inches.

Free Shipping

History 

65 Air Division Defence was activated at Keflavik Airport Iceland on 24 April 1952 assigned to Iceland Air Defense Force undertaking air defense operations in Iceland with 82 Fighter Interceptor Squadron. 65 AD was inactivated on 8 March 1954. 

65 Air Division Defense was reactivated at Madrid Spain on 8 April 1957 assigned to 16 Air Force responsible for air defence with operating Air Defense Direction Centers ADDCs in conjunction with Spanish Air Force units.  

The Air Division Defense directed base and off base housing construction and the established radar sites with 871 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron at Villatobas Air Station 872 ACWS at Constantina Air Station 874 ACWS at Inoges Air Station 875 ACWS at Rosas Air Station 876 ACWS at Alcoy Air Station 877 ACWS at Elizondo Air Station and 880 ASCWS at Soller Air Station Mallorca. 

65 AD relocated to Torrejon Air Base on 1 October 1957 and began operating US based fighter Squadrons on rotational TDY alert deployment operations on 27 June 1958 with 1 Fighter Day Squadron attached until 12 November 1958. 497 Fighter Interceptor Squadron was assigned to 65 AD on 5 July 1958 until 1 July 1960 431 Fighter Interceptor Squadron was assigned to 65 AD on 1 September 1958 until 1 July 1960 474th Tactical Fighter Squadron attached on 15 November 1958 until 14 March 1959 307 Tactical Fighter Squadron attached 13 March 1959 to 31 July 1959 308 Tactical Fighter Squadron attached August 1959 to 16 November 1959 476 Tactical Fighter Squadron attached 16 November 1959 to 18 March 1960 434 Tactical Fighter Squadron attached 18 March 1960 to July 1960 497 Fighter Interceptor Squadron was attached on 1 July 1960 to 17 June 1964 431 Fighter Interceptor Squadron attached 1 July 1960 to 18 May 1964 435 Tactical Fighter Squadron attached 15 December 1960 to 14 April 1961 476 Tactical Fighter Squadron attached 16 April 1961 to 11 August 1961 434 Tactical Fighter Squadron attached 14 August 1961 to 25 September 1961 430 Tactical Fighter Squadron attached 25 September 1961 to 25 November 1961 157 Fighter Interceptor Squadron was assigned on 23 November 1961 until 17 July 1962 435 Tactical Fighter Squadron attached 6 August 1962 to 1 November 1962 436 Tactical Fighter Squadron attached 1 November 1962 to 3 April 1963 334 Tactical Fighter Squadron attached 1 April 1963 to 13 August 1963 336 Tactical Fighter Squadron attached 13 August 1963 to 6 January 1964 435 Tactical Fighter Squadron attached 2 April 1964 to 18 June 1964 and 476 Tactical Fighter Squadron: attached 6 January 1964 until 2 April 1964. 

65 AD sent its TDY deployed fighter Squadrons on 30 day rotations to Aviano Air Base Italy and Incirlik Air Base Turkey and participated in numerous exercises with the Spanish Air Defense Command and with the United States Sixth Fleet on a number of occasions. Rotational TDY alert deployment fighter operations ceased in June 1964 and 65 Air Division Defense inactivated on 1 January 1965. 

65th Air Division and activated at Sembach Air Base West Germany on 1 June 1985 assigned to 17 Air Force responsible for integrating USAFEs electronic combat systems to maximize overall warfighting potential with 52 Tactical Fighter Wing 66 Electronic Combat Wing and 601 Tactical Control Wing. 601 TCW was inactivated on 31 July 1987 and with the end of the Cold War and subsequent reorganisations 65 Air Division was inactivated on 30 June 1991. 

This patch dates from 1957.