USAF Patch Fighter 1 TFW Tactical Fighter Wing g F 15 William Tell

USAF Patch US Air Force 1 TFW Tactical Fighter Wing Willaim Tell 86 F 15 Eagle 1986 Langley AFB Fully embroidered merrowed edge 95mm three and three quarter inches diameter.

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1 Fighter Wing was activated at March Field on 15 August 1947 assigned to Twelfth Air Force Tactical Air Command with 1 Fighter Group and its 27 71 and 94 Fighter Squadrons equipped with P 80 Shooting Star fighters as its combat element as a test for the implementation of the Hobson Plan to create a self sufficient wing at each base. Under the Wing further Groups were activated to deal with Base administration maintenance support and medical functions. The test was a success and the Hobson Plan was implemented across the Air Force.

The Wing was reassigned to Fourth Air Force under Continental Air Command on 20 December 1948 and was dual trained for air defence of the US and for tactical fighter operations. The Wing began conversion to F 86 Sabre fighters in early 1949 and on 1 May 1949 was transferred to Strategic Air Command and Fifteenth Air Force and was attached to 22 Bombardment Wing on 1 July 1949. The Wing trained in large formation flying and established various formation records forming its own aerial demonstration team the Sabre Dancers in January 1950.

1 Fighter Wing was redesignated 1 Fighter Interceptor Wing on 16 April 1950 with its components and was reassigned to Fourth Air Force ConAC. The Wing relocated to George AFB on 18 July 1950 and with the impact of the Korean War underwent many changes with components and 27 and 71 FISs relocating Griffiss AFB New York attachment to Eastern Air Defense Force EADF at the end of July and 94 Fighter Interceptor Squadron with components were assigned to Western Air Defense Force on 1 August 1950. 71 FIS moved from Griffiss to Pittsburgh International Airport and in May 1950 27 FIS and 71 FIS were attached to 103 Fighter Interceptor Group Connecticut ANG meanwhile 188th Fighter Interceptor Squadron New Mexico ANG was attached to 1 FIW at George AFB. With units on each side of the US the Wing reduced in size moved to Norton AFB and the Squadrons were reassigned to newly organised defence wings with 27 FIS to 4711 ADW 71 FIS to 4708 ADW and 94 FIS to 4705 ADW the Wing was inactivated on 6 February 1952.

The Wing was reactivated as 1 Fighter Wing Air Defense on 18 October 1956 at Selfridge AFB Michigan assigned to Eastern Air Defense Force with 71 FIS and 94 FIS equipped with F 86 Sabre fighters. The Wing began conversion to F 102 Delta Dagger interceptors in 1958 upgrading to F 106 Delta Dart interceptors in 1960. The Wing deployed aircraft and personnel to Patrick AFB Florida and Volk Field Wisconsin during the Cuban Missile Crisis flying 620 missions from 19 October to 27 November 1962. The Wing deployed to Alaska for Operation White Shoes to deter Soviet incursions March to June 1964 with two F 106s damaged by the Good Friday earthquake. In 1965 the Wing began to transfer trained pilots to units participating in the Vietnam War and receiving pilots on tour completion as a transition unit.

The wing was reassigned to the 34 Air Division First Air Force, on 1 April 1966 and 71 FIS was transferred to the 328 Fighter Wing Air Defense on 16 January 1967. Between 20 May and 5 November 1969 94 FIS the Wings remaining flying unit deployed to Osan AB Korea for exercise College Cadence and was relocated to Wurtsmith AFB reassigned to the 23 Air Division on 1 December 1969. The Wing Headquarters with no units under its control having transferred personnel and equipment to the 4708 Air Base Group relocated to Hamilton AFB Ca and was reassigned to the 26 Air Division.

1 Fighter Wing Air Defense was reassigned to Tactical Air Command under 836 Air Division on 30 July 1970 and relocated to MacDill AFB Florida on 2 August 1970 taking over personnel and equipment of 15 Tactical Fighter Wing equipped with F 4 Phantom II fighters tasked with providing advanced tactical training to F 4 Phantom II aircrews for combat service in Vietnam. The Wing initially retaining the 45 46 and 47 TFS numbers for its flying Squadrons. The Wing was assigned 4424 Combat Crew Training Squadron providing advanced tactical training to B 57 Canberra aircrews and was redesignated 1 Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 October 1970.

The Wing was reassigned to Ninth Air Force and its Squadrons were redesignated back to their historic numbers on 1 July 1971 with the Commanders of the 45 46 and 47 TFS arranging a shootout for the right to choose their new Squadron number with 47 TFS with the highest score choosing 94 TFS then 46 TFS placed second choosing 27 TFS leaving the 45 TFS as 71 TFS. 4501 Tactical Fighter Replacement Squadron equipped with F 4 Phantom II fighters was assigned to the Wing on 1 October 1971 to continue the training of Australian F 4 aircrew members and maintenance personnel during project Peace Reef. 4424 CCTS the Wings B 57 training unit was inactivated on 30 June 1972 leaving the wing with four flying squadrons all conducted advanced F 4 tactical training.

After studying the heritage of its wings TAC selected the 1 Tactical Fighter Wing to receive the first F 15 Eagle fighters and was moved to Langley AFB on 6 June 1975 leaving behind the majority of its personnel and equipment to form 56 Tactical Fighter Wing. The Wings 27 71 and 94 TFS worked up at Langley and the first F 15 Eagle landed on 18 December 1975. After achieving operational ready status the Wing commenced Operation Ready Eagle training pilots and maintenance personnel for 36 Tactical Fighter Wing based at Bitburg AB Germany in preparation of their reequipping with the F 15. On 15 April 1977 the Wing was assigned 6 Airborne Command and Control Squadron equipped with EC 135 airborne command post for US Commander in Chief Atlantic USCINCLANT previously assigned to 4500 Air Base Wing at Langley. The Wings Tactical Fighter Squadrons participated in worldwide deployments and training exercises continued through the 1980s serving in Europe Asia the Middle East Africa and Central America.

The Wing deployed 27 and 71 TFSs to Saudi Arabia on 7 August 1990 for operation Desert Shield flying 4207 missions patrolling the Kuwait and Iraq border areas followed by 2564 combat air superiority missions including one kill during Operation Desert Storm. The Wing was redesignated 1 Fighter Wing on 1 October 1991 and continued rotational six month deployments to Southwest Asia for Operations Southern Watch and Northern Watch. 6th Airborne Command and Control Squadron was reassigned from the Wing on 1 October 1991. The Wing was assigned 74 Air Control Squadron on 15 March 1992 with 41 and 71 Rescue Squadrons and 741 Maintenance Squadron stationed at Patrick AFB Fla providing search and rescue for NASAs space shuttle missions and CSAR in Southwest Asia were assigned on 1 February 1993.  Detachment 1 1 Operations Group was activated on 1 April 1993 equipped with C 21 operational support aircraft redesignated 12 Airlift Flight on 1 May 1993. The Wing activated 1 Rescue Group on 14 June 1995 with HC-130P Hercules and HH 60G Pave Hawk helicopters to provide operational control of the Search and Rescue missions.

1 Rescue Group was reassigned and moved to 347 Wing at Moody AFB and 12 Airlift Flight with its C 21s was transferred to Air Mobility Command on 1 April 1997. 1 Fighter Wing deployed assets to the Balkans in direct support of Operation Allied Force and associated Operations Noble Anvil and Shining Hope. On 11 September 2001 the Wings F 15s simultaneously defended the east and west coasts of the US against possible further terrorist attacks and were the first fighters over Washington DC remaining on Alert status on Operation Noble Eagle for the next six months while maintaining its expeditionary air force AEF rotations to Southwest Asia and Turkey and NATO deployments to Iceland.

71 Fighter Squadron deployed to Southwest Asia for the Second Gulf War in 2003. 27 and 94 Fighter Squadrons began conversion to F 22 Raptor fighters in 2004. The Wings last F 15 departed Langley AFB on 1 September 2010 and 71 Fighter Squadron was inactivated on 30 September 2010. The Squadron reactivated as 71 Fighter Training Squadron in August 2015 equipped with T 38 Talon aircraft to conduct adversarial air training for the F 22 Raptors flown by the other Squadrons of the 1 Fighter Wing.

This patch dates from 1986.