USAF Patch Fighter b 66 FWS Fighter Weapons Squadron F 105 Weasel

USAF Patch 66 FWS Fighter Weapons Squadron Wild Weasel F 105 Thunderchief F 4 Phantom II Nellis AFB 1971 Embroidered on twill cut edge 99mm by 72mm three and fifteen sixteenth inches by two and seven eighth inches.

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66 Fighter Squadron Single Engine was reactivated at Shemya AAF Aleutian Islands on 15 August 1946 equipped with P 38 Lightning fighter aircraft assigned to 57 Fighter Group Alaskan Air Command to provide air defense of Alaska and the northwest Pacific area of the US. The Squadron converted to P 51 Mustang fighters and relocated to Elmendorf Field Alaska on 30 May 1947. 66 FS reequipped with F 80B Shooting Star jet fighters in March 1948 redesignated 66 Fighter Squadron Jet on 20 July 1948 upgrading to F 80C jet fighters in October 1948.

The Squadron was redesignated 66 Fighter Interceptor Squadron on 20 January 1950 and reequipped with F 94B Scorpion fighters in the summer of 1951. 66 FIS was reassigned to 10 Air Division on 13 April 1953 and upgraded to F 89C Scorpion fighters in September 1953.

The Squadron was reassigned to 414 Fighter Group at Oxnard AFB California on 1 December 1957 but due to budgetary constraints was not equipped or manned and inactivated by Air Defense Command on 8 January 1958.

The Squadron was reactivated by Tactical Air Command at Nellis AFB Nevada on 15 October 1969 on the redesignation of 4537 Fighter Weapons Squadron with F 105C and D Thunderchief fighters to train Wild Weasel destruction of enemy air defense radar systems and SAM installations with radar seeking missiles pilots and electronic warfare officers for deployment to combat missions in Southeast Asia. The Squadron added F 4C Phantom II fighters to its fleet in 1971. The Squadron continued training Wild Weasel crews until July 1975 when Wild Weasel training and the Squadrons aircraft were reassigned to George AFB California and the Squadron was put on non operational status.

66 Fighter Weapons Squadron was made operational at Nellis AFB in October 1977 equipped with A 10 Thunderbolt II Warthog close air support aircraft providing fighter weapons training. 66 FWS was inactivated on 30 December 1981 when redesignated A 10 Division of USAF Fighter Weapons School.

The Squadron was reactivated on 3 February 2003 as 66 Weapons Squadron WPS on the redesignation of USAF Weapons School A 10 division providing A 10 Thunderbolt II instructor training courses in weapons and tactics culminating with the mission employment phase a two week staged battle over the Nevada Test and Training Range. On graduation the new weapons officers return to the field to serve as unit weapons and tactics officers providing advanced instruction and technical advice to commanders operations officers and personnel.

This patch dates from 1971.