USAF Patch Fighter USAFE b 77 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron F 111 d4sd

USAF Patch USAFE 77 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron Cards Subdued 1980s F 111 Aardvark RAF Upper Heyford Embroidered on twill cut edge 95mm by 86mm three and three quarter inches by three and three eighth inches.

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Squadron History

77 Fighter Bomber Squadron with 20 Fighter Bomber Wing relocated from the US to RAF Wethersfield England on 31 May 1952 with F 84 Thunderjets tasked with maintaining proficiency for tactical operations with conventional and nuclear weapons in support of NATO operations. In June 1955 the Squadron began to receive F 84F Thunderstreaks with the F-84Gs phased out by June 1955 and conversion to F 100 Super Sabres beginning on 16 June 1957.

In May 1958 77 FBS was redesignated 77 Tactical Fighter Squadron along with the Wing and 55 and 79 Squadrons relabeled as tactical fighter squadrons at the same time. Between May to August 1958 the Squadron deployed on a monthly rotational basis to RAF Alconbury RAF Woodbridge and Nouasseur AB Morocco during a runway closure at RAF Wethersfield. Following the establishment of 20 TFWs Blast Off Victor Alert capability the Wing initiated its first mobility plan on 1 January 1959 establishing a year round weapons training detachment at Wheelus AB Libya providing monthly Squadron rotations and cold weather survival and ski training began in Norway in February 1959. Additional monthly rotations to Cigli AB Turkey and to Aviano AB Italy were conducted between 1966 and 1970.  The military coup in Libya forced the closure of Wheelus AB in September 1969 and the switching of the 20 TFW Squadron weapons training to Torrejon AB Spain in November 1969 and 77 TFS deployed with 20 TFWs other flying Squadrons to Zaragoza AB Spain for weapons training from January to March 1970.

77 TFS and the rest of 20 TFW relocated to RAF Upper Heyford on 1 June 1970 and during September 1970 the Squadron began converting to F 111E Aardvarks being declared operational on 12 February 1971. The Squadron operated from RAF Greenham Common as Operating Location A for dispersal exercises between 29 April 1976 and 17 August 1976. 77 TFS with the Wings other fighter Squadrons deployed to Incirlik AB Turkey for Weapons Training from March to May 1989 and had aircraft there on Weapons Training Deployment in August 1990 when Iraq invaded Kuwait and Operation Desert Shield began.  Further assets were deployed to Inkirlik and incorporated into 7440th Wing Provisional Operation Proven Force and for Desert Storm providing tactical and electronic combat operations from 17 January 1991 to 28 February 1991 with F 111Es flying 456 combat missions.

On 1 October 1991 the Squadron was redesignated 77 Fighter Squadron along with the Wing and the other Squadrons. 77 Fighter Squadron was inactivated on 9 July 1993 and RAF Upper Heyford closed on 15 December 1993.

On 1 January 1994 20 Fighter Wing reestablished at Shaw AFB US on the renaming of 363 Fighter Wing and 77 Fighter Squadron was reactivated with F 16s on 3 January 1994. Deployments to Southwest Asia followed in 1996 and 1997 for Op Southern Watch 1999 Op Northern Watch Op Allied Force and Op Desert Fox returning for Op Southern Watch 2000 and Op Northern Watch 2001. The Squadron was deployed to PSAB Saudi Arabia for Op Iraqi Freedom 2003.

This patch dates from the 1980s.