USAF Patch Fighter USAFE b 78 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron F 4 Phantom RAF Woodbridge d4c

USAF Patch USAFE 78 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron RAF Woodbridge F 4 Phantom II 1970s Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 94mm three and three quarter inches diameter.

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Squadron History

Following WWII service in the Pacific Theatre including missions over Japan from its island base on Iwo Jima 78 Fighter Squadron equipped with P 51 Mustangs inactivated on 15 October 1946.

The Squadron reactivated as 78 Fighter Interceptor Squadron on 1 November 1952 at RAF Shepherds Grove England assigned to 81 Fighter Interceptor Wing equipped with F 86 Sabre fighter aircraft taking over the personnel and equipment of 116 Fighter Interceptor Squadron Washington Air National Guard unit which was reverting from active federal service back to state control. 78 FIS was redesignated 78 Fighter Bomber Squadron in April 1954 receiving F 84F Thunderstreak fighters with the mission changed from fighter interceptor to fighter bomber operations in support of USAFE and NATO carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons for tactical strike attack as well as retaining an air defense role.. 78 FBS relocated to RAF Sculthorpe in May 1957 returning to RAF Shepherds Grove in May 1957.

78 FBS was redesignated 78 Tactical Fighter Squadron in July 1958 converting to F 101 Voodoo aircraft configured to carry a single tactical nuclear weapon for use against battlefield targets with Low Angle Drogue Delivery LADD and Low Altitude Bombing System LABS equipment for its primary mission of delivering nuclear weapons at extremely low altitudes. Pilots were trained for one way missions into Soviet territory to increase effective range at the cost of pilot recovery. 78 TFS relocated to RAF Woodbridge in December 1958 when RAF Shepherds Grove was returned to the Ministry of Defense with 91 and 92 TFS moving to RAF Bentwaters establishing 81 TFWs twin base operation. 78 TFS received F 4 C Phantom IIs in November 1965 upgrading to F 4 D during late 1972 and 1973.

78 TFS reequipped with A 10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft in June 1979 with a mission change to provide close air support CAS battlefield air interdiction in support of NATO ground forces by attacking tanks armored vehicles and other ground targets. 81 TFW activated forward operating locations in West Germany with Det 1 at Sembach AB Det 2 at Leipheim AB Det 3 at Alhorn AB and Det 4 at Norvenich AB from which the A 10 Squadrons were to operate from in the event of war with the Warsaw Pact. 78 TFS routinely rotated to the Forward Operating Locations for training and Tactical Evaluations. The squadron deployed to Incirlik AB Turkey in 1991 taking part in Operation Provide Comfort. With the end of the Cold War it was announced that 81 TFW would be deactivated and RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge closed. The USAF presence at both bases were gradually phased down and 78 TFS was inactivated on 1 May 1992.

The Squadron was reactivated as 78 Fighter Squadron at Shaw AFB South Carolina on 3 January 1994 assigned to 20 Operations Group equipped with F 16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft. 78 FS began a regular rotation of deployments to patrol the Northern and Southern No Fly Zones of Iraq and undertook combat operations in Kosovo from March to June 1999 while continuing No Fly patrols over Iraq with the last deployment to Incirlik AB Turkey in 2002. The Squadron was prepared to again deploy to Turkey in preparation for Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 but the Turkish government denied the use of Turkey for the invasion of Iraq. 78 FS was stood down and inactivated 19 May 2006 with its personnel and equipment transferred to 55 Fighter Squadron.

The Squadron was reactivated as 78 Reconnaissance Squadron on 19 May 2006 at Creech AFB equipped with MQ 1 Predator UAV unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. The Squadron was redesignated 78 Attack Squadron on 1 July 2010 when the Squadron received MQ 9 Reaper UAVs for attack missions.

This patch dates from the 1970s.