USAF Patch Fighter USAFE c 401 TFW Tactical Fighter Wing Torrejon h F 4 Phantom EMS b3a

USAF Patch USAFE 401 TFW Tactical Fighter Wing EMS Equipment Maintenance Squadron F 4 Phantom Torrejon AB Spain 1982 Fully embroidered cut edge 76mm by 58mm three inches by two and one quarter inches.

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Wing History

401 Tactical Fighter Wing was activated on 25 September 1957 at England AFB Louisiana, with the F 100 Super Sabres and personnel of the inactivating 401 Fighter Bomber Group comprising four tactical fighter squadrons 612 613 614 and 615. The 401 TFW participated in numerous firepower demonstrations tactical exercises and maneuvers in the United States and overseas deploying its tactical squadrons to Europe and the Middle East in support of NATO and deploying to Homestead AFB Florida during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis for possible tactical airstrikes.

From February 1964 to November 1965 the Wings squadron deployments shifted to the Far East and Southeast Asia returning to support operations in Europe and the Middle East. Prior to 1966 Torrejon AB hosted CONUS based Tactical Air Command rotational TDY Squadrons which would perform 30 day rotations to Aviano Air Base Italy and Incirlik Air Base Turkey. USAFE took over Torrejon AB following its enforced withdrawal from Air Bases in France with TAC transferring 401 Tactical Fighter Wing to USAFEs 16 Air Force on 27 April 1966 without 615 TFS which was reassigned to 834 Air Division and remained at England AFB. 401 TFW provided air defense base host functions and provided support to the rotational TDY deployments to Italy and Turkey for NATO alerts. 613 TFS moved to Torrejon AB with the Wing while 612 and 614 TFS were reassigned to Misawa AB Japan  and Phan Rang AB South Vietnam respectively and were replaced at 401 TFW by 307 and 353 TFSs with F 100 Super Sabre fighter aircraft.

In 1970 401 TFW reequipped with F 4E Phantom II and in 1972 following the withdrawal the USAF from South Vietnam 307 and 353 Tactical Fighter Squadrons returned to their home bases in the US and the 612 and 614 TFSs were reassigned to 401 TFW returning to Torrejon AB. In September 1973 Phantom F 4C were received and replaced in 1978 with the Phantom F 4D.

In 1983 the Wing upgraded to F 16AB Fighting Falcons which were replaced F 16CD in July 1988. With the Spanish Governments demands for the USAF withdrawal from Spain a new agreement was reached in January 1988 for an initial additional term of eight years with F 16 aircraft to be removed from Torrejon AB by mid 1991 however implementation was delayed by the 1990 91 crisis in Kuwait when 401 TFW was one of the first US fighter Wings to respond with the 612 TFS deploying to Incerlik AB Turkey as part of the 7440 Composite Wing Provisional and the 614 TFS Lucky Devils deploying to Doha Qatar as 401 Tactical Fight Wing Provisional. Following the 1991 cease fire in Iraq plans to close Torrejon AB proceeded.

On 1 October 1991 the Wing was redesignated 401 Fighter Wing. 401 Operations Group was activated and was assigned control of the 614 Fighter Squadron until its inactivation on 1 January 1992. With Torrejon AB returning to the Spanish Government on 21 May 1992 401 Fighter Wing was transferred to Aviano Air Base Italy without assigned fighter squadrons to support deployed rotating Squadrons. As a result of the destruction of Homestead AFB by Hurricane Andrew in August 1992 31 Fighter Wing was transferred from there to Aviano on 1 April 1994 taking over the assets of 401 Fighter Wing which was deactivated. In June 2003 the 401 Air Expeditionary Wing was reactivated at Aviano AB replacing 16 AEW operating at Souda Bay Crete and Bourgas Sarafovo Bulgaria and was inactivated in 2004.

This patch dates from the 1982.