USAF Patch Fighter USAFE c 510 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron A 10 CAS d4a

USAF Patch USAFE 510 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron Close Air Support CAS A 10 Thunderbolt II Warthog 1979 fully embroidered cut edge 88mm by 73mm three and one half inches by two and seven eighths inches.

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Squadron History

In 1952 510 Fighter Bomber Squadron was activated at Godman Air Force Base Kentucky with F 84F Thunderstreak. In April 1953 the squadron relocated to Langley Air Force Base Virginia reequipping with F 100 Super Sabre. The Squadron was inactivated on 1 July 1958.

The Squadron was reactivated as 510 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 9 April 1959 with the F 100 Super Sabres personnel and equipment of the 72 Tactical Fighter Squadron at Clark Air Base Philippines and in 1964 moved to England Air Force Base Louisiana. With the start of the Vietnam War the 510 Tactical Fighter Squadron relocated to Bien Hoa Air Base South Vietnam on 8 November 1965. The Squadron flew over 27200 combat missions in Southeast Asia and was named Bien Hoa Buzzards. On 15 November 1969 the Squadron was deactivated at Bien Hoa.

In 1979 the 510 TFS was reactivated at RAF Bentwaters England assigned to 81 Tactical Fighter Wing equipped with A 10 Thunderbolt II Warthog aircraft to provide close air support for NATO operations. The Squadron was renamed the Bentwaters Buzzards. 510 Tactical Fighter Squadron regularly deployed A 10 aircraft and support resources to 81 TFWs Forward Operating Locations at Det 1 at Sembach AB Det 2 at Leipheim AB Det 3 at Alhorn AB Det 4 at Norvenich AB and two additional unmanned reserve Forward Operating locations which remain classified for training and Tactical Evaluations. In 1991 the Squadron deployed to Incirlik Air Base Turkey in support of Operation Desert Storm covering Northern Iraq from 6 September to10 December 1991 returning 8 April to 10 June 1992 and again 6 August to 30 October 1992 and in support of Operation Provide Comfort.

510 TFS relocated to Spangdahlem Air Base Germany on 4 January 1993 deploying to Aviano Air Base Italy in support of Operation Deny Flight flying more than 1700 combat sorties in the skies over Bosnia and Herzegovina becoming named Bosnia Buzzards. 510 TFS was deactivated on 1 February 1994.

The Squadron reactivated on 1 July 1994 at Aviano Air Base Italy under 31 Fighter Wing as 510 Fighter Squadron equipped with F 16 Fighting Falcons released by the inactivation of 512 Fighter Squadron when 86 Fighter Wing at Ramstein converted to an Airlift Wing. 510 Fighter Squadron rerolled for combat fighter operations becoming the first Squadron to drop a laser guided bomb from an F 16 during Operation Deliberate Force the first combat use of Night Vision Goggles in an F 16 during Operation Deliberate Guard and one of the first F 16 units to become Forward Air Controllers FAC A in combat.

In October 1998 the Squadron deployed to Incirlik Air Base Turkey in support of Operation Northern Watch. 510 FS flew more combat missions than any other F 16 squadron during Operation Allied Force over Serbia from 24 March to 10 June 1999 becoming known as the Balkan Buzzards. The Squadron was the first Aviano fighter squadron to deploy to Operation Southern Watch in June 2000 engaging in combat operations over Iraq in both surface attack and combat search and rescue CSAR.

The Squadron was expanded and redesignated 510 Expeditionary Fighter Squadron following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks returning to Operation Southern Watch from September to December 2002 dropping 136508 pounds of ordnance including the first GBU 31A JDAM in F 16CG combat history. The Squadron continues to operate from Aviano AB in support of NATO and US Combat Commanders.

This patch dates from 1979.