USAF Patch Fighter USAFE c 525 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron F 15 Eagle 4b

USAF Patch USAFE 525 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron F 15 Eagle 1980s 36 TFW Bitburg AB Fully embroidered merrowed edge 101mm four inches diameter.

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Squadron History

525 Fighter Squadron was reactivated as part of 86 Fighter Wing on 20 August 1946 at Nordholz AB Germany with P 47 Thunderbolts moving to Lechfeld on 13 November 1946 Bad Kissingen AB on 5 March 1947 and then to Neubiberg AB on 12 June 1947 where the Squadron was the closest operational Air Force unit to the Iron Curtain. On 20 January 1950 the 525 Fighter Squadron was redesignated 525 Fighter Bomber Squadron and in October 1950 the Squadron reequipped with its first jet aircraft the F 84E Thunderjet and operated under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program training pilots and ground crews of many European and Middle Eastern countries.

525 FBS moved to Landstuhl AB on 20 November 1952 where it received F 86 Sabre all weather fighter interceptors in the air defense role and was redesignated 525 Fighter Interceptor Squadron on 9 August 1954. In 1957 86 Wing dispersed its Squadrons throughout Europe to provide better air defense coverage and reduce vulnerability to attack. On 12 February 1957 525 FIS moved to Bitburg AB. The Squadron
began transitioning to the F 102 Delta Dagger in February 1959 and was selected to represent USAFE at the 1959 William Tell competition. Although new to its aircraft the Squadron led the competition until the last event when it was overtaken by a few points.

525 was reassigned to 36 Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 November 1968 and was redesignated 525 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 October 1969 and in addition to QRA air defense the Squadrons mission was extended to close air support and limited tactical nuclear air to ground delivery and on 16 November 1969 began transitioning to F 4E Phantom II.

525 TFS flew the first F 15 Eagles to Europe on 27 April 1977 during Operation Ready Eagle a historic non stop deployment from Langley Air Force Base Virginia to Bitburg AB Germany and within 18 hours after arrival the Squadron was providing two F 15s on QRA five minute alert status and were operationally ready on 26 May 1977. The Squadron undertook numerous deployments during the 1980s including Decimomannu AB Italy Orange Caritat AB France and Sidi Slimane Morocco.

525 TFS Bulldogs deployed to Incirlik AB Turkey in December 1990 for Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm as part of 7440 Combat Wing Provisional USAFs first composite wing. For six weeks from 17 January 1991 the Squadron provided air defense cover for strikes on Iraq and providing barrier Combat Air Patrols in eastern Iraq to destroy Iraqi fighters attempting to flee to Iran. 525 TFS flew 1329 combat sorties for a total of 3550 combat hours during operations against Iraq destroying six enemy aircraft without loss. The Squadron returned to Bitburg AB
on 13 March 1991 and returned back to Incirlik AB on 5 April 1991 to support Operation Provide Comfort to provide protection to the airlift operation to drop food and supplies to Kurdish refugees in northern Iraq flying 285 sorties.  

The 525 deployed to Leeuwarden AB Netherlands during October 1991 and in December 1991 the Bulldogs deployed to RAF Bentwaters England. The final weapons training deployment for the 525 TFS was at Leeuwarden AB Netherlands from 16 27 March 1992 prior to being inactivated
at Bitburg AB on 1 April 1992.

After 15 years of inactivation Pacific Air Forces redesignated and activated the 525 Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base Alaska on 29 October 2007 equipped with F 22 Raptor.

This patch dates from the 1980s.