USAF Patch Fighter USAFE c 613 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron F 4 Phantom a4b

USAF Patch USAFE 613 TFS Tactical Fighter Squadron F 4 Phantom 1971 Torrejon AB Spain Uniform removed Fully embroidered merrowed edge 103mm by 92mm four and one sixteenth inches by three and five eighth inches.

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Squadron History

613 Fighter Bomber Squadron was activated on 8 February 1954 at Alexandria AFB Louisiana with the F 84 Thunderjet fighters under 401 Fighter Bomber Group. Alexandria AFB renamed England Air Force Base on 23 June 1955. The Squadron participated in numerous firepower demonstrations tactical exercises and manoeuvres in the US and overseas with rotational TDY deployments to Europe and the Middle East in support of NATO. 613 FBS reequipped with F 100 Super Sabre fighters and was redesignated 613 Tactical Fighter Squadron on 1 July 1958.

The Squadron deployed with 401 TFW to Homestead AFB Florida during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis for possible tactical airstrikes. From February 1964 to November 1965 the Squadron TDY deployments shifted to the Far East and Southeast Asia.

613 Tactical Fighter Squadron with 401 Tactical Fighter Wing was relocated to Torrejon Air Base Spain on 26 April 1966 as part of USAFE takeover of former SAC facilities in Spain following the demand by France for the removal of NATO assets from its territory.  The Squadron operated F 100 Super Sabre until conversion to F 4E Phantom IIs in 1971. The squadron was tasked with conventional day night air to ground attack and carried out 30 Day rotational TDY duty to Italy and Turkey for NATO alerts. Although never confirmed or officially designated Torrejon AB did not host tactical nuclear weapons it was thought that the Squadron trained for nuclear strike for a possible TDY role elsewhere in Europe.

In July 1971 612 TFS rejoined 613 TFS at Torrejon AB with 614 TFS returned in 1972 following their withdrawal from South Vietnam. The Squadrons Phantoms were upgraded to F 4Cs in 1973 and F 4Ds in 1978.

The Squadron was reequipped with F 16 A and Bs in 1983 and upgraded to F 16 C and Ds in 1988

In 1988 the United States and Spain agreed a new contract for the use of Torrejon AB which set out that fighter operations in Spain would end by early 1991. Although closure was delayed by the Iraqi crisis during 1990 613 TFS did not deploy with 612 or 614 TFSs for Operation Desert Shield or Desert Storm and after the 1991 ceasefire in Iraq closure plans proceeded and 613 TFS became the first of the Torrejon AB squadrons to be disbanded on 28 June 1991

This patch dates from 1971.