USAF Patch GLCM USAFE b 87 TMS Tactical Missile Squadron Cruise Missile a

USAF Patch USAFE GLCM 87 TMS Tactical Missile Squadron Patch 1986 303 Tactical Missile Wing RAF Molesworth UK embroidered on twill cut edge 91mm by 97mm three and five eighth inches by three and seven eighth inches.

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Squadron History

87 Tactical Missile Squadron under 303 Tactical Missile Wing were activated together on 12 December 1986 at RAF Molesworth England to operate BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile GLCMs introduced to counteract the threat of the Soviet SS 20 mobile missiles deployed in the Soviet Block from 1975.

87 TMS was assigned to 303 TMW who reported to 3 Air Force. 87 Tactical Missile Squadron had 48 missiles held by four Flights each having 2
Launch Control Vehicles and 4 Transporter Erector Launchers with four missiles each providing 16 missiles per flight. 303 TMW provided support with 303 Tactical Missile Maintenance Squadron. During periods of increased tension the flights would be deployed with additional security and support vehicles to one of a number of pre-surveyed classified locations in the countryside away from the base. The flight would dig in erect camouflage to hide the vehicles set up special intrusion detection radar and prepare for launch. 303 TMW won best ever ratings of a GCLM missile wing.

The Reykjavík summit in Iceland on 11 October 1986 between US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev agreed in principle to removing Intermediate Range Nuclear Force systems from Europe and to equal global limits of 100 INF missile warheads. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was signed on 8 December 1987 coming into force on 1 June 1988 leading to the removal of all
nuclear missiles from Western Europe. The first removal of treaty-limited items from Western Europe occurred at 303 TMW on 8 September 1988 with the Soviet inspection team returning to conduct a close-out inspection of the base on 19 January 1989.

303 TMW 87 TMS and 303 TMMS were inactivated on 31 January 1989 following the decommissioning of the BGM-109G.

This patch dates from 1986.