USAF Patch 87 TMS Tactical Missile Squadron USAFE 303 Tactical Missile Wing BGM 109G Gryphon Nuclear GLCM RAF Molesworth UK

USAF Patch 87 TMS Tactical Missile Squadron 303 TMW USAFE BGM 109G Gryphon Nuclear GLCM

Base – RAF Molesworth UK

Date – 1986

Visibility – Color

Construction – Fully embroidered cut edge

Size – 91mm by 97mm three and five eighth inches by three and seven eighth inches.

Shipping – Free

USAF Patch 87 TMS Tactical Missile Squadron 303 TMW USAFE BGM 109G Gryphon Nuclear GLCM

Squadron History

A 20 Havoc and B 24 Mitchell Light Bombers

87 Bombardment Squadron Light was activated on 14 August 1941 under 46 Bombardment Group at Hunter Field Georgia on the redesignation of the 8 Reconnaissance Squadron Light on the Squadrons rerolling to bombing. 87 BS was equipped with A 20 Havoc light bomber aircraft undertaking training and exercises.

The Squadron with its Group relocated to Barksdale Field Louisiana on 2 February 1942 moving on to Galveston Municipal Airport Texas on 1 April 1942 where it added anti submarine and search operations in the Gulf of Mexico area to its tasking. 87 BS and 46 Group relocated to Blythe Army Air Field California on 22 May 1942 to provide an air support element to the Desert Training Centre during infantry and armoured in training manoeuvres. New airfields were constructed for the desert training and Blythe AAF was no longer required for that role receiving new B 17 Flying Fortress and B 24 Liberator Bombardment Groups to train heavy bombardment combat crews before they were deployed overseas.

87 Bombardment Squadron Light with its Group moved to Will Rogers Field Oklahoma on 11 November 1942 reassigned to Third Air Force as an Operational Training Unit OTU relocating to Drew Field Florida on 6 October 1943. After almost a month they moved on to Morris Field North Carolina on 5 November 1943 and rerolled as a replacement training unit RTU. The Group reequipped with B 25 Mitchell bomber aircraft in early 1944. USAAF carried out a reorganisation of   training including the disbandment of all Replacement Training Units RTUs with their training activities transferred to specific numbered base units. 87 Bombardment Squadron Light and 46 Bombardment Group were inactivated on 1 May 1944 with personnel equipment and tasking transferred to the newly established 333 AAF Base Unit Replacement Training Unit Light Bombardment

BGM 109G Gryphon nuclear warhead cruise missile

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.