USAF Patch GLCM USAFE c 486 TMW Tactical Missile Wing BMG 109G sa

USAF 486 TMW Patch USAFE GLCM 486 TMW Tactical Missile Wing BMG 109G 1987 Ground Launched Cruise Missile Woensdrecht AB Netherlands Subdued fully embroidered cut edge 75mm by 76mm three inches by three inches.

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Wing History USAF 486 TMW Patch

B 24 Liberator and B 17G Flying Fortress bomber aircraft

486 Bombardment Group Heavy was activated on 20 September 1843 at McCook Army Airfield, Nebraska equipped with B 24 Liberator bomber aircraft. The Group was assigned 832 833 834 and 835 Bombardment Squadrons and reported to 16 Bombardment Operational Training Wing. Aircraft crews undertook training at both McCook AAF and Davis-Monthan Field Arizona. The group was reassigned to 21 Bombardment Wing on 9 March 1944 prior to its deployment.

The Group relocated to RAF Sudbury AAF 174 England on 5 April 1944 reassigned to 92 Combat Bombardment Wing. Combat missions across Northwest Europe commencing with marshalling yards at Liege Belgium. The aircraft symbol for the Group was a black O in the white square of 3rd Air Division. 486 Bombardment Group Heavy transitioned to B 17G Flying Fortress bomber aircraft in July 1944 and changed its symbol to a white W in a black square to avoid confusion with the D of 100 Bombardment Group. The Group was attached to 4th Combat Bombardment Wing on 15 November 1944 before being assigned to 4 CBW on 16 February 1945.

The Group undertook food drops over the Netherlands where the population faced starvation with land supplies cut off awaiting liberation in early May 1945. Hostilities in Europe ceased on 8 May 1945 VE Day and the Group undertook Victory tours for ground personnel to view the damage inflicted by Group operations from 2500ft. The 486 BG flew 49 B 24 Liberator combat missions with a loss of 8 aircraft and 143 B 17 Flying Fortress combat missions with a loss of 41 aircraft. Mercy transportation missions food shipments and moving POWs and displaced persons continued into June 1945. Personnel were given 30 days R&R in the US and 486 BG was reassigned to 14th Combat Bombardment Wing on 16 June 1945. Preparations began to relocate to the Pacific Theatre of Operations. The redeployment was cancelled following the Japanese surrender on 15 August 1945.

The Group completed its departure from RAF Sudbury on 26 August 1945 arriving at Drew Field Florida on 3 September before being deactivated on 7 November 1945.

BGM 109G Ground Launch Cruise Missile

USAF consolidated the inactive 486 Bombardment Group with the inactive 586 Tactical Missile Group to form 486 Tactical Missile Wing on 10 October 1984 in anticipation of its use with the build up of Ground Launch Cruise Missile systems introduced to counteract the threat of the Soviet SS 20 mobile missiles deployed in the Soviet Block in Europe from 1975. 486 Tactical Missile Wing was activated on 27 August 1987 at Woensdrecht Air Base Netherlands during the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty negotiations.

486 TMW was the final Ground Launch Cruise Missile GLCM Wing to activate and was due to receive 48 BGM 109G Ground Launch Cruise Missiles. In the end no Tactical Missile Squadrons were assigned to the Wing and GLCMs were not delivered to the Wing as the INF Treaty was signed on 8 December 1987 prior to the full establishment of the Wing. The INF Treaty came into force on 1 June 1988. 486 Tactical Missile Wing deactivated on 20 September 1988 having existed for just over 1 year.

Air Expeditionary

While inactive 486 Tactical Missile Wing was redesignated 486 Air Expeditionary Wing on 30 January 2003 assigned to Air Combat Command on provisional status to activate and inactivate as needed. 486 Air Expeditionary Wing was activated on 30 January 2003 at Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base Kuwait to support C 130 Operations during the invasion of Iraq under Operation Iraqi Freedom achieving campaign streamers for its component Squadrons

HQ 486th Expeditionary Maintenance Group

HQ 486th Expeditionary Medical Group

HQ 486th Expeditionary Mission Support Group

HQ 486th Expeditionary Operations Group

486th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron

486th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron

486th Expeditionary Communications Squadron

486th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron

486th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron

486th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron

486th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron

486th Expeditionary Services Squadron

This 486 TMW USAF Patch dates from 1987.