USAF Patch GLCM USAFE c 501 Tactical Missile Wing TMW RAF Greenham Common sb

USAF Patch USAFE GLCM 501 Tactical Missile Wing TMW Patch Subdued 1984 RAF Greenham Common UK fully embroidered cut edge 71mm by 82mm two and thirteen sixteenth inches by three and one quarter inches.

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Wing History

501 Tactical Missile Wing was the first missile Wing to be activated on 1 July 1982 at RAF Greenham Common UK 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. The first GLCMs were received by squadrons of the 501 Tactical Missile Wing in November 1983.

The Wing controlled 11 Tactical Missile Squadron which had 96 missiles held by six Flights A B C D E and F each having 2 Launch Control Vehicles and 4 Transporter Erector Launchers with four missiles each providing 16 missiles per flight. The Wing provided support with 501st 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.

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 501 TMW was the last missile wing to be inactivated on 31 May 1991 following the decommissioning of the BGM-109G. From 1982 to 1991 the Wing was awarded three Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards.

This patch dates from 1984.