USAF Patch Recon ta USAFE b 26 TRW Tactical Reconnaissance Wing c RF 4C Phantom d3b

USAF Patch USAFE 26 TRW Tactical Reconnaissance Wing Patch Zweibrucken AFB West Germany RF 4C Phantom 1970s fully embroidered cut edge 71mm by 65mm two and seven eighth inches by two and nine sixteenth inches.

Free Shipping

Squadron History

26 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing TRW was activated on 1 July 1965 at Toul Rosieres Air Base France. The Wing controlled 19 TRS flying RB 66 Destroyer aircraft acquired from 10 TRW RAF Alconbury deployed squadrons already at Toul Rosieres and 32 TRS equipped with RF 101C Voodoos which were transferred from 66 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Laon Air Base. 19 TRS was reassigned to 25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing being established at Chambley Bussieres Air Base on 1 October 1965.

RF 4C Phantoms began arriving on 3 October 1965 to replace 32 TRSs RF 101 Voodoos. On 1 January 1966 38 TRS was assigned to 26 TRW from 66 TRW and reequipped with RF 4C Phantoms.

On 7 March 1966 French President Charles de Gaulle announced that France would withdraw from NATOs integrated military structure. The US was informed that it must remove its military forces from France by 1 April 1967. As a result 26 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing and its two squadrons 38 TRS and 32 TRS relocated to Ramstein Air Base West Germany on 5 October 1966. 22 TRS assigned to Mountain Home AFB Idaho where it became a dual based squadron deploying frequently to Ramstein AFB under 26 TRW. 32 TFS was transferred to RAF Alconbury England where 10 TRW was being reequipped with the RF 4C Phantoms.

On arriving at Ramstein 26 TFW became responsible for the maintenance and flying of the HQ USAFE liaison aircraft transporting HQ staff to Air Force and NATO bases throughout Europe. 526 Fighter Interceptor Squadron FIS with F 102 Delta Dagger aircraft was assigned to 26 TRW in November 1968 adding an air defense role to Wing. 526 FIS was redesignated 526 Tactical Fighter Squadron and commenced convertion to F 4E Phantom fighter aircraft. In spring 1972 7 Special Operations Squadron SOS equipped with C 130E Hercules C 47A Dakotas and UH-1N Huey helicopters was assigned to 26 TRW however 7 SOS reported directly to HQ USAFE for operational control because of its special operations mission role.

On 31 January 1973 HQ USAFE transferred the 26 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing from Ramstein Air Base to Zweibrucken Air Base while 86 Tactical Fighter Wing moved from Zweibrucken to Ramstein. 26 TRW gained 17 TRS from 86 TRW and retained 38 TRS with Phantom RF 4Cs and 7 SOS with C 130s and UH 1s.

417 Tactical Fighter Squadron TFS was activated with a single F 4D Phantom aircraft and assigned to the 26 TRW on 1 October 1978 but due to inadequate accommodation the Squadron roll out was halted and 417 TFS was reassigned to 86 TFW without personnel or equipment on 1 November 1978 on nonoperational status. On 20 November 17 TRS was inactivated and on 10 August 1987 26 TRW became USAFEs only tactical reconnaissance wing when 10 TRW at RAF Alconbury was redesignated as 10 Tactical Fighter Wing with A 10 Thunderbolt attack aircraft leaving NATO and US Forces with just one US tactical reconnaissance unit and only one squadron of RF 4C Phantoms in Europe.

With the end of the Cold War in 1990 26th TRW was phased down and its ageing phantoms stood down with the inactivation of 38 TRS on 1 April 1991 and inactivation of 26 TRW on 31 July 1991.

This patch dates from the 1970s.