10th Air Base Wing

The 10th Air Base Wing is a non-flying United States Air Force unit that is the host wing for the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The Wing provides all base-level support activities to the Academy. These activities include security, civil engineer, communications, logistics, military and civilian personnel, financial management, services, command post, chaplaincy, equal opportunity and the hospital, all of which support nearly 4,000 cadets and a total military community of approximately 20,000 personnel.
The Wing's history dates to a celebrated World War II photographic reconnaissance group. The 10th Tactical Fighter Wing was stationed in France, West Germany, and England for over 40 years during the Cold War. During its USAFE service, the wing received seven Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards and deployed personnel and equipment to King Fahd International Airport, Saudi Arabia and fought during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

History

10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing

The wing was first organized as the 10th Reconnaissance Wing on 3 December 1947, at Pope Field, North Carolina as part of the experimental wing base reorganization, an Army Air Forces reorganization which assigned its operational groups and support organization to a single wing. The 10th Reconnaissance Group was the new wing's operational flying component. On 25 August 1948, the reorganization was made permanent and the wing became the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.
The 10th conducted training at Pope, primarily with army units at Fort Bragg President Truman's reduced 1949 defense budget required reductions in the number groups in the Air Force to 48, and the 10th was inactivated on 1 April 1949.
On 10 July 1952 as a result of the United States Cold War military buildup in Europe, the 10 TRW was reactivated and assigned to NATO at Toul-Rosieres Air Base, France, absorbing the mission and equipment of the inactivating federalized 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.
However, the base was not yet ready for jet aircraft, so only the 10th TRW Wing Headquarters was sent to Toul. The propeller-driven RB-26s of the former 112th TRS were absorbed by the 1st TRS at Toul, while the two RF-80A squadrons assigned to the 32d and 38th TRS were located at Neubiberg and Fürstenfeldbruck Air Bases near Munich, West Germany.
Ongoing construction delays in France forced the wing's transfer on 9 May 1953 to the newly completed Spangdahlem Air Base in West Germany where all the squadrons of the wing were united. The Republic RF-84F Thunderflash began to arrive in the fall of 1955, and the RF-80As were returned to the United States for Air National Guard use. Martin RB-57A Canberras replaced the World War II vintage RB-26s in 1954 to perform night reconnaissance missions. However, engine malfunctions, structural deficiencies and lack of supporting equipment and parts plagued the RB-57A, and the wing soon began to replace them with RB-66s. In 1956, the 10th TRW began to transition to the RB-66 and WB-66 Destroyers, and the RF-84Fs were transferred to the 66th TRW at Phalsbourg-Bourscheid Air Base, France.
In 1959, France placed new limits on the type of American forces stationed on its soil. Specifically, USAF nuclear-capable aircraft were to be removed from French bases. To accommodate the French restrictions, USAFE moved the 49th TFW from Etain-Rouvres Air Base to Spangdahlem and the 10th TRW was relocated to RAF Alconbury on 20 July 1959.
With its headquarters at RAF Alconbury, the 10 TRW operated its B-66 Destroyers from RAFs Alconbury, RAF Bruntingthorpe, and RAF Chelveston. In addition, the 10th TRW frequently rotated its aircraft to Toul AB, France establishing a detachment there until France's withdrawal from NATO's integrated military in 1965. On 10 March 1964, a wing RB-66B took off from Toul for a mission over West Germany. Because of an equipment malfunction that was undetected by the crew, the plane continued its flight to East Germany and was shot down. The crew ejected safely, but was taken prisoner, although they were released before the end of the month. This incident prompted USAFE to institute a buffer zone, where special procedures were required for aircraft flying near the eastern border of West Germany.
In 1965, the 10 TRW received a new airplane, the RF-4C Phantom II. The wing's mission changed slightly in 1976. It inactivated two of its three RF-4C squadrons. The 527th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron, flying F-5E "Tiger IIs", activated at RAF Alconbury 1 April 1976, bringing a new mission to the wing. The squadron provided combat training to North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces by teaching and demonstrating soviet air tactics-under the title of Dissimilar Air Combat Tactics. The 527th flew the first "Aggressor" sortie from RAF Alconbury in May.

10th Tactical Fighter Wing

In the late 1980s, the 10 TRW experienced more dramatic changes. After 34 years with the same mission, the 10 TRW received a new one. This 1st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron inactivated in June 1987 and its RF-4Cs left the base. On 20 August 1987, the wing was designated as the 10th Tactical Fighter Wing. During 1988, two squadrons of A-10A Thunderbolt IIs, the 509th and 511th Tactical Fighter Squadrons, arrived from RAF Bentwaters/Woodbridge. As the A-10s arrived, the 527th Aggressor Squadron moved to RAF Bentwaters.
Both A-10 flying squadrons, kept a strong close air support vigilance and remained ready to perform their mission in a contingency situation. The 511 TFS deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operations DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM from December 1990 to June 1991. The wing's A-10s played an important part in the air phase of the Gulf War, attacking tanks, Scud missiles, and other ground positions.