The NATO Years
366th Fighter Bomber Wing 1953 - 1959
366th Tactical Fighter Wing 1959 - 1965
366th Fighter Bomber Wing 1953 - 1959
366th Tactical Fighter Wing 1959 - 1965
After World War II, the “366th” designation remained inactive until January 1, 1953, when the Air Force activated the 366th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Alexandria AFB, Louisiana. It replaced the Federalized Iowa Air National Guard 132d Fighter Bomber Wing which was being returned to state control after a twenty-one month period of activation as a result of the Korean War. Initially, the new wing initially operated using the former Air National Guard F-51D Mustangs, the same aircraft that had served so well in World War II as the “P-51.”
Soon thereafter the wing entered the jet age. First converting to F-86F Sabre aircraft, which began returning from Korea in the summer of 1953. Then, in early 1954, the wing began converting to the new swept-wing F-84F Thunderstreak.
<<< Commander, Col. William A. Daniel’s F-84F
On 18 March 1954, the KB-29 equipped 420th Air Refueling Squadron was attached to the Wing to provide air refueling for the Thunderstreaks. The B-29s were later replaced with KB-50 aerial tankers. In September 1954, the wing began deploying squadrons of Sabres to Europe, The group's squadrons became the first TAC units to perform six-month TDY rotations to France and with NATO at Aviano AB, Italy. In late 1957 the wing began conversion to the F-100 Super Sabre, adding those aircraft to its inventory, while continuing to operate the
F-84F.
On 1 July 1958, as part of an Air Force-wide renaming of units, Air Force redesignated the 366th Fighter-Bomber Wing as the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing. Shortly thereafter, however, a general draw-down in U.S. forces prompted the wing's second inactivation, which occurred April 1, 1959. Wing aircraft were transferred to the Air National Guard.
Soon thereafter the wing entered the jet age. First converting to F-86F Sabre aircraft, which began returning from Korea in the summer of 1953. Then, in early 1954, the wing began converting to the new swept-wing F-84F Thunderstreak.
<<< Commander, Col. William A. Daniel’s F-84F
On 18 March 1954, the KB-29 equipped 420th Air Refueling Squadron was attached to the Wing to provide air refueling for the Thunderstreaks. The B-29s were later replaced with KB-50 aerial tankers. In September 1954, the wing began deploying squadrons of Sabres to Europe, The group's squadrons became the first TAC units to perform six-month TDY rotations to France and with NATO at Aviano AB, Italy. In late 1957 the wing began conversion to the F-100 Super Sabre, adding those aircraft to its inventory, while continuing to operate the
F-84F.
On 1 July 1958, as part of an Air Force-wide renaming of units, Air Force redesignated the 366th Fighter-Bomber Wing as the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing. Shortly thereafter, however, a general draw-down in U.S. forces prompted the wing's second inactivation, which occurred April 1, 1959. Wing aircraft were transferred to the Air National Guard.
- But the intensification of the Cold War in the early 1960s brought the 366th TFW back to life at Chaumont AB, France, in April 1962. On on 8 May 1962, the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing was activated at Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base, France with four Tactical Fighter Squadrons, formed by absorbing the assets and personnel of the provisional 7108th Tactical Wing, formed from the assets of several Air National Guard squadrons rushed to France in the wake of the Berlin Crisis of 1961, then as the ANG personnel were demobilized, personnel were drawn from the active-duty ranks to man the organization. This marked the first peacetime activation of a wing at an overseas location. With Wing Headquarters at Chaumont AB, the 366th TFW was organized in France as follows:
- 389th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Chaumont AB Blue striping)
- 390st Tactical Fighter Squadron (Chambley-Bussieres Air Base Yellow striping)
- 391st Tactical Fighter Squadron (Etain-Rouvres Air Base Red striping)
- 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Phalsbourg-Bourscheid Air Base Green striping)
- The 480th TFS operated at Chaumont until runway repairs were completed at Phalsbourg Air Base. They then deployed to Phalsbourg on 20 December. This multi-base organizational structure was unique in that it was the only tactical fighter wing in USAFE with four squadrons at four different air bases in Europe. The 366th was also the last USAFE tactical fighter wing formed in Europe. Each squadron flew 20 F-84F Thunderstreaks left by the departing Air National Guard Units. In addition to the flying units being dispersed, the 366th also formed Combat Support Groups at each base to support the flying operations.
- Throughout its time in France, the wing flew the F-84F, deploying regularly to Libya for gunnery training. In October 1962 the 366th prepared to actively respond to the Cuban Missile Crisis, by assuming a 24/7 alert posture for two weeks, beginning on 23 October. Some deployed aircraft were called back from Wheelus Air Base Libya where they were undergoing training. Targets in Eastern Europe were identified and changed on a daily, sometimes hourly schedule. Two KB-50 tankers were flown into Chaumont to provide aerial refueling to the tactical aircraft if necessary. On 5 November, the 24/7 alert was stood down and operations returned to normal peacetime levels. On 26 April 1963 the 366 TFW was notified of its pending relocation to Holloman AFB, New Mexico. The initial deployment of personnel began on 4 June. Personnel and equipment were either moved to Holloman, or reassigned throughout USAFE. The 366th officially departed Chaumont on 22 July 1963. At Holloman, the wing began converting to the new F-4C Phantom II in February 1965. Later that year, the wing sent its first squadron to the Republic of Vietnam. The 390th Fighter Squadron was deployed to Da Nang Air Base (6252d Tactical Wing) in October 1965, and the 391st went to Cam Ranh Bay Air Base (12th Tactical Fighter Wing) in January 1966.
Text sources: The 366 Wing History Office ; Air Force Historical Research Agency, and the (now defunct) Spiritus-Temporis web site