354th Tactical Fighter Wing
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The 354th Fighter Wing is a
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
wing that is part of
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(PACAF). It is the host wing at
Eielson Air Force Base Eielson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located approximately southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska, and just southeast of Moose Creek, Alaska. It was established in 1943 as Mile 26 Satellite Field and redesignated Eielson Ai ...
, Alaska, and is assigned to the
Eleventh Air Force The Eleventh Air Force (11 AF) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, Alaska.This unit is not related to the Eleventh Air Force headquart ...
(11 AF). The wing replaced the 343d Fighter Wing on 20 August 1993 as part of a service-wide effort to preserve the lineage of the Air Force's most honored wings. Prior to its inactivation, the 343d was the oldest surviving air combat unit in Alaska, with a lineage dating back to the Aleutian Campaign. The 18th Fighter Squadron (18 FS), whose history also dated back to World War II, remained active, but the
355th Fighter Squadron The 355th Fighter Squadron, nicknamed the ''Fightin' Falcons'', is a United States Air Force unit stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. It is an active-duty unit assigned to the 354th Fighter Wing and operates the Lockheed Martin F- ...
(355 FS) replaced the 11 TASS. Also changing names were the 3d Fighter Training Squadron, which became the 353d Fighter Squadron (later Combat Training Squadron). The 353 FS and 355 FS had long associations with the new host unit. All 354th Fighter Wing Aircraft carry the tail code "AK". The 355 FS was inactivated in August 2007 as a result of
Base Realignment and Closure Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) was a process by a Federal government of the United States, United States federal government commission to increase the efficiency of the United States Department of Defense by coordinating the realignment and ...
(BRAC) 2005 action and all A-10 aircraft were reassigned to other USAF units. The 18 FS was redesignated as the 18th Aggressor Squadron (18 AGRS) and remains at Eielson, operating the
F-16 The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it e ...
in an adversary role. Prior to its move to Alaska, the 354 FW was based for more than 35 years at the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base,
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.


Subordinate units


354th Operations Group

The 354th Operations Group directs operations, training, and standardization of F-16CG and weapon systems providing day-night combat ready forces for worldwide deployment conducting air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Provides training and support for expeditionary combat employment of wing assigned aircraft across a full spectrum of aerospace operations. Functions as primary liaison between the
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,
Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
, and
Air Force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...
on all airpower applications. * 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron * 353d Combat Training Squadron : The squadron's mission is RED FLAG-Alaska, 10-day air combat training exercise held up to four times a year. Each exercise is a multi-service, multi-platform coordinated, combat operations exercise and corresponds to the designed operational capability of participating units. In other words, exercises often involve several units whose military mission may differ significantly from that of other participating units. * 354th Operations Support Squadron : Trains for and supports worldwide expeditionary combat employment for wing assigned F-16CG & F-35A. Support includes airspace and flying hour programming, life support, operations training, weapons and tactics, intelligence, operations plans, and theater battle management systems. Responsible for local air traffic control, weather service, and airfield management. *
355th Fighter Squadron The 355th Fighter Squadron, nicknamed the ''Fightin' Falcons'', is a United States Air Force unit stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. It is an active-duty unit assigned to the 354th Fighter Wing and operates the Lockheed Martin F- ...
* 356th Fighter Squadron


1st Air Support Operations Group

The 1st Air Support Operations Group provides combatant and operational commanders with qualified weather technicians and Joint Terminal Attack Control battlefield airmen at several geographically separated locations. The 1st ASOG itself is assigned as a Geographically Separated Unit to Fort Lewis,
Joint Base Lewis-McChord A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...
, WA. * 1st Combat Weather Squadron ( Fort Lewis, WA) * 3d Air Support Operations Squadron (
Fort Wainwright Fort Wainwright is a United States Army installation in Fairbanks, Alaska. Fort Wainwright is part of the Fairbanks North Star Borough and the coterminous Fairbanks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The installation is managed by U.S. Army Garrison ...
, AK) * 5th Air Support Operations Squadron (
McChord Field McChord Field (formerly and still commonly known as McChord Air Force Base) is a United States Air Force base in the northwest United States, in Pierce County, Washington. South of Tacoma, McChord AFB is the home of the 62nd Airlift Wing, ...
, WA) * 25th Air Support Operations Squadron (
Wheeler Army Airfield Wheeler Army Airfield , also known as Wheeler Field and formerly as Wheeler Air Force Base, is a United States Army post located in the City & County of Honolulu and in the Wahiawa District of the Island of O'ahu, Hawaii. It is a National H ...
, HI)


354th Maintenance Group

The 354th Maintenance Group provides aircraft and munitions maintenance support to the 354th Fighter Wing's
F-16 Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superio ...
aircraft as well as Red Flag - Alaska, transient and special mission aircraft operating at Eielson AFB. Aircraft maintenance in Alaskan temperatures ranging from 90 degrees in the summer to −60 degrees in the winter can be demanding, but no matter what conditions prevail in this beautiful land of extremes the men and women of the Maintenance Group "keep 'em flying". The 354th Maintenance Group staff includes command, quality assurance, information management, engineering technical services and weapons training functions. In addition, three squadrons are assigned under the group: The 354th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron provides aircraft sortie production and weapons loading support for the Wing's aircraft. In addition to a command staff, the Aircraft Maintenance Squadron has two Aircraft Maintenance Units aligned with each of the Wing's Fighter Squadrons. The 18th Aircraft Maintenance Unit supports the 18th Fighter Squadron's
F-16 The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it e ...
aircraft. In each of these Aircraft Maintenance Units are the aircraft crew chiefs, system specialists, weapons loaders, maintenance schedulers, support personnel and production leaders who are tasked to deploy and generate aerospace power anytime and anywhere. The 354th Maintenance Squadron provides heavy aircraft maintenance and munitions support for the Wing. In addition, the squadron provides aircraft maintenance and munitions support to Red Flag - Alaska (previously Cope Thunder), transient, and special mission aircraft operating at Eielson AFB. In this squadron are the command staff, avionics, propulsion, accessory maintenance, armament, fabrication, aerospace ground equipment, munitions maintenance and support personnel who are also tasked to deploy and support aerospace power anytime and anywhere. The 354th Maintenance Operations Squadron is responsible for all of the group's maintenance training, aircraft engine data management, maintenance operations as well as maintenance plans and programs. The squadron also provides administrative support for the group staff functions and is also tasked to deploy and support aerospace power anytime and anywhere.


354th Mission Support Group

The 354th Mission Support Group supports the 354th Fighter Wing by providing combat-ready forces, equipment, and essential services while sustaining base infrastructure and providing programs to improve quality of life for the Eielson community. From family services to construction and security, the 354th Mission Support Group keeps the physical installation and its personnel performing at peak efficiency, despite the challenging Arctic weather conditions presented by interior Alaska. The group also provides a comfortable home for Eielson's associate units. Eielson operates much like any town and boasts a population of nearly 10,000 people. A big part of the 354th mission is to provide all the services and facilities necessary to make Eielson safe, comfortable, and pleasant for the Iceman Team. Skilled craftsmen operate a coal-fired heat and power plant, water plant and wastewater treatment facility, making this installation entirely self-sufficient. Security Forces and Fire Department personnel provide a safe environment for our families. The 354th Mission Support Group manages and maintains over 1,500 military housing units and over 400 dormitory rooms. Other activities such as the dining facility, fitness center, library, skills centers, child development center and clubs are vital to the health and morale of everyone who calls Eielson "home." The 354th Logistics Readiness Squadron provides supplies, fuels, cryogenics, equipment, and vehicle resources for the 354th Fighter Wing's F-16, and the 168th Air Refueling Wing's KC-135 aircraft. The squadron ensures the capability to mobilize, provide operational sustainment, and receive cargo and personnel in support of the base wartime taskings. The 354 LRS is responsible for managing and maintaining the government vehicle fleet which incorporates an immense and diverse snow fleet in addition to all the cargo, passenger and household goods movements for Eielson AFB. The squadron also conducts an extensive base-wide training program in mobility operations for personnel and cargo deployments. To support these missions, LRS stores and issues more than 80,000 line items valued at more than $120 million. LRS receives, stores and issues 28M gallons of aviation fuel, 530K gallons of ground products, and 39K gallons of cryogenic products annually in the fourth largest storage capacity system in the Air Force. Additionally, LRS operates and maintains Eielson's Joint Mobility Complex, capable of processing more than 1,000 deploying personnel per day. The 354 LRS also provides supply, fuels and vehicle support for Red Flag – Alaska exercises. 354th Contracting Squadron leads market research; provides business advice and acquisition planning for solicitation, executes award, and performs contract administration; and ensures performance management for all installation acquisition requirements relating to the alteration, repair and maintenance to existing facilities, architect-engineering design requirements, and brand new construction. 354th Mission Support Group Units * 354th Civil Engineer Squadron * 354th Communications Squadron * 354th Contracting Squadron * 354th Logistics Readiness Squadron * 354th Mission Support Squadron * 354th Security Forces Squadron * 354th Force Support Squadron


354th Medical Group

The 354th Medical Group provides outpatient managed healthcare for all active-duty military members and
TRICARE Tricare (styled TRICARE) is a health care program of the United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the fede ...
eligible beneficiaries living in the Eielson area. In addition, its dental clinic provides care for all active-duty military members. The medical clinic operates two primary care panels; one staffed by the primary care clinic and the other by the flight surgeons office. In addition, specialty clinics are available for pediatrics, optometry, physical therapy, immunizations, and life skills support. Pharmacy, laboratory and x-ray services are located in the clinic. Bassett Army Community Hospital (BACH) on
Fort Wainwright Fort Wainwright is a United States Army installation in Fairbanks, Alaska. Fort Wainwright is part of the Fairbanks North Star Borough and the coterminous Fairbanks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The installation is managed by U.S. Army Garrison ...
serves as the Eielson clinic's referral source for some specialty and inpatient care. Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, located twenty miles north of Eielson AFB, is a Level-II trauma center and is utilized as a local referral source for procedures beyond our scope of care. Other specialty services are available by referral to the 3d Medical Group at Elmendorf AFB in
Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the List of cities in Alaska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of ...
, Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis,
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, or civilian care in the Anchorage area as needed. Dental services available for active-duty members include the full spectrum of general dentistry care, including endodontics, oral surgery, periodontics, and prosthetics. The dental staff also provides educational services to base schools and assists other organizations with dental disease prevention programs. Dental care for dependents is provided through the United Concordia Dental Plan. 354th Medical Group Units * 354th Dental Squadron * 354th Medical Operations Squadron * 354th Medical Support Squadron


History

: ''See 354th Operations Group for additional history and lineage information''


Cold War

On 19 November 1956, the Air Force redesignated the 342d Fighter Day Wing at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base,
South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
as the 354th Fighter-Day Wing. The 342d Fighter-Day Group's fighter squadrons were redesignated the 353nd, 355th and the 356th Fighter-Day Squadrons. The non-flying support elements of the wing were consolidated into the 354th Air Base Group. The total manpower force of the 354th FDW at the time of its activation was 84 Officers, 3 Warrant Officers and 911 enlisted men. The history, battle honors and colors earned during World War II by the 354th Fighter Group were bestowed on the new Fighter Wing and subordinate groups and squadrons. On activation, the 354th had several RF-80s and one B-26 Invader aircraft for training. On 15 March 1957, F-100D/F "Super Sabre" fighters were transferred to Myrtle Beach AFB from the 31st Fighter-Bomber Wing at Turner AFB, Georgia. Squadron identification of the 354th's F-100 aircraft could be determined by the tail color of the aircraft. The 353rd was red, the 355th blue and the 356th was green. Each unit also adopted iconic designation; 353rd (red) was designated "Panther" section, the 355th (blue) "Falcon" section, and the 356th (green) "Demon" section. These monikers were incorporated into each unit's (flight, ops, and maintenance units) patches and logos. Those emblems were also emblazoned on each section's planes fuselage (right behind the cockpit, on the A-10A). 25 September 1957, a fourth fighter squadron, the 352 FDS was activated with the 354th FDW from F-100 aircraft drawn from the three existing squadrons. Aircraft of the 352nd had yellow tails. On 8 July 1958, the 354 FDW the wing's name changed to the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing as part of a worldwide USAF naming reorganization. On 1 October 1962, the 354th Air Base Group support element was renamed the 354th Combat Support Group. The 354th was committed to
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
, and deployed often to Europe with its F-100s. After the Lebanon Crisis, starting in July 1958,
Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Lang ...
began a rotation of combat squadrons to Incirlik AB, Turkey and Aviano AB, Italy in support of NATO alert commitments and Air Force weapons training deployments to the nearby Maniago Range. On 15 July 1958, the 355th TFS made the first deployment of the 354th TFW to Europe, deploying F-100D/Fs to Aviano AB, Italy for 100 days. The 352nd TFS deployed the next day (16 Jul 58) to stand by during a presidential overthrow in Lebanon. On 4 September 1961, eighteen F-100 jets from Myrtle Beach were deployed to Hahn Air Base in West Germany during the crisis over Soviet construction of the Berlin Wall. NATO deployments were made by all four squadrons on a rotating basis until 1965. A deployment was also made by the 354th TFW to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska during February–March 1963. During the
Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis () in Cuba, or the Caribbean Crisis (), was a 13-day confrontation between the governments of the United States and the Soviet Union, when American deployments of Nuclear weapons d ...
in 1962, elements of all four fighter squadrons were deployed to McCoy AFB, FL. The 353rd deployed on 8 October; the 352nd, 355th and 356th deployed on 21 October. After the crisis ended, the 352nd, 355th and 356th returned to Myrtle Beach on 1 December, with the 353rd remaining at McCoy AFB until 20 January 1963. During the Dominican Republic Crisis of April/May 1965, the 354th deployed the 353rd TFS and more than 400 people and 18 F-100s to Ramey AFB,
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, and San Isidro AB,
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on 2 May. The squadron returned on 28 May. During the late 1970s, the 354th TFW's squadrons were part of a joint U.S. military force (along with Army and Marines) called the Rapid Deployment Force. Conceptually, RDF units could be deployed anywhere in the world within 24 hours or less. As part of the RDF, for a few weeks in late 1979 the 354 TFW's squadrons were placed on "alert" status for possible deployment in connection with the Iran Hostage Crisis, with departure within 12-hours of executive order.


Vietnam War

The
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
drained the 354 TFW at Myrtle Beach, starting in 1965 with its flying squadrons and support personnel being deployed for several years to Spain, Japan, South Korea and
South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...
. The 354th's first assignments to Vietnam started in July 1965 with the deployment of a sentry dog unit. This practice of stripping away squadrons and aircraft from their home units and attaching them indefinitely to another wing was a common practice during the 1960s as squadrons (and replacement aircraft) were deployed to support Vietnam. * The 356th Tactical Fighter Squadron was deployed to Misawa AB, Japan on 16 March 1965. At Misawa, it was attached to the 39th Air Division, whose mission was to support Misawa, Taegu AB and Kunsan AB in South Korea which all had just been reactivated. * The 353d Tactical Fighter Squadron was deployed and permanently reassigned to the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing at Torrejon Air Force Base, Spain on 27 April 1966. * The 352d Tactical Fighter Squadron was deployed and permanently reassigned to the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing at Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam on 15 August 1966. * On 3 February 1968 the 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron was deployed to support the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing at Phu Cat Air Base, South Vietnam on 3 February 1968. After having its fighter squadrons stripped away, the 354 TFW was reassigned on 1 July 1968 to Kunsan Air Base, South Korea. The 354th relieved the temporarily deployed 4th Tactical Fighter Wing. At Kunsan, the 354 TFW was a composite wing, consisting of the following operational fighter squadrons on rotating temporary duty deployments: Initially at Kunsan, the 354th supported two F-100C Air National Guard fighter squadrons which were deployed to replace the Regular Air Force units that had been rushed there in Operation Combat Fox, the response to the seizure of USS ''Pueblo''. The 354th Combat Support Group at Kunsan consisted primarily of ANG and Air Force Reservists from other units, with these personnel being assigned to the headquarters, support, supply and maintenance squadrons. In some respects, the Air Guardsmen in South Korea had much more difficult assignments than their counterparts in South Vietnam. With the exception of personnel in the two fighter squadrons, most Air Guardsmen in South Korea were individuals who had been transferred from their original units after mobilization and reassigned to new organizations. This wholesale violation of unit integrity had a severe impact on morale and required time-consuming reorganization. Ironically, the ANG personnel assigned to the 354th at Kunsan had to rebuild the support service units that had been stripped from them in the United States after their mobilization. This caused many public complaints by disgruntled Air Guardsmen. Although these problems were gradually resolved, many Air Guardsmen believed that they could have been avoided if their original units had deployed overseas intact. The performance of the ANG units at Kunsan in 1968 – 69 suggested the prerequisites of effective air reserve programs and paved the way for adoption of the total force policy in 1970 which exists today. On 10 June 1969, the ANG squadrons returned to the United States after the crew of the ''Pueblo'' were released, and for 10 days in South Korea the 354 TFW was again without tactical components. The experience of the F-100's in Korea showed the Air Force that the F-100C was not a good air defense aircraft. The F-100s were aging and clearly unsuited to the most pressing operational responsibilities in the event of an attack by the North Koreans. In addition, the F-100's were slow in attaining altitude and lacked an effective all-weather, air-to-air combat capability, essential in Korea. Consequently, the 354th transitioned from the F-100s of the ANG to F-4E Phantoms deploying from CONUS-based Regular USAF units. On 15 April 1969, a Navy EC-121 reconnaissance plane was shot down by North Koreans about southeast of the North Korean port of
Chongjin Chŏngjin (; ) is the capital of North Korea's North Hamgyong Province (함경북도) and the country's List of cities in North Korea, third-largest city. Sometimes called the City of Iron, it is located in the northeast of the country. History ...
. U.S. radar tracked two Korean People's Air Force (KPAF) MiGs before the aircraft was shot down. They attempted to warn the aircraft, but the MiGs caught up with the slow-flying aircraft. All of its 31 crew members were killed. The bodies of only two crew members were recovered. Error was blamed on a North Korean ground-to-air controller's command and control error to the pilot. As a result of the heightened tensions, on 23 April the 421 Tactical Fighter Squadron was established at Kunsan and attached to the 354 TFW. F-4Es from Eglin AFB were deployed to Kunsan and assigned to the 421st, with support personnel from the 4th TFS – deployed from Eglin to
Da Nang Air Base Da Nang Air Base () (1930s–1975) (also known as Da Nang Airfield, Tourane Airfield or Tourane Air Base) was a French Air Force and later Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) facility located in the city of Da Nang, Vietnam. During the Vietnam ...
South Vietnam were sent TDY to Kunsan to support the 421st. At the end of tensions on 26 June 1969, the 421 TFS was inactivated at Kunsan, with the aircraft being sent to Da Nang as replacements along with the TDY personnel. On 14 June 1970, the 354 TFW at Kunsan was inactivated with the new 54th Tactical Fighter Wing being activated in place. The 16th and 478th TFSs were transferred and attached to the 54th.


A-7D Corsair II era

The 354th Tactical Fighter Wing was re-activated and transferred (without personnel or equipment) to Myrtle Beach AFB, SC on 15 June 1970, absorbing the resources of the 4554th TFW at Myrtle Beach AFB, SC. The 354 TFW was charged with combat crew training in T-33s and with becoming proficient in A-7D aircraft, with the first aircraft arriving in November 1970 On 1 November 1970, the 355 TFS was reactivated and was reassigned to the 354 TFW, being the first Myrtle Beach squadron to be equipped with A-7D's. The 4456th Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated as placeholder unit on 15 January 1971 to receive new A-7D aircraft. On 15 May 1971, the 356 TFS returned from Misawa AB Japan, and was reassigned to the 354 TFW, absorbing the assets of the 4556th TFS which was inactivated. On 15 July 1971, the 353 TFS returned from Torrejon AB, Spain, and was reassigned to the 354 TFW, receiving its complement of A-7D's. The 511th TFS was inactivated and redesignated the 354th TFS at Davis–Monthan AFB, Arizona as part of the 355th TFW's reactivation. Initially, separate tail codes were assigned to the various squadrons of the wing. These were: 353 TFS "MN", 355 TFS "MR" and 356 TFS "MB". In 1972, the squadron tail codes were abolished and all 354 TFW standardized on "MB" for Myrtle Beach AFB. Squadrons were identified by a painted color stripe on the tail of the aircraft, red for the 353d, blue for the 355th and green for the 356th. On 15 May 1972 the 4554th Tactical Fighter Replacement Squadron was activated as a training squadron. The T-33's and T-29 were assigned for this mission. The 4554th was inactivated on 15 October 1975 and its aircraft sent to the
Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center The 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (309th AMARG),Offici ...
. However, the 354 TFW did not remain long at Myrtle Beach AFB. In September 1972 the wing split into Rear and Advanced echelons. The 353 and 355 TFSs deployed 72 A-7D's to Korat Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, while the 356 TFS remained at Myrtle Beach. This was the first combat deployment of the A-7D into
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
. This operation was known as Constant Guard VI. The 354 TFW (Advanced) commenced combat operations from Korat on 16 October 1972. In addition to the deployment to Korat, a small number of personnel from the 354th were deployed to
Bien Hoa Air Base Bien Hoa Air Base (Vietnamese language, Vietnamese: ''Sân bay Biên Hòa'') is a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) military airfield located in South-Central southern Vietnam about from Ho Chi Minh City, across the Dong Nai river in the norther ...
South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...
where they performed turnaround service on A-7Ds through 11 February 1973. From Korat, the 354th interdicted lines of communications to halt the flow of
North Vietnamese North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; ; VNDCCH), was a country in Southeast Asia from 1945 to 1976, with sovereignty fully recognized in 1954 Geneva Conference, 1954. A member of the communist Eastern Bloc, it o ...
supplies to enemy units in South Vietnam, provided close air support to ground troops, and escorted surface ship convoys up the
Mekong River The Mekong or Mekong River ( , ) is a transboundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's List of rivers by length, twelfth-longest river and List of longest rivers of Asia, the third-longest in Asia with an estimated l ...
to
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Cambodia, most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since 1865 and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its political, economic, industr ...
,
Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
. In November 1972, the 354th took over the
Combat Search and Rescue Combat search and rescue (CSAR) are search and rescue operations that are carried out during war that are within or near combat zones. A CSAR mission may be carried out by a task force of helicopters, ground-attack aircraft, aerial refueling ta ...
role formerly assigned to the A-1 "Sandy" aircraft, and during the Linebacker II campaign assisted in 22 rescues of downed airmen while simultaneously flying over 4,000 combat sorties. The wing earned the Presidential Unit Citation for its Vietnam war service from September 1972 through January 1973. In March 1973, A-7D aircraft drawn from the deployed Myrtle Beach squadrons were formed into the 3d Tactical Fighter Squadron and permanently assigned to the host 388 TFW at Korat. The 3 TFS's A-7D's were tail coded "JH" and remained at Korat until the base's closure. In May 1975, former Myrtle Beach A-7D's were used in the SS Mayaguez operation, the last combat action of the United States in Southeast Asia. In addition to its Myrtle Beach squadrons, the 354 TFW (Advanced) had the following temporary A-7D squadrons attached while at Korat: The 354 TFW (Advanced) flew combat operations in Vietnam until mid-January 1973, in
Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...
until 22 February 1973, and in Cambodia until 15 August 1973. The last shot fired in anger by United States military forces in Southeast Asia was fired by an A-7D of the deployed 353 TFS assigned to Korat RTAFB on 15 July 1973. In October the wing rotated personnel at Korat once again, but with the establishment of the 3 TFS in Thailand and the end of American combat in Southeast Asia, the mission of the 354th was ended. Some additional aircraft and equipment were transferred to the 388 TFW, and on 23 May 1974 the wing returned from
Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
and the Advanced and Rear echelons were recombined at Myrtle Beach AFB. On 1 February 1974, the 354th began a 15-month deployment to
Howard AFB Howard Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in Panama. It discontinued military operations on 1 November 1999 as a result of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which specified that US military facilities in the former P ...
in the
Panama Canal Zone The Panama Canal Zone (), also known as just the Canal Zone, was a International zone#Concessions, concession of the United States located in the Isthmus of Panama that existed from 1903 to 1979. It consisted of the Panama Canal and an area gene ...
to support operation "Coronet Cove". This entailed rotating a contingent of aircraft, aircrews and maintenance technicians to
Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...
on 45-day cycles to provide close air support for US Army training exercises for the air defense of the
Panama Canal The Panama Canal () is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a Channel (geography), conduit for maritime trade between th ...
. In April 1974, A-7D's were deployed from Myrtle Beach to NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii for exercises with Army and Marine Corps units. Also T-33A aircraft were deployed to McConnell AFB, Kansas, to support the USAF Tactical Air Weapons Center's comparative flight evaluation of the A-7D and the A-10A aircraft. A phaseout of the A-7D at Myrtle Beach AFB started in the summer of 1974, with the A-7D's being transferred to
Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia (United States), militia of each U.S. ...
units. These transfers continued until 1978, when the last A-7D was sent to the South Carolina ANG. In addition, the T-33's and VT-29 of the inactivated 4554th were retired and sent to
AMARC The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (, AMARC) is the international umbrella organization of community radio Broadcasting, broadcasters founded in 1983, with nearly 3,000 members in 110 countries. Its mission is to support and c ...
in 1976. The former Myrtle Beach A-7D's continued service in the Air National Guard until the late 1980s, with the last at
Rickenbacker ANGB Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base is an Ohio Air National Guard installation at Rickenbacker International Airport near Lockbourne in southern Franklin County. The base was named for the famous early aviator and Columbus native Eddie Ri ...
(Ohio), Des Moines (Iowa), Tulsa (Oklahoma) and Springfield (Ohio) being replaced by the
F-16 The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it e ...
by mid-1993. By the end of 1998, all were disposed of by AMARC.


A-10A Thunderbolt II era

On 22 March 1975, an agreement was made for joint civilian-military aviation activities at the base. Construction began of what is today known as
Myrtle Beach International Airport Myrtle Beach International Airport is a county-owned public-use airport. It is located southwest of the central business district of Myrtle Beach, in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. It was formerly known as Myrtle Beach Jetpor ...
on the northeast side of the runway on 19 July 1975. On 20 April 1977 an agreement between the City of
Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the East Coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as the " Grand Strand” in the northeastern part of the state. It ...
and the
United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and superv ...
was signed which incorporated the area of Myrtle Beach International Airport into the city. The 354th converted to A-10A aircraft in 1977, with the 354th being the first operational A-10A wing in the USAF, achieving initial combat readiness with the Thunderbolt II during the summer of 1978. With the A-10 aircraft, the 354th returned to its pre-Vietnam era
North Atlantic Treaty Organization The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental transnational military alliance of 32 member states—30 European and 2 North American. Established in the aftermat ...
(NATO) commitment, deploying aircraft and personnel to Europe supporting the COMET, CORONET and CRESTED CAP exercises. These deployments were designed to exercise CONUS-based Air Force squadrons on long-range deployment capabilities and to familiarize the personnel with the European theater of operations. During these NATO deployments, exercises with
Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...
and armored units were conducted to enhance the
Close Air Support Close air support (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions—often air-to-ground actions such as strafes or airstrikes—by military aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. A form of fire support, CAS requires ...
role in Europe.


Desert Shield/Storm

In 1980, the 354th was allocated to President
Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...
's
Rapid Deployment Force A rapid reaction force / rapid response force (RRF), quick reaction force / quick response force (QRF), immediate reaction force (IRF), rapid deployment force (RDF), or quick maneuver force (QMF) is a military or law enforcement unit capable of ...
, formally known as the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF). In 1983 the RDJTF became a separate unified command known as the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), focusing on the Middle East. Within CENTCOM, The 354th was assigned to the United States Central Command Air Forces (USCENTAF). Starting in 1985, the 354th's A-10 aircraft and personnel were deployed to Cairo West AB, Egypt for BRIGHT STAR exercises. BRIGHT STAR deployments also occurred in 1987 and 1989 from Myrtle Beach AFB. With the outbreak of the
Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...
crisis in August 1990, Myrtle Beach AFB deployed the 353 and 355 TFS on 15 August 1990 to
King Fahd International Airport King Fahd International Airport (; KFIA) , also known as Dammam International Airport or simply Dammam Airport or King Fahd Airport, is the international airport serving Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The airport is located 31 kilometres (19 miles) north ...
, near
Dammam Dammam (Arabic: الدمام ad-Dammām) is a city and governorate, and the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Located on the coast of the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 1,386,166 as of 2022, making it the country's fifth- ...
,
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
. At the time of the deployment, King Fhad was under construction. At King Fahd, the 354 TFW (Provisional) was formed. The 354 TFW was one of the first USAF units deployed to the
Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...
for
Operation Desert Shield , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
. During
Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
, aircraft assigned to the 354th initially flew against early-warning
radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...
and
Scud A Scud missile is one of a series of tactical ballistic missiles developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It was exported widely to both Second and Third World countries. The term comes from the NATO reporting name attached to the m ...
missile sites, as well as search-and-rescue missions of downed coalition pilots. When the ground attack began in late February 1991, the 354th performed its ground support mission, inflicting heavy damage to Iraqi
armor Armour (Commonwealth English) or armor (American English; see American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, e ...
and
artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...
emplacements, as well as cutting off enemy supply lines. The 354 TFW (P) consisted of 131 A/OA-10A aircraft from the following bases: The 354th returned home from the Gulf on 25 March 1991 On 1 October 1991, the 354 TFW was redesignated the 354th Fighter Wing with the inactivation of
Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Lang ...
(TAC) and the wing's reassignment to the new
Air Combat Command The Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the prim ...
(ACC).


Inactivation

After the end of the
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
, reductions in defense spending led to the military reducing the size of the armed forces, and the number of facilities both in the United States as well as overseas. In July 1991, the
Base Realignment and Closure Commission Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) was a process by a Federal government of the United States, United States federal government commission to increase the efficiency of the United States Department of Defense by coordinating the realignment and ...
recommended the closure of Myrtle Beach Air Force Base and that the Air Force redistribute all aircraft to modernize other Active and Reserve Component units. The disposition of the A-10 aircraft was as follows: * 31 March 1992 – 355th Fighter Squadron inactivated. Aircraft sent to 21 TFS / 353 TFW
Shaw Air Force Base Shaw Air Force Base (Shaw AFB) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located approximately west-northwest of downtown Sumter, South Carolina. It is one of the largest military bases operated by the United States, and is under the jurisdict ...
,
South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
. * 30 June 1992 – 356th Fighter Squadron inactivated. Aircraft sent to existing A-10
Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia (United States), militia of each U.S. ...
units. * 15 December 1992 – 353d Fighter Squadron inactivated. Aircraft sent to 75 FS / 23d Wing
Pope Air Force Base Pope Field is a U.S. military facility located northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, in Spring Lake, Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.. Federal Aviation Administration. effective 15 November 2012. Forme ...
,
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
. The 354th Fighter Wing and all supporting groups and squadrons were inactivated on 31 March 1993. Myrtle Beach AFB was closed as scheduled, ending military control over the facility.


Reactivation in Alaska

On 20 August 1993, the 354th Fighter Wing was re-established at Eielson AFB, Alaska, with a new mission and organization. No personnel or equipment were affected by the change. This change was part of a service-wide effort to preserve the lineage of the Air Force's most honored wings. The 353d and 355th Fighter Squadrons were also reactivated at Eielson. From 2000 to present, the wing trained for the defense of northwestern North America and for contingency operations worldwide. On 15 August 2007, as a result of
2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission preliminary list was released by the United States Department of Defense on May 13, 2005. It was the fifth Base Realignment and Closure ("BRAC") proposal generated since the process was created in ...
action, the 354 FW was realigned to become strictly an
F-16 The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it e ...
-equipped organization. The wing's
355th Fighter Squadron The 355th Fighter Squadron, nicknamed the ''Fightin' Falcons'', is a United States Air Force unit stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. It is an active-duty unit assigned to the 354th Fighter Wing and operates the Lockheed Martin F- ...
(355 FS) was inactivated and all 355 FS A-10 aircraft were redistributed to other A-10 units. The 18th Fighter Squadron was redesignated as the 18th Aggressor Squadron (18 AS) and remains equipped with the
F-16 The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it e ...
. New F-35s began arriving for the wing in April 2020.


Lineage

* Established as 354th Fighter-Day Wing on 26 September 1956 : Activated on 19 November 1956 replacing the 342d Fighter Day Wing* : Redesignated: 354th Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 July 1958 : Redesignated: 354th Fighter Wing on 1 October 1991 : Inactivated on 31 March 1993 * Activated on 20 August 1993.


Assignments

*
Ninth Air Force The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint D ...
, 19 November 1956 *
Twelfth Air Force The Twelfth Air Force (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The command is the air component to U ...
, 1 July 1960 *
Ninth Air Force The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint D ...
, l January 1962 * 833d Air Division, 1 October 1964 *
Fifth Air Force The Fifth Air Force (5 AF) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the U.S. Air Force's oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organ ...
, 5 July 1968 : Attached to: 4th Tactical Fighter Wing, 5–24 July 1968 : Attached to: Detachment 1, HQ Fifth Air Force ifth Air Force ADVON 25 July 1968 – 14 June 1970 *
Ninth Air Force The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint D ...
, 15 June 1970 – 31 March 1993 : Attached to: (as HQ 354 TFW (Advanced))
Pacific Air Forces The Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PAC ...
Thirteenth Air Force The Thirteenth Expeditionary Air Force (13 EAF) is a provisional numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Hickam Air Force Base, Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam on the island of Oahu, ...
:: Further attached for control to
Seventh Air Force The Seventh Air Force (Air Forces Korea) (7 AF) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Osan Air Base, South Korea. The command's mission is to plan and direct air component operations in ...
, 14 October 1972 – 18 May 1974. : Attached to: (as HQ 354 TFW (Provisional)) United States Central Command Air Forces, 15 August 1990 – 25 March 1991 *
Eleventh Air Force The Eleventh Air Force (11 AF) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, Alaska.This unit is not related to the Eleventh Air Force headquart ...
, 20 August 1993 – present


Components

Groups * 354th Fighter-Day (later, 354th Operations): 19 November 1956 – 25 September 1957; 20 August 1993 – present * 455th Fighter-Day: attached 19 November 1956 – 1 July 1957. Assigned Squadrons * 18th Fighter (later, 18th Aggressor): 20 August 1993 – present * 20th Helicopter: 16 July 1959 – 8 March 1960 * 127th Tactical Fighter: 5 July 1968 – 10 June 1969 * 166th Tactical Fighter: 5 July 1968 – 10 June 1969 * 352d Fighter-Day (later, 352d Tactical Fighter): 25 September 1957 – 15 August 1966 * 353d Fighter (later, 353d Fighter-Day; 353d Tactical Fighter; 353d Fighter; 353d Combat Training) : 15 November 1942 – 31 March 1946; 25 September 1957 – 27 April 1966; 15 July 1971 – 15 December 1992; 20 August 1993 – 4 September 2003; 1 October 2006 – present * 355th Fighter (later, 355th Fighter-Day; 355th Tactical Fighter; 355th Fighter) : 15 November 1942 – 31 March 1946; 25 September 1957 – 22 April 1968; 1 November 1970 – 31 March 1992; 20 August 1993 – 15 August 2007 * 356th Fighter (later, 356th Fighter-Day; 356th Tactical Fighter): 15 November 1942 – 31 March 1946; 25 September 1957 – 29 November 1965; 15 May 1971 – 30 June 1992 * 511th Tactical Fighter: 15 June 1970 – 15 July 1971. * 4430th Combat Crew Training: 15 June 1970 – 31 July 1972 * 4456th Tactical Fighter: 15 January – 15 May 1971 * 4554th Tactical Fighter Replacement: 15 May 1972 – 15 October 1975.


Stations assigned

* Myrtle Beach Air Force Base,
South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
(November 1956 – July 1968) : Major Deployments: :: Adana AB,
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, 15 July – 26 October 1958 ( Lebanon Crisis, "Operation Double Trouble") :: Aviano AB, Italy, 19 May – 17 September 1959; 10 September 1960 – 16 January 1961; 7 July – 14 October 1962; 15 June – 28 August 1964 and 2 July – 25 September 1965 :: Hahn AB, West Germany, 5 September – 19 November 1961 ( Berlin Crisis) ::
McCoy AFB McCoy AFB (1940–1947, 1951–1975) is a former U.S. Air Force installation located 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Orlando, Florida. It was a training base during World War II. From 1951 to 1975, it was a frontline Strategic Air Comm ...
,
Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
, 21 October – 1 December 1962 (
Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis () in Cuba, or the Caribbean Crisis (), was a 13-day confrontation between the governments of the United States and the Soviet Union, when American deployments of Nuclear weapons d ...
) :: Palam Afld, New Delhi, India, 7 – 18 May 1963 :: Dhahran Airfield,
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
, 15 September – 16 December 1963 :: Incirlik AB,
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, 3 July – 17 September 1963; 4 December 1965 – 23 April 1966 :: Orland, Norway, 8–15 June 1964 :: San Isidro AB,
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...
, 2–28 May 1965 ( Dominican Crisis) :: Ramey AFB,
Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
, 2–28 May 1965 ( Dominican Crisis) : Non-Operational, 22 April – 2 July 1968 * Kunsan AB, South Korea, (2 July 1968 – 14 June 1970) *
Myrtle Beach AFB Myrtle Beach Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Early history On 16 October 1939, Myrtle Beach Town Council agreed that the community "is in dire need of a modern municipal airport". The ...
,
South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
(14 June 1970 – 31 March 1993) :: HQ 354 TFW (Advanced), Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base,
Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
, 14 October 1972 – 18 May 1974 :: HQ 354 TFW (Provisional),
King Fahd International Airport King Fahd International Airport (; KFIA) , also known as Dammam International Airport or simply Dammam Airport or King Fahd Airport, is the international airport serving Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The airport is located 31 kilometres (19 miles) north ...
,
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
, 15 August 1990 – 25 March 1991 * Eielson AFB, Alaska (20 August 1993 – present)


Major aircraft flown

* RF-80 Shooting Star, 1956 *
F-100 Super Sabre The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft designed and produced by the aircraft manufacturer North American Aviation. The first of the Century Series of American jet fighters, it was the first United ...
(1956–1969) *
F-4 Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber that was developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bower ...
(1969–1970) * A-7 Corsair II (1970–1978) *
A-10 Thunderbolt II The Fairchild Republic A-10 , also infamously known under the nickname , is a single-seat, twinjet, twin-turbofan, straight wing, straight-wing, Subsonic aircraft, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Aircraft, Fairchild Republic ...
(1977–2007) *
F-16 Fighting Falcon The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superio ...
(1993 – present) * F-35A Lightning II (first two aircraft received 21-Apr-2020)


Notes


References

* Endicott, Judy G. ''USAF Active Flying, Space, and Missile Squadrons as of 1 October 1995''. Office of Air Force History * Martin, Patrick. ''Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings''. 1994. * Mueller, Robert. ''Air Force Bases Volume I: Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982''. Office of Air Force History, 1989. * Ravenstein, Charles A. ''Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977''. Office of Air Force History, 1984.


External links


354th Fighter Wing
(official site)
Historic 354th Fighter Wing Reactivated (Video from 1956)
{{USAF Vietnam War Military units and formations in Alaska 354