Etain-Rouvres Air Base
Encyclopedia
Étain - Rouvres Air Base is a former USAF base in France. It is located on the Lorraine Plateau in northeastern France
, 1 mile (1.6 km) to the west of Étain
; on the west side of the Départemental 906 (D906) (Meuse) road, adjacent to the village of Rouvres-en-Woevre in the Meuse
département about 12 miles east of Verdun
.
During the Cold War
, Étain-Rouvres was a front-line base for the United States Air Forces in Europe
(USAFE).
began, the Royal Air Force
moved in flying Hawker Hurricane
s of 73 Squadron.
After the fall of France, the Luftwaffe
used the base, flying Focke-Wulf Fw 190D's.
When the German Army was driven out by the U S Third Army, the United States Army Air Force Ninth Air Force
362d Fighter Group used the captured airfield from 5 November 1944 until early April 1945. Its USAAF designation was A-82, Verdun/Etain Advanced Landing Ground (ALG). Three squadrons of P-47 "Thunderbolts"
bombed and strafed such targets as flak positions, armored vehicles, and troop concentrations during the Battle of the Bulge
.
The 362d received a Distinguished Unit Citation for action over the Moselle-Rhine River triangle. Despite the intense anti-aircraft fire encountered while flying armed reconnaissance in close cooperation with infantry forces in that area on 16 March 1945, the 362d hit enemy forces, equipment, and facilities, its targets including motor transports, armored vehicles, railroads, railway cars, and gun emplacements.
In addition P-61
"Black Widows" from the 425th and 416th Night Fighter Squadrons operated from Verdun/Etain until moving into occupied Germany in 1945.
In the immediate postwar years, Etain Air Base was unused.
in the late 1940s, with the Berlin Airlift and the ongoing threat from the Soviet Union
to Western Europe, negotiations began in November 1950 between NATO and the United States
to establish air bases and station combat wings in France to meet European defense needs.
During the negotiations for selection sites, in May 1952 the World War II airfield at Etain was proposed for expansion into a modern air base. An agreement was reached to develop Etain into a NATO facility and station United States Air Force
tactical fighter-bombers there by the end of 1954. However budget restrictions delyed major construction for about a year. Although a base facility was ready for the USAF to use at the end of 1954, the facility was not ready for full acceptance until the summer of 1956 with the railroad spur into Etain not being completed until June 1955, and underground fuel storage was delayed until 1956.
on 1 February 1953. This advanced group was tasked with safeguarding USAF property and to coordinate construction activities. In addition, the 7005th Air Base Squadron was activated to bring the base up to operational status.
The design of the airfield was to space parked aircraft as far apart as possible by the construction of a circular marguerite system of hardstands that could be revetted later with earth for added protection. Typically the margueriete consisted of fifteen to eighteen hardstands around a large central hangar. Each hardstand held one or two aircraft, and allowed the planes to be spaced approximately 150 feet (50 m) apart. Each squadron was assigned to a separate hangar/hardstand complex. This construction can be seen clearly in the satellite image link at the bottom of this article.
, deploying to France from Clovis AFB, New Mexico
in December 1954. The 388th FBW's flying elements consisted of the 561st, 562d
, and 563d FB Squadrons
, each equipped with 26 F-86F "Sabres"
. Wing support aircraft consisted of 4 C-47
s of various types, one L-20A, and 5 T-33
s.
The mission of the 388th FBW was to train for and conduct tactical nuclear weapons delivery. Its secondary mission was to conduct non-atomic tactical air operations. Upon arrival of 388th Wing Headquarters at Etain, the construction delays and other problems seriously hampered the ability of the Wing to use the base for its flying operations. The 562nd FBSquadron was forced to operate from Spangdahlem Air Base
, the 563rd from Bitburg Air Base
and the 561st from Hahn Air Base
in West Germany
for the winter of 1954-55.
In April and May 1955, rotational deployments to Wheelus Air Base
, Libya
began for their first gunnery and bombing training since their arrival in Europe. In the fall, with enough facilities construction completed, the three flying squadrons were transferred from Germany and took up their home assignment at Étain. In August 1955, First Lt. Philip Ortego was assigned to the 561st Fighter Bomber Squadron as its Intelligence Officer.
On 22 November 1955, Det #1, 388th FBGroup was activated at Hahn Air Base
to stand nuclear alert with the Wing's F-86's. Personnel and aircraft primarily came from the 561st FBS. In February 1956 the detachment was transferred to more spacious facilities at Spangdahlem Air Base. Rotational deployments of 8 F-86's and support personnel to Germany
continued until the fall of 1957 when the 388th was deactivated.
In the fall of 1956 the 388th began planning for conversion to the F-100D/F "Super Sabre"
Due to the adverse flying conditions at Etain for conversion training, the new aircraft were deployed to Nouasseur Air Base
in Morocco
, with the squadrons deploying their F-86's to Nouasseur, then returning to France
or Spangdahlem in their new F-100's for Zulu Alert duties.
During this transition period, the 388th experienced a significant personnel crisis, with many of its officers and NCO's completing their two year unaccompanied tour in France. The personnel problem became worse in the fall of 1957 with many single airmen completing their three years of overseas service and were rotating back to the United States (CONUS). The manning of the 388th fell to about 65 percent when on 8 December 1957 HQ USAFE inactivated the 388th FBW due to budgetary and personnel constraints.
On 9 December the personnel and assets of the 388th were transferred to the 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing.
Headquarters, 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing
was assigned to Étain Air Base, absorbing the assets of the 388th FBW. The wing was relocated to France from Misawa Air Base
, Japan
. Worldwide DOD Budget restrictions during FY 1958 affected PACAF as well as USAFE and the 49th FBW based in Japan had to be retired. As the 388th was originally formed in December 1942, and the 49th was formed in January 1941, the older wing's heritage was preserved by transferring its lineage to Étain.
The transfer was a strict designation change with no personnel, equipment or aircraft being transferred. All 388th FBW wing units, personnel, equipment and aircraft were redesignated to the 49th FBW and the mission of the 49th FBW was exactly the same as the 388th's. The fighter squadrons were redesignated the 7th
, 8th
and 9th Fighter-bomber Squadrons
.
On 8 July 1958 the name of the wing was changed to the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing as a result of an Air Force wide redesignation. Its squadrons were renamed Tactical Fighter Squadrons.
Detachments of the 49th TFW were established at Chambley Air Base
on 15 February 1958 and at Vouziers-Sechault DOB (Dispersed Operating Base) on 1 January 1958.
In 1957, the French Government decreed that all nuclear weapons and delivery aircraft had to be removed from French soil by July 1958. As a result, the F-100's of the 49th TFW had to be removed from France. On 25 August 1959, the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing relocated to Spangdahlem Air Base
, Germany
, replacing the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing which was moved to RAF Alconbury
England
.
However not all personnel from Etain were transferred to Germany as some 10th TRW personnel at Spangdahlem stayed to complete their overseas tour of duty and HQ USAFE did not want to pay for two PCS moves for married personnel. Sufficient 10th personnel remained at Spangdahlem to support the 49th TFW at its new home.
As a result many personnel from Etain were transferred instead to RAF Lakenheath
in the United Kingdom
to which the 48th TFW at Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base was being transferred. The 48th also suffered from the same manpower problems as the 49th and the transfer of personnel to Lakenheath brought the 48th TFW to full strength. In addition, some personnel from Etain were transferred to other USAFE wings in France to fill manpower shortages.
. Étain AB was put into a standby status by the USAF. However, U. S. Army units were moved onto the base from the Verdun
area to relieve overcrowding there.
In the spring of 1960 Company C and Headquarters & Service Company of the 97th Engineer Battalion (Construction) relocated to Étain AFB from the Maginot caserne
in Verdun
. They provided general engineering services in the area including in Verdun
, the old Maginot Line (NATO facilities), and in Etain. The 249th Engineer Battalion (Construction)
also was assigned the base to built a railroad spur line to a munitions dump near the old World War One battlefield. In late summer of 1961 the 249th relocated back to Germany while the 97th moved to Sidi Brahim Barracks in Étain
town proper, freeing up the base for Air Force reserve use during the Berlin Wall crisis.
In addition to these Army units, some small USAF weather, civil engineering and postal squadrons were assigned to the base.
.
The 121st Tactical Fighter Wing of the Ohio
Air National Guard
were called to active duty for a period of twelve months on 1 October. When activated, the wing consisted of three operational units, the 162nd TFSquadron, based at Springfield Municipal Airport, Springfield Ohio; the 164th based at Mansfield-Lahm Municipal Airport, Mansfield Ohio, and the 166th based at Lockbourne AFB, Ohio. However, due to funding shortages, only 26 F-84F's
of 166th TFS was deployed to France, although several ground support units from the 162nd and 164th were also deployed.
On 4 November the first ANG T-33 aircraft arrived at Etain, with the F-84's arriving on 16 November. On 11 December, the deployed units of the 121st TFW were redesignated the 7121st Tactical Wing. Ground shipments of equipment and supplies arrived from Ohio
during January 1962 along with additional supplies and equipment from Chateauroux-Deols Air Depot
.
The mission of the 7121st TW was tactical air support of US Army units in case of an armed conflict with the Warsaw Pact
, and alert began almost immediately upon arrival. Four F-84F's were loaded with armament and maintained on alert 24/7 for continual launch preparedness. However, as the F-84 was a day fighter only, its night alert was of limited use if necessary.
Rotational deployments to the gunnery range at Wheelus AB were also made, where the excellent weather and ranges there provided the Air National Guard pilots an opportunity to re-qualify in air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons delivery. Weather permitting, daily missions at U S Army training ranges in West Germany were also flown to exercise with ground units there. Several ANG fighter pilots were detached as Forward Air Controllers and Air Liaison Officers to work with Seventh Army units, and additional pilots were deployed from Ohio to keep the squadron at full strength.
A NATO exchange program was conducted with the West German Air Force, with 4 F-84's being deployed to Hopsten Air Base, West Germany with an equal number of German personnel and aircraft being deployed to Etain to fly missions with the 166th. This was the first German Air Force deployment to France
since the end of World War II.
In July 1962 the deployed Air National Guardsmen were no longer needed in Europe and the 7121st began to redeploy its personnel to Ohio. All the aircraft and support equipment, however, remained at Etain to equip a new wing being formed threre, the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing.
The last of the ANG personnel departed on 9 August 1962. The 7368th Combat Support Group was activated to operate the base after their departure.
, with other squadrons being formed at Chambley
, Phalsbourg
and Chaumont Air Bases.
The ANG 166th TFS had transferred 25 F-84F's to the 366th at Etain, and the squadron allocation was 20, 5 aircraft were transferred to Phalsbourg. In addition, several pilots from the 166th remained on active duty in Franc
e performed instructor duty for the new pilots being assigned to Etain.
The 391st assumed the mission of the 166th, close air support of Seventh Army units in Germany and air defense. During the Cuban Missile Crisis
of 1962, the squadron assumed a total alert posture with 18 F-84's on 24/7 alert for over two weeks.
The 366th TFW/391 TFS remained at Étain until 16 July 1963 when the 366th moved to Holloman AFB
, New Mexico
.
Wing 1 from Marville AB used Étain during May 1965 for NATO exercises, but otherwise the base remained largely unoccupied.
On 7 March 1966, French President Charles De Gaulle
announced that France would withdraw from NATO's integrated military military structure. The United States was informed that it must remove its military forces from France by 1 April 1967.
By 16 November all American equipment was removed from the facility and on 15 March 1967 Étain Air Base was returned to the French.
as a helicopter base. Currently, the 3e Régiment d'Hélicoptères de Combat (3e RHC) Combat Helicopter Regiment operates from the base and flies SA341, SA342, SA 342L1 and 342M1 VIVIANE "Gazelles"
, and SA 330 "Pumas"
. About 1000 soldiers and participated operations in RCI, BALKANS, INDONESIA, LIBAN, TCHAD ...
The 3e RHC will be the first numeric regiment of the brigade with systems as SIR and SIT.
The base is well-maintained and has been expanded over the years, and remains a front-line French military facility.
Image:Kor-388tfw-patch.jpg|388th Fighter-Bomber Wing
1954-1957
Image:49thfbw.jpg|49th Fighter-Bomber Wing
1957-1959
Image:121tfw.jpg|7121st Tactical Wing
121st Tactical Fighter Wing
1961-1962
Image:391tfs.jpg|391st Tactical Fighter Squadron
366th Tactical Fighter Wing
1962-1963
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 1 mile (1.6 km) to the west of Étain
Étain, Meuse
Étain is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It is situated on the Orne River.-History:The town, which dates from the late 7th/early 8th century, does not have any natural defense features so has fallen to the Prussians and Russians in 1815 right after the Battle...
; on the west side of the Départemental 906 (D906) (Meuse) road, adjacent to the village of Rouvres-en-Woevre in the Meuse
Meuse
Meuse is a department in northeast France, named after the River Meuse.-History:Meuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
département about 12 miles east of Verdun
Verdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
.
During the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, Étain-Rouvres was a front-line base for the United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
(USAFE).
Origins
Rouvres airdrome was built by the French Air Force in 1937. They flew Bloch-131 tactical reconnaissance aircraft. When World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
began, the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
moved in flying Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s of 73 Squadron.
After the fall of France, the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
used the base, flying Focke-Wulf Fw 190D's.
When the German Army was driven out by the U S Third Army, the United States Army Air Force Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
362d Fighter Group used the captured airfield from 5 November 1944 until early April 1945. Its USAAF designation was A-82, Verdun/Etain Advanced Landing Ground (ALG). Three squadrons of P-47 "Thunderbolts"
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
bombed and strafed such targets as flak positions, armored vehicles, and troop concentrations during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
.
The 362d received a Distinguished Unit Citation for action over the Moselle-Rhine River triangle. Despite the intense anti-aircraft fire encountered while flying armed reconnaissance in close cooperation with infantry forces in that area on 16 March 1945, the 362d hit enemy forces, equipment, and facilities, its targets including motor transports, armored vehicles, railroads, railway cars, and gun emplacements.
In addition P-61
P-61 Black Widow
The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was the first operational U.S. military aircraft designed specifically for night interception of aircraft, and was the first aircraft specifically designed to use radar. It was an all-metal, twin-engine, twin-boom design developed during World War II...
"Black Widows" from the 425th and 416th Night Fighter Squadrons operated from Verdun/Etain until moving into occupied Germany in 1945.
In the immediate postwar years, Etain Air Base was unused.
NATO acquisition
With the outbreak of the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
in the late 1940s, with the Berlin Airlift and the ongoing threat from the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
to Western Europe, negotiations began in November 1950 between NATO and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to establish air bases and station combat wings in France to meet European defense needs.
During the negotiations for selection sites, in May 1952 the World War II airfield at Etain was proposed for expansion into a modern air base. An agreement was reached to develop Etain into a NATO facility and station United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
tactical fighter-bombers there by the end of 1954. However budget restrictions delyed major construction for about a year. Although a base facility was ready for the USAF to use at the end of 1954, the facility was not ready for full acceptance until the summer of 1956 with the railroad spur into Etain not being completed until June 1955, and underground fuel storage was delayed until 1956.
USAF use
The first contingent of USAF personnel to Etain Air Base was Flight "C", 73rd Support Group (Depot) from Chateauroux-Deols Air BaseChâteauroux-Déols Air Base
Châteauroux-Déols Air Base is a former United States Air Force base in France. It is located in the Indre département of France, located about 3 miles northeast of Châteauroux and about 1 mile northeast of Déols on the east side of the Départemental 920 road in Central France.During the Cold...
on 1 February 1953. This advanced group was tasked with safeguarding USAF property and to coordinate construction activities. In addition, the 7005th Air Base Squadron was activated to bring the base up to operational status.
The design of the airfield was to space parked aircraft as far apart as possible by the construction of a circular marguerite system of hardstands that could be revetted later with earth for added protection. Typically the margueriete consisted of fifteen to eighteen hardstands around a large central hangar. Each hardstand held one or two aircraft, and allowed the planes to be spaced approximately 150 feet (50 m) apart. Each squadron was assigned to a separate hangar/hardstand complex. This construction can be seen clearly in the satellite image link at the bottom of this article.
388th Fighter-Bomber Wing
The first USAF unit to use Etan AB was the 388th Fighter-Bomber Wing388th Fighter Wing
The 388th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force. The unit is stationed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.-Mission:...
, deploying to France from Clovis AFB, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
in December 1954. The 388th FBW's flying elements consisted of the 561st, 562d
562d Flying Training Squadron
The 562d Flying Training Squadron was part of the 12th Flying Training Wing based at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. It operated the T-43 conducting navigator training.-History:...
, and 563d FB Squadrons
563d Flying Training Squadron
The 563d Flying Training Squadron is part of the 12th Flying Training Wing based at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. It operates the T-43 Bobcat conducting navigator training.-History:...
, each equipped with 26 F-86F "Sabres"
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
. Wing support aircraft consisted of 4 C-47
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
s of various types, one L-20A, and 5 T-33
T-33 Shooting Star
The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an American-built jet trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948, piloted by Tony LeVier. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then designated T-33A. It was used by the...
s.
The mission of the 388th FBW was to train for and conduct tactical nuclear weapons delivery. Its secondary mission was to conduct non-atomic tactical air operations. Upon arrival of 388th Wing Headquarters at Etain, the construction delays and other problems seriously hampered the ability of the Wing to use the base for its flying operations. The 562nd FBSquadron was forced to operate from Spangdahlem Air Base
Spangdahlem Air Base
Spangdahlem Air Base is a United States Air Force base located near the small German town of Spangdahlem, approximately 30 km NNE of the city of Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate.-Units:...
, the 563rd from Bitburg Air Base
Bitburg Air Base
Bitburg Airport is a commercial airport serving Bitburg, a city in the Rhineland-Palatinate state of Germany. It is located 2 miles southeast of Bitburg, 20 miles north of Trier, and 135 miles west of Wiesbaden....
and the 561st from Hahn Air Base
Hahn Air Base
Hahn Air Base was a frontline NATO facility in Germany for over 40 years during the Cold War...
in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
for the winter of 1954-55.
In April and May 1955, rotational deployments to Wheelus Air Base
Wheelus Air Base
-See also:*List of airports in Libya-External links:*****...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
began for their first gunnery and bombing training since their arrival in Europe. In the fall, with enough facilities construction completed, the three flying squadrons were transferred from Germany and took up their home assignment at Étain. In August 1955, First Lt. Philip Ortego was assigned to the 561st Fighter Bomber Squadron as its Intelligence Officer.
On 22 November 1955, Det #1, 388th FBGroup was activated at Hahn Air Base
Hahn Air Base
Hahn Air Base was a frontline NATO facility in Germany for over 40 years during the Cold War...
to stand nuclear alert with the Wing's F-86's. Personnel and aircraft primarily came from the 561st FBS. In February 1956 the detachment was transferred to more spacious facilities at Spangdahlem Air Base. Rotational deployments of 8 F-86's and support personnel to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
continued until the fall of 1957 when the 388th was deactivated.
In the fall of 1956 the 388th began planning for conversion to the F-100D/F "Super Sabre"
F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
Due to the adverse flying conditions at Etain for conversion training, the new aircraft were deployed to Nouasseur Air Base
Nouasseur Air Base
Nouasseur Air Base near Casablanca, French Morocco is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base. It was designed for B-36 and B-47 bombers.Today, Nouasseur AB is known as Mohammed V International Airport.-Origins:...
in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, with the squadrons deploying their F-86's to Nouasseur, then returning to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
or Spangdahlem in their new F-100's for Zulu Alert duties.
During this transition period, the 388th experienced a significant personnel crisis, with many of its officers and NCO's completing their two year unaccompanied tour in France. The personnel problem became worse in the fall of 1957 with many single airmen completing their three years of overseas service and were rotating back to the United States (CONUS). The manning of the 388th fell to about 65 percent when on 8 December 1957 HQ USAFE inactivated the 388th FBW due to budgetary and personnel constraints.
On 9 December the personnel and assets of the 388th were transferred to the 49th Fighter-Bomber Wing.
49th Fighter-Bomber Wing
49th Fighter Wing
The 49th Wing is an air combat unit of the United States Air Force and the host unit at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The 49 WG is part of the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force....
was assigned to Étain Air Base, absorbing the assets of the 388th FBW. The wing was relocated to France from Misawa Air Base
Misawa Air Base
right|thumb|A US Navy C-2 at Misawa is a United States military facility located northeast of the railway station in Misawa, west of the Pacific Ocean, northeast of Towada, northwest of Hachinohe, and north of Tokyo, in Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region in the northern part of the...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Worldwide DOD Budget restrictions during FY 1958 affected PACAF as well as USAFE and the 49th FBW based in Japan had to be retired. As the 388th was originally formed in December 1942, and the 49th was formed in January 1941, the older wing's heritage was preserved by transferring its lineage to Étain.
The transfer was a strict designation change with no personnel, equipment or aircraft being transferred. All 388th FBW wing units, personnel, equipment and aircraft were redesignated to the 49th FBW and the mission of the 49th FBW was exactly the same as the 388th's. The fighter squadrons were redesignated the 7th
7th Fighter Squadron
The 7th Fighter Squadron is part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.-Mission:The 7th Fighter Squadron as a part of the 49th Operations Group supports national security objectives, as directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, by utilizing the F-22A Raptor aircraft.The 7 FS...
, 8th
8th Fighter Squadron
The 8th Fighter Squadron was part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operated the F-22A Raptor, having previously operated the F-117 Nighthawk aircraft from 1992 until the squadron's inactivation on May 16, 2008...
and 9th Fighter-bomber Squadrons
9th Fighter Squadron
The 9th Fighter Squadron was part of the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. It operated the F-117 Nighthawk aircraft conducting air superiority missions...
.
On 8 July 1958 the name of the wing was changed to the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing as a result of an Air Force wide redesignation. Its squadrons were renamed Tactical Fighter Squadrons.
Detachments of the 49th TFW were established at Chambley Air Base
Chambley-Bussieres Air Base
Chambley-Bussières Air Base is a former United States Air Force base in France. It is located in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département of France, about ten miles west of the French city of Metz, and about one mile southwest of Chambley-Bussières, on the south side of the Départemental 901 ...
on 15 February 1958 and at Vouziers-Sechault DOB (Dispersed Operating Base) on 1 January 1958.
In 1957, the French Government decreed that all nuclear weapons and delivery aircraft had to be removed from French soil by July 1958. As a result, the F-100's of the 49th TFW had to be removed from France. On 25 August 1959, the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing relocated to Spangdahlem Air Base
Spangdahlem Air Base
Spangdahlem Air Base is a United States Air Force base located near the small German town of Spangdahlem, approximately 30 km NNE of the city of Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate.-Units:...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, replacing the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing which was moved to RAF Alconbury
RAF Alconbury
RAF Alconbury is an active Royal Air Force station in Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is adjacent to the Stukeleys [Great and Little] and located about northwest of Huntingdon; about north of London....
England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
However not all personnel from Etain were transferred to Germany as some 10th TRW personnel at Spangdahlem stayed to complete their overseas tour of duty and HQ USAFE did not want to pay for two PCS moves for married personnel. Sufficient 10th personnel remained at Spangdahlem to support the 49th TFW at its new home.
As a result many personnel from Etain were transferred instead to RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath, is a Royal Air Force military airbase near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Although an RAF station, it hosts United States Air Force units and personnel...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to which the 48th TFW at Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base was being transferred. The 48th also suffered from the same manpower problems as the 49th and the transfer of personnel to Lakenheath brought the 48th TFW to full strength. In addition, some personnel from Etain were transferred to other USAFE wings in France to fill manpower shortages.
U.S. Army
After the departure of the 49th TFW, no USAFE wings operated from Étain AB. The base was maintained by Detachment 1, 7514th Support Group, headquartered at Toul Air BaseToul-Rosieres Air Base
Toul-Rosières Air Base is a reserve French Air Force base. It is located in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département of France, 10 miles northeast of the city of Toul, on the west side of the Route nationale 411 Highway about one mile southeast of Rosières-en-Haye.Toul Air Base was used by American...
. Étain AB was put into a standby status by the USAF. However, U. S. Army units were moved onto the base from the Verdun
Verdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
area to relieve overcrowding there.
In the spring of 1960 Company C and Headquarters & Service Company of the 97th Engineer Battalion (Construction) relocated to Étain AFB from the Maginot caserne
Maginot Caserne
Maginot Barracks in Verdun, France, is located near the west end of town, and has served as a military base for the French and American armies at different times over the past one hundred years. It became headquarters for ADSEC, the Advance Section of COMZ of the U.S...
in Verdun
Verdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
. They provided general engineering services in the area including in Verdun
Verdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
, the old Maginot Line (NATO facilities), and in Etain. The 249th Engineer Battalion (Construction)
249th Engineer Battalion (United States)
The 249th Engineer Battalion is a versatile power generation battalion assigned to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that provides commercial-level power to military units and federal relief organizations during full-spectrum operations. Additionally, the commander serves as the Commandant of the U.S...
also was assigned the base to built a railroad spur line to a munitions dump near the old World War One battlefield. In late summer of 1961 the 249th relocated back to Germany while the 97th moved to Sidi Brahim Barracks in Étain
Étain, Meuse
Étain is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It is situated on the Orne River.-History:The town, which dates from the late 7th/early 8th century, does not have any natural defense features so has fallen to the Prussians and Russians in 1815 right after the Battle...
town proper, freeing up the base for Air Force reserve use during the Berlin Wall crisis.
In addition to these Army units, some small USAF weather, civil engineering and postal squadrons were assigned to the base.
1961 Berlin Crisis
After two years without any permanent flying units, on 5 September 1961 Étain Air Base was reactivated as part of Operation Tack Hammer, the United States response to the Berlin CrisisBerlin Crisis of 1961
The Berlin Crisis of 1961 was the last major politico-military European incident of the Cold War about the occupational status of the German capital city, Berlin, and of post–World War II Germany. The U.S.S.R...
.
7121st Tactical Wing
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
were called to active duty for a period of twelve months on 1 October. When activated, the wing consisted of three operational units, the 162nd TFSquadron, based at Springfield Municipal Airport, Springfield Ohio; the 164th based at Mansfield-Lahm Municipal Airport, Mansfield Ohio, and the 166th based at Lockbourne AFB, Ohio. However, due to funding shortages, only 26 F-84F's
F-84 Thunderjet
The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 flew in 1946...
of 166th TFS was deployed to France, although several ground support units from the 162nd and 164th were also deployed.
On 4 November the first ANG T-33 aircraft arrived at Etain, with the F-84's arriving on 16 November. On 11 December, the deployed units of the 121st TFW were redesignated the 7121st Tactical Wing. Ground shipments of equipment and supplies arrived from Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
during January 1962 along with additional supplies and equipment from Chateauroux-Deols Air Depot
Châteauroux-Déols Air Base
Châteauroux-Déols Air Base is a former United States Air Force base in France. It is located in the Indre département of France, located about 3 miles northeast of Châteauroux and about 1 mile northeast of Déols on the east side of the Départemental 920 road in Central France.During the Cold...
.
The mission of the 7121st TW was tactical air support of US Army units in case of an armed conflict with the Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
, and alert began almost immediately upon arrival. Four F-84F's were loaded with armament and maintained on alert 24/7 for continual launch preparedness. However, as the F-84 was a day fighter only, its night alert was of limited use if necessary.
Rotational deployments to the gunnery range at Wheelus AB were also made, where the excellent weather and ranges there provided the Air National Guard pilots an opportunity to re-qualify in air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons delivery. Weather permitting, daily missions at U S Army training ranges in West Germany were also flown to exercise with ground units there. Several ANG fighter pilots were detached as Forward Air Controllers and Air Liaison Officers to work with Seventh Army units, and additional pilots were deployed from Ohio to keep the squadron at full strength.
A NATO exchange program was conducted with the West German Air Force, with 4 F-84's being deployed to Hopsten Air Base, West Germany with an equal number of German personnel and aircraft being deployed to Etain to fly missions with the 166th. This was the first German Air Force deployment to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
since the end of World War II.
In July 1962 the deployed Air National Guardsmen were no longer needed in Europe and the 7121st began to redeploy its personnel to Ohio. All the aircraft and support equipment, however, remained at Etain to equip a new wing being formed threre, the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing.
The last of the ANG personnel departed on 9 August 1962. The 7368th Combat Support Group was activated to operate the base after their departure.
391st Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 366th Tactical Fighter Wing was a USAFE experiment. Wing Headquarters for the 366th was activated at Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base on 8 May 1962, with 4 operational aircraft squadrons being equipped with the aircraft left behind by the deployed Air National Guard wings deployed to France as a result of the Berlin Crisis. The assets of the ANG 166th TFS at Etain were assigned to the 391st Tactical Fighter Squadron391st Fighter Squadron
The 391st Fighter Squadron is part of the 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. It operates F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft conducting close air support missions.-Mission:...
, with other squadrons being formed at Chambley
Chambley-Bussieres Air Base
Chambley-Bussières Air Base is a former United States Air Force base in France. It is located in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département of France, about ten miles west of the French city of Metz, and about one mile southwest of Chambley-Bussières, on the south side of the Départemental 901 ...
, Phalsbourg
Phalsbourg-Bourscheid Air Base
Phalsbourg-Bourscheid Air Base is a former United States Air Force base in France. It is located in the Moselle département, about 2 miles west of the town of Phalsbourg, on the north side of the Route nationale 4 Highway adjacent to the village Saint-Jean-Kourtzerode; 29 miles northwest of...
and Chaumont Air Bases.
The ANG 166th TFS had transferred 25 F-84F's to the 366th at Etain, and the squadron allocation was 20, 5 aircraft were transferred to Phalsbourg. In addition, several pilots from the 166th remained on active duty in Franc
Franc
The franc is the name of several currency units, most notably the Swiss franc, still a major world currency today due to the prominence of Swiss financial institutions and the former currency of France, the French franc until the Euro was adopted in 1999...
e performed instructor duty for the new pilots being assigned to Etain.
The 391st assumed the mission of the 166th, close air support of Seventh Army units in Germany and air defense. During the Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
of 1962, the squadron assumed a total alert posture with 18 F-84's on 24/7 alert for over two weeks.
The 366th TFW/391 TFS remained at Étain until 16 July 1963 when the 366th moved to Holloman AFB
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
.
USAF closure
The 7368th CSG remained to maintain the base in a reserve status for the next several years. The Royal Canadian Air ForceRoyal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
Wing 1 from Marville AB used Étain during May 1965 for NATO exercises, but otherwise the base remained largely unoccupied.
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
announced that France would withdraw from NATO's integrated military military structure. The United States was informed that it must remove its military forces from France by 1 April 1967.
By 16 November all American equipment was removed from the facility and on 15 March 1967 Étain Air Base was returned to the French.
Current Uses
After the USAF departure, Étain AB was used by the French ArmyFrench Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
as a helicopter base. Currently, the 3e Régiment d'Hélicoptères de Combat (3e RHC) Combat Helicopter Regiment operates from the base and flies SA341, SA342, SA 342L1 and 342M1 VIVIANE "Gazelles"
Aérospatiale Gazelle
The Aérospatiale Gazelle is a five-seat light helicopter, powered by a single turbine engine. It was designed and manufactured in France by Sud Aviation . It was also manufactured under licence by Westland Aircraft in the United Kingdom , by SOKO in Yugoslavia and ABHCO in Egypt...
, and SA 330 "Pumas"
Aérospatiale Puma
The Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter. The Puma was originally manufactured by Sud Aviation of France.-Development:...
. About 1000 soldiers and participated operations in RCI, BALKANS, INDONESIA, LIBAN, TCHAD ...
The 3e RHC will be the first numeric regiment of the brigade with systems as SIR and SIT.
The base is well-maintained and has been expanded over the years, and remains a front-line French military facility.
Emblems Of USAFE Units That Served At Étain-Rouvres Air Base
Image:Kor-388tfw-patch.jpg|388th Fighter-Bomber Wing
1954-1957
Image:49thfbw.jpg|49th Fighter-Bomber Wing
1957-1959
Image:121tfw.jpg|7121st Tactical Wing
121st Tactical Fighter Wing
1961-1962
Image:391tfs.jpg|391st Tactical Fighter Squadron
366th Tactical Fighter Wing
1962-1963