RAF Mildenhall
Encyclopedia
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...
(RAF) station located at Mildenhall
Mildenhall, Suffolk
Mildenhall is a small market town and civil parish in Suffolk, England. It is run by Forest Heath District Council and has a population of 9,906 people. The town is near the A11 and is located north-west of county town, Ipswich. The large Royal Air Force base, RAF Mildenhall as well as RAF...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, 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...
. Despite its status as an RAF station, it primarily supports 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...
operations and is currently the home of the 100th Air Refueling Wing
100th Air Refueling Wing
The 100th Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England. It is also the host wing at RAF Mildenhall....
(100 ARW). As RAF Mildenhall's current "host wing" the 100 ARW supports some 16,000 personnel, three geographically separated units (GSUs) and 15 associated units.
Units
RAF Mildenhall hosts units from four different major USAF commands -- Air Combat CommandAir Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
, Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Force Special Operations Command is the Special Operations component of the United States Air Force and the US Air Force component command to the United States Special Operations Command , a unified command located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida...
, Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
and 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...
; as well as units of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. These being:
- 501st Combat Support Wing (USAFE)
- 352nd Special Operations Group (AFSOC)
- 95th Reconnaissance Squadron (ACC)
Part of 55th Wing, 55th Operations Group, Offutt Air Force BaseOffutt Air Force BaseOffutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation near Omaha, and lies adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S...
, NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River.... - 488th Intelligence Squadron (ACC)
Part of 55th Wing, 55th Operations Group Intelligence Wing, Offutt Air Force BaseOffutt Air Force BaseOffutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation near Omaha, and lies adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S...
, NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River.... - 727th Air Mobility Squadron (AMC)
Part of 721st Air Mobility Operations Group, Ramstein Air BaseRamstein Air BaseRamstein Air Base is a United States Air Force base in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation...
, GermanyGermanyGermany , 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... - Fleet Industrial Supply Center Mildenhall (COMUSNAVEUR)
RAF Mildenhall and its sister base 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...
are the largest 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...
bases in the United Kingdom.
100th Air Refueling Wing
The host unit at Mildenhall is the 100th Air Refueling Wing (100 ARW), which deploys aircraft for and manages the European Tanker Task Force, a rotational force which provides air refueling to US and NATO aircraft in the European Theater. It is the only permanent USAF air refueling wing in the European theater, activated at RAF Mildenhall on 1 February 1992. The wing provides the critical air refueling "bridge" that allows the Expeditionary Air Force to deploy around the globe on a moment's notice.The tactical component of the 100 ARW is the 351st Air Refueling Squadron
351st Air Refueling Squadron
The 351st Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall, England. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
(351 ARS), flying the Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
.
501st Combat Support Wing
The 501st Combat Support Wing was activated at RAF Mildenhall on 21 May 2005. It is a non-flying unit that provides administration and operation of the various smaller Air Force units scattered across the UK that are considered Geographically Separate Units (GSU):- 422d Air Base Group, RAF CroughtonRAF CroughtonRAF Croughton is a United States Air Force communications base in Northamptonshire, England, to the southeast of the village of Croughton. The station is home to the 422nd Air Base Group and operates one of Europe's largest military switchboards and processes approximately a third of all U.S...
- 423d Air Base Group, RAF AlconburyRAF AlconburyRAF 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....
- 420th Air Base Group, RAF FairfordRAF FairfordRAF Fairford is a Royal Air Force station in Gloucestershire, England. It is a standby airfield, not in everyday use. Its most prominent use in recent years has been as an airfield for United States Air Force B-52s during the 2003 Iraq War, Operation Allied Force in 1999, and the first Gulf War in...
352nd Special Operations Group
The 352 SOG352d Special Operations Group
The 352d Special Operations Group is an operational unit of the United States Air Force Special Operations Command. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England. Its heritage dates back to 1944 as an air command unit....
is the Air Force component for Special Operations Command Europe, a sub-unified command of the US European Command. It transferred to RAF Mildenhall on 17 February 1995 from 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....
. The 352 SOG has two flying squadrons, a maintenance squadron, an operations support squadron and a special tactics squadron.
The mission of the 352 SOG is to serve as the focal point for all U.S. Air Force special operations activities throughout the European theater, including Africa and the Middle East. The 352 SOG is prepared to conduct a variety of high priority, low-visibility missions supporting U.S. and allied special operations forces throughout the European theater during peacetime, joint operations exercises and combat operations.
The 352nd develops and implements peacetime and wartime contingency plans. It effectively uses fixed-wing and personnel assets in infiltration by, exfiltration by and resupplying of U.S. and allied special operations forces.
The tactical components of the 352nd SOG are the:
- 7th Special Operations Squadron7th Special Operations SquadronThe 7th Special Operations Squadron is an active flying unit of the United States Air Force. It is a component of the 352d Special Operations Group , United States Special Operations Command, and is currently based at Royal Air Force base RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, eastern England.-Mission:From...
(MC-130 Talon II aircraft) - 67th Special Operations Squadron67th Special Operations SquadronThe 67th Special Operation Squadron is an active unit within the 352d Special Operations Group , United States Air Force, United States European Command, and is currently based at Royal Air Force base RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, eastern England....
(MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft) - 321st Special Tactics Squadron321st Special Tactics SquadronThe 321st Special Tactics Squadron is an active land based unit, within the 352d Special Operations Group , United States Air Force, United States European Command, and is based at Royal Air Force base, RAF Mildenhall, in Suffolk, eastern England...
95th Reconnaissance Squadron
The 95th Reconnaissance Squadron95th Reconnaissance Squadron
The 95th Reconnaissance Squadron is a United States Air Force reconnaissance unit based at Offutt Air Force Base, near Omaha, Nebraska...
conducts RC-135 Rivet Joint flight operations in the European and Mediterranean theaters of operations as tasked by National Command Authorities and European Command. It was activated at RAF Mildenhall on 1 July 1994, having been previously assigned 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....
.
The squadron provides all operational management, aircraft maintenance, administration, and intelligence support to produce politically sensitive real-time intelligence data vital to national foreign policy.
The 95 RS supports RC-135, OC-135, and E-4 missions when theater deployed.
488th Intelligence Squadron
The 488th Intelligence Squadron a component of the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, formerly the Air Intelligence Agency. Its mission is to deliver multi-source intelligence products, applications, services, and resources. It also provides IO forces and expertise in the areas of information warfare, command and control warfare, security, acquisition, foreign weapons systems and technology,Also administratively assigned to the 488th Intelligence Squadron is Operating Location Souda Bay
Souda Bay
Souda Bay is a bay and natural harbour on the northwest coast of the Greek island of Crete. The bay is about 15 km long and only two to four km wide, and a deep natural harbour. It is formed between the Akrotiri peninsula and Cape Drapano, and runs west to east...
, Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
.
The present 488th Intelligence Squadron traces its lineage back to the 6954th Security Squadron which was originally designated Detachment 1 of the 6985th Security Squadron at RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located north-west of Bicester near the village of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England. The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training...
, 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...
, in June 1967. The unit moved to RAF Mildenhall, England, in August 1970. In 1974, Detachment 1 of the 6985th Security Squadron was designated as the 6954th Security Squadron.
In August 1979, the 6954th Security Squadron was designated as the 6954th Electronic Security Squadron to coincide with the designation of United States Air Force Security Service as the Electronic Security Command. In November 1990, with the deactivation of the 6916th Electronic Security Squadron, Hellenikon Air Base
Ellinikon International Airport
Ellinikon International Airport , sometimes spelled Hellinikon was the international airport of Athens, Greece for sixty years up until 2001 when it was replaced by the new Athens International Airport. It is located south of Athens, and just west of Glyfada...
, Greece, the squadron assumed responsibility for all Electronic Security Command RC-135 support to the United States European Command. From October 1990 to March 1991, the squadron conducted operations from OL-RH, 6988th Electronic Security Squadron, Hellenikon AB, Greece.
In October 1991, the 6988th Electronic Security Squadron was subordinated to the Air Force Intelligence Command.
On 1 October 1993, the 6988th Electronic Security Squadron was designated the 488th Intelligence Squadron as part of the ongoing restructuring of Air Force Intelligence and the Air Force Intelligence Command as a field operating agency. The 488th Intelligence Squadron is under the administrative control of this field operating agency, which was designated Air Intelligence Agency on 1 October 1993.
On 1 February 2001, the Air Intelligence Agency was re-aligned under Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. This re-alignment placed Air Intelligence Agency under Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
. In peace and war, the 488th Intelligence Squadron has earned nine Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards.
On 1 October 2002, the 488th was re-aligned from the 67th Information Operations Wing to the 55th Wing. The re-alignment placed all RC-135 assets under one wing, reinforcing the nose to tail importance of this weapons system.
727th Air Mobility Squadron
The 727th Air Mobility Squadron is a unit of the 721st Air Mobility Operations Group, based at Ramstein AB, Germany.The 727 AMS is part of AMC's en route system that provides fixed and deployed maintenance, aerial port and command and control support to deployed command forces across the globe. The squadron has all the necessary support, like fleet service, maintenance and passenger service to allow aircraft and crews to quickly depart for their next destination or stay overnight for crew rest.
The squadron was redesignated as the 727 AMS on 15 March 2001. Prior to that, it was designated as the 627th Air Mobility Support Squadron assigned to the 621st Air Mobility Support Group. The change in designation was undertaken to better reflect the operations nature of the group's overall mission as an operational rather than support one.
Fleet Industrial Supply Center Sigonella, Detachment Mildenhall
FISCSI Mildenhall is a Navy Detachment of Fleet Industrial Supply Center Sigonella, Italy. The detachment was originally an aviation command known as Naval Air Facility Mildenhall, supporting Commander, US Naval Forces Europe (COMUSNAVEUR) headquarters in London. As NAF Mildenhall, the command was home to three Navy UC-12 HuronC-12 Huron
The C-12 Huron is the military designation for a series of twin-engine turboprop aircraft based on the Beechcraft Super King Air and Beechcraft 1900. C-12 variants are used by the United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps...
aircraft and provided support for transient US Navy and US Marine Corps aircraft. With the fall of the Soviet Union, the frequency of US naval aircraft transiting RAF Mildenhall disappated and with COMUSNAVEUR's subsequent relocation to Naples, Italy, the command's UC-12 aircraft were also reassigned. After being at RAF Mildenhall for more than 40 years, NAF Mildenhall was disestablished in 2005, downsized and then re-established as FISCSI Det Mildenhall. The mission of FISCSI Det Mildenhall is U.S. Navy fleet support in the United Kingdom and Northern Europe. The support includes receiving and shipping high priority parts and mail to the US naval units within that area.
History
RAF Mildenhall is named after the nearby town of Mildenhall, SuffolkMildenhall, Suffolk
Mildenhall is a small market town and civil parish in Suffolk, England. It is run by Forest Heath District Council and has a population of 9,906 people. The town is near the A11 and is located north-west of county town, Ipswich. The large Royal Air Force base, RAF Mildenhall as well as RAF...
. It was established as a 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...
station in 1930, and opened in 1934. During World War II
World 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...
, RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
used the station for operational combat missions until 1945.
Placed on standby status after the war, it was reopened by the Royal Air Force and became a USAF-RAF joint operation base on 11 July 1950. Assigned to Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
to station B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
bombers that date. It became a B-50 Superfortress
B-50 Superfortress
The Boeing B-50 Superfortress strategic bomber was a post-World War II revision of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, fitted with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, stronger structure, a taller fin, and other improvements. It was the last piston-engined bomber designed by Boeing for...
base in 1952, and a B-47 Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
and KC-97 Stratotanker
KC-97 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker was a United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.-Design and development:...
base in 1953 until 1958.
Closed for runway repairs throughout 1958, the Military Air Transport Service
Military Air Transport Service
The Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...
transferred its main United Kingdom terminal to Mildenhall from RAF Burtonwood
RAF Burtonwood
RAF Burtonwood was a Royal Air Force station in England, 2 miles north-west of Warrington, Lancashire. During World War II and the Cold War it was used by the United States Air Force and was also known as USAAF station 590.- Overview :...
on 1 March 1959, and the base became "The Gateway to the United Kingdom", for most U.S. military personnel and dependants arriving or departing the United Kingdom since.
Assigned from Strategic Air Command to United States Air Forces in Europe on 1 September 1959 and RAF relinquished joint operations status that date. Has been in continuous USAFE operation to present
Major units assigned
- 7511th Air Base Squadron, 11 July – 26 September 1950
- Redesignated: 7511th Air Base Group, 26 September 1950 – 1 February 1953
- Redesignated: 3910th Air Base Group, 1 February 1953 – 15 April 1955
- 2d Bombardment Wing2d Bomb WingThe 2d Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command and Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The wing is also the host unit at Barksdale...
(Deployed), 4 May – 31 August 1951 - 22d Bombardment Wing22d Air Refueling WingThe 22d Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas and also functions as the host wing for McConnell AFB....
(Deployed), 7–12 September 1951 - 93d Bombardment Wing (Deployed), 6 December 1951 – 2 March 1952
- 97th Bombardment Wing97th Air Mobility WingThe 97th Air Mobility Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The wing is also the host unit at Altus...
(Deployed), 1 April – 11 June 1952 - 509th Bombardment Wing509th Bomb WingThe 509th Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command, Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri....
(Deployed), 4 June – 2 September 1952 - 3913th Air Base Squadron, 15 April 1955 – 1 January 1959
- 2d Bombardment Wing
- Redesignated: 3913th Combat Support Group, 1 January – 1 September 1959
- 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, 10 August 1959 – 18 March 1960
- 1625th Support Squadron (MATS), 1 March 1959 – 8 January 1966
- 7513th Air Base Group, 1 September 1959 – 1 July 1966
- Redesignated: 7513th Tactical Group
- 513th Tactical Airlift Wing, 1 July 1966 – 1 February 1992
- 627th Military Airlift Support Squadron, 8 January 1966 – 15 September 1978
- Third Air ForceThird Air ForceThe Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, 15 April 1972 – 1 November 2005 - 435th Tactical Airlift Group435th Air Base WingThe 435th Air Ground Operations Wing is an active unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe. It is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.The current commander is Colonel John S. Shapland, USAF....
, 1 July 1975 – 15 September 1978 - 306th Strategic Wing306th Flying Training GroupThe 306th Flying Training Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force...
, 1 July 1978 – 1 February 1992 - 313th Tactical Airlift Group313th Tactical Airlift WingThe 313th Tactical Airlift Wing is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command, assigned to the 834th Air Division, being stationed at Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas...
, 15 September 1978 – 1 February 1992 - 100th Air Refueling Wing100th Air Refueling WingThe 100th Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England. It is also the host wing at RAF Mildenhall....
, 1 February 1992 – present - 95th Reconnaissance Squadron95th Reconnaissance SquadronThe 95th Reconnaissance Squadron is a United States Air Force reconnaissance unit based at Offutt Air Force Base, near Omaha, Nebraska...
, 1 July 1994 – present - 352d Special Operations Group352d Special Operations GroupThe 352d Special Operations Group is an operational unit of the United States Air Force Special Operations Command. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England. Its heritage dates back to 1944 as an air command unit....
, 17 February 1995 – present - 501st Combat Support Wing501st Combat Support WingThe 501st Combat Support Wing is a United States Air Forces in Europe unit based at RAF Alconbury, England. The wing traces its history to a World War II bombardment group which served in the Pacific, mostly bombing mainland Japan, in 1944–45...
, 12 May 2005 – 30 April 2007
Reference
Origins
RAF Mildenhall opened on 16 October 1934. King George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
reviewed 350 aircraft there in 1935 on the occasion of his Silver Jubilee. This historical event is commemorated by a memorial tablet located in front of the Building 562, the current 100 ARW headquarters. During World War II
World 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...
Mildenhall became a bomber station, flying Vickers Wellington
Vickers Wellington
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...
s, Short Stirling
Short Stirling
The Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941...
s and Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
s. It was also the headquarters of 3 Group
No. 3 Group RAF
Number 3 Group of the Royal Air Force was an RAF group first active in 1918, again in 1923-26, part of RAF Bomber Command from 1936 to 1967, and part of RAF Strike Command from 2000 until it disbanded on 1 April 2006.-The 1930s and World War II:...
Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
. From 1950 Mildenhall became home to bombers and later tanker aircraft of the 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...
. Throughout the 1950s, Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
bomber units were deployed on a regular rotational basis from the United States to the United Kingdom. The B-47 Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
was a familiar sight in the skies over RAF Mildenhall and RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located north-west of Bicester near the village of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England. The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training...
at this time, as entire wings deployed on 90-day rotations. From 1976 to 1990, the SR-71 Blackbird
SR-71 Blackbird
The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft. It was developed as a black project from the Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft in the 1960s by the Lockheed Skunk Works. Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was responsible for many of the...
was flown out of Mildenhall by Detachment 4 of the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
9th Reconnaissance Wing
The 9th Reconnaissance Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California...
9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing of the USAF. RAF Mildenhall was, until 2003, the home of the largest military-sponsored air show
Air show
An air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, when it was cancelled because of increasing operational requirements.
In order to meet a perceived "continental threat", the British military developed the idea to site an RAF bomber base at Mildenhall in the late 1920s. Shortly thereafter, the government purchased the land in 1929, followed by the completion of the first buildings in 1931. Three years later, RAF Mildenhall opened on 16 October 1934, as one of the RAF's largest bomber stations. On the same day, Wing Commander Frances Linnell, O.B.E. assumed his position as the base's first station commander. Although open, the base had yet to receive its first complement of military aircraft.
RAF Mildenhall's premature inauguration was due in large part with its selection to host the Royal Aero Club
Royal Aero Club
The Royal Aero Club is the national co-ordinating body for Air Sport in the United Kingdom.The Aero Club was founded in 1901 by Frank Hedges Butler, his daughter Vera and the Hon Charles Rolls , partly inspired by the Aero Club of France...
's prestigious MacRobertson Air Race
MacRobertson Air Race
The MacRobertson Trophy Air Race took place October, 1934 as part of the Melbourne Centenary celebrations. The idea of the race was devised by the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, and a prize fund of $75,000 was put up by Sir Macpherson Robertson, a wealthy Australian confectionery manufacturer, on the...
on 20 October 1934. At the time, the air race stood as the longest race ever devised and attracted over 70,000 spectators to the base. Even more telling of the race's significance in the world's sporting spotlight, on short notice King George V and Queen Mary visited RAF Mildenhall the day before the race. In the end, pilots Tom Campbell Black
Tom Campbell Black
Tom Campbell Black, was a famous English aviator.He was the son of Alice Jean McCullough and Hugh Milner Black. He became a world famous aviator when he and C. W. A...
and C. W. A. Scott flying the de Havilland Comet
De Havilland DH.88
The de Havilland DH.88 Comet was a twin-engined British aircraft that won the 1934 MacRobertson Air Race, a challenge for which it was specifically designed...
"Grosvenor House", crossed the finish line first at Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, less than 72 hours after starting the race.
Following this propitious beginning, RAF Mildenhall received its first squadron and aircraft with the arrival of 99B Squadron, equipped with Handley Page Heyford
Handley Page Heyford
The Handley Page Heyford was a twin-engine British biplane bomber of the 1930s. Although it had a short service life, it equipped several squadrons of the RAF as one of the most important British bombers of the mid-1930s, and was the last biplane heavy bomber to serve with the RAF.-Design and...
bombers.
The threat the RAF had envisioned in the late 1920s materialized during the Munich Crisis. Between 26 September 1938 and 4 October 1939, the base completed its installation of its defense systems. After a brief reprieve from war, the base prepared for war, bringing station defenses and squadrons to full combat readiness. On 3 September 1939, three days after 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...
invaded Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Britain and 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...
declared war on Germany. Later that same day, three Wellington aircraft from Mildenhall were dispatched to bomb the German naval fleet at Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
.
World War II
Throughout World War II, RAF Mildenhall remained very active. In addition to its own airfield, the base held responsibility for satellite airfields at Newmarket, Tuddenham, and LakenheathRAF 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...
. During the course of the war, the base witnessed the transition from the two-engine Wellington, to the Short Stirling, and finally to the four-engine Avro Lancaster. In 1941, RAF Mildenhall was used for the making of the film Target for Tonight. So as not to give away important information to the enemy, RAF Mildenhall took the fictitious name of Millerton Aerodrome, and several other aspects were altered involving the day-to-day operations. The film, produced by the Crown Film Unit, focused on the planning and execution of an air raid on Germany, as seen by the crew of Vickers Wellington 'F for Freddie.' Dickson, the captain of 'F for Freddie', was played by Percy Pickard, who went on to lead the real-life Operation Biting and the later Operation Jericho raid on Amiens Prison.
For the duration of the war, except for a brief period to have concrete runways laid in 1943, RAF Mildenhall was involved in most of RAF Bomber Command's many offensives against Germany. While carrying out its operational duties, the base withstood several attacks by the German 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....
, but was never put out of commission (typically, the base's downtime after an attack lasted until personnel could fill in the damage to the runways).
By the end of the war, aircraft from RAF Mildenhall and its satellite airfields dropped over 23,000 tons of explosives, laid 2,000 mines in enemy waters, and flew over 8,000 sorties. Unfortunately, the base also saw the loss of over 200 Wellington, Stirling, and Lancaster aircraft, and more significantly, the loss of over 2,000 aircrew members. Some of those who paid the ultimate price for peace, including Pilot Officer Rawdon Hume Middleton, an Australian who was posthumously awarded Britain's highest military honor, the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, are buried at St. Johns Church cemetery in Beck Row
Beck Row
Beck Row is a village in Suffolk, England. The village is close to RAF Mildenhall and is home to about 500 people. Culturally, the village has an old church and a beacon dating from the time of the Battle of Trafalgar. A Victoria Cross recipient is buried in the local cemetery.The village is part...
.
Immediately after the war, RAF Mildenhall participated in humanitarian missions, flying home repatriated prisoners of war, and dropping relief supplies to the Dutch people stranded by the flooding caused by the retreating German Army. By the end of 1945, Mildenhall's operational activity experienced a drastic decrease, and despite a brief flurry of flying activity in the late 1940s, the RAF reduced the base to "care and maintenance" status. The only remaining RAF unit of significance was Headquarters No 3 Group, Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
, which remained on station until 1967.
USAF Use of RAF Mildenhall
In response to the threat by the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, especially after the 1948 Berlin Blockade
Berlin Blockade
The Berlin Blockade was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War and the first resulting in casualties. During the multinational occupation of post-World War II Germany, the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway and road access to the sectors of Berlin under Allied...
and the 1950 invasion of South Korea
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
by Communist forces, it was decided to re-establish a strong American force in Europe. On 11 July 1950, RAF Mildenhall was made available to the 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...
by the British Ministry of Defense as a Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
base, with joint operations with 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...
units.
Prior to Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
's role at RAF Mildenhall, Headquarters 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...
established Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
at South Ruslip Air Station
RAF South Ruislip
RAF South Ruislip was a non-flying Air Force station located in South Ruislip near London, England.The station opened in 1949 and was used by the United States Air Force as an administrative station to coordinate Third Air Force and 7th Air Division activities in Great Britain with the British...
South Ruislip Air Station in 1948 to command B-29 operations in England. Third Air Force was subsequently placed directly under USAF orders, with Strategic Air Command establishing the 7th Air Division Headquarters at RAF Mildenhall. The collocation of the two headquarters within the United Kingdom allowed HQ USAFE to discharge its responsibilities in England, while at the same time allowing Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
to continue in its deterrent role while retaining operational control over flying activities at RAF Mildenhall.
Strategic Air Command use
On 1 May 1951, Strategic Air Command took control of the station rotated Bomb Wings in and out of Mildenhall on temporary duty assignments. The first operational strategic unit to use the base was the Boeing B-50D Superfortress
B-50 Superfortress
The Boeing B-50 Superfortress strategic bomber was a post-World War II revision of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, fitted with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, stronger structure, a taller fin, and other improvements. It was the last piston-engined bomber designed by Boeing for...
equipped 2d Bomb Wing, arriving on Temporary Duty (TDY) 4 May 1951 from Hunter AFB
Hunter Army Airfield
Hunter Army Airfield , located in Savannah, Georgia, United States, is a military airfield and subordinate installation to Fort Stewart.Hunter features a runway that is 11,375 feet long and an aircraft parking area that is more than 350 acres...
Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, departing on 12 December 1951.
Other rotational strategic bomb wings at Mildenhall were:
- 22d Bombardment Wing22d Air Refueling WingThe 22d Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas and also functions as the host wing for McConnell AFB....
(7 September 1951 – 12 December 1951) (B-50D, KB-29P)
(TDY From March AFB CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) - 93d Bombardment Wing
93d Bombardment Wing (16 December 1951 – 8 March 1952) (B-50D, KB-29P)
(TDY From Castle AFB CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) - 509th Bombardment Wing509th Bomb WingThe 509th Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command, Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri....
(4 June 1952 – 2 September 1952) (B-50D, KB-29P)
(TDY From Walker AFB New MexicoNew MexicoNew 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 1953 RAF Mildenhall's mission was changed from a B-50 bomber base to a Boeing B-47 Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
and KC-97 Stratotanker
KC-97 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker was a United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.-Design and development:...
aerial tanker dispersal base. This series of temporary deployments generally involved an entire wing of about 40 B-47s and about 20 tankers being held at readiness for several months, then being relieved by another unit that was based at a different airfield in the UK with the bombers and tankers also at different airfields. In this way SAC could spread out its potential as a Soviet target by placing its short range B-47s, weapons, and personnel on a ring of overseas bases from Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
to North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, of which Mildenhall was one.
- 55th Air Refueling Squadron (April 1953 – June 1954) (KB-50, KB-29P)
(TDY From Ramey AFB, Puerto RicoPuerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
) - 305th Air Refueling Squadron (September 1953 – December 1953) (KC-97)
(TDY From MacDill AFB, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
) - 22d Air Refueling Squadron (7 December 1953 – 5 March 1954) (KC-97)
(TDY From March AFB, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) - 303d Air Refueling Group (17 March 1954 – 5 June 1954) (KC-97)
(TDY From Davis-Monthan AFB, ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
) - 1370 Photo Mapping Group (June 1954 – September 1954) (RB-50G) (Photographic Reconnaissance)
(TDY From Morrision AFBPalm Beach International AirportPalm Beach International Airport is a public airport located 3 nautical miles west of Palm Beach, Florida, in West Palm Beach, Florida, and serves Palm Beach County. The airport is operated and maintained by Palm Beach County Department of Airports. Road access to the airport is available...
, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
) - 97th Bombardment Wing (Summer 1954) (RB-50E/G, KB-29P) (Electronic Reconnaissance)
(TDY From Biggs AFB, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
) - 43d Air Refueling Group (August 1954 – December 1954) (KC-97)
(TDY From Carswell AFB, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
) - 306th Air Refueling Squadron (7 December 1953 – 5 March 1954) (KC-97)
(TDY From MacDill AFB, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
) - 98th Air Refueling Squadron (7 November 1955 – 31 January 1956) (KC-97)
(TDY From Lincoln AFB, NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
) - Mildenhall Task Force (Provisional) (1 July 1956 – May 1958) (RB/ERB-47H) (Electronic Reconnaissance and Countermeasures)
(TDY From 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Forbes AFB, KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
) - 380th Air Refueling Squadron (3 April 1957 – 3 July 1957) (KC-97)
(TDY From Shilling AFB, KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
) - 44th Air Refueling Squadron (Autumn 1957) (KC-97)
(TDY From Chennault AFBChennault International AirportChennault International Airport is a public use airport located four nautical miles east of the central business district of Lake Charles, a city in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, United States...
, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
)
These TDYs became a heavy burden for both SAC as well as Military Air Transport Service
Military Air Transport Service
The Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...
(MATS) which had to transport thousands of personnel and tons of material to and from the United States in just a few days to support these rotations. In 1958, it was decided that these rotational TDYs would be replaced by a new system of overseas deployments called Reflex. From then on, rather than being deployed for a few months, a permanent SAC presence would be established at bases with aircraft being deployed for three weeks from several SAC bases, being kept on full alert status ready for instant takeoff at their "Reflex Bases".
In 1958 and the first half of 1959 the RAF Mildenhall runway was closed for repairs, and on 1 September 1959 the Royal Air Force ceased regular flying operations, making the USAF the sole operator of the base.
The host base SAC support unit at RAF Mildenhall was the 3910th Air Base Group, changing to the 3932d AB Squadron and lastly 3934th AB Squadron. These units provided the administrative, maintenance and logistical support necessary to the rotating operational wings and squadrons.
7513th Tactical Group
RAF Mildenhall became the home for the Military Air Transport Service (later Military Airlift Command
Military Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised...
) main air passenger terminal for the United Kingdom on 1 March 1959 with the 1625th Support Squadron providing military personnel and dependents service at the terminal with the drawdown at the Burtonwood Air Depot
RAF Burtonwood
RAF Burtonwood was a Royal Air Force station in England, 2 miles north-west of Warrington, Lancashire. During World War II and the Cold War it was used by the United States Air Force and was also known as USAAF station 590.- Overview :...
.
The 53d Weather Squadron was transferred to Mildenhall from 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....
on 10 August 1959, flying WB-50D Superfortresses s
B-50 Superfortress
The Boeing B-50 Superfortress strategic bomber was a post-World War II revision of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, fitted with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, stronger structure, a taller fin, and other improvements. It was the last piston-engined bomber designed by Boeing for...
and was assigned with collecting weather data that was transmitted to weather stations for use in preparing forecasts required for the Air Force
Military Air Transport Service (MATS)
Military Air Transport Service
The Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...
and the U.S. Weather Bureau. It was deactivated on 18 March 1960.
On 15 November 1965 Mildenhall welcomed the arrival of the Silk Purse Control Group and the 7120th Airborne Command and Control Squadron (7120 ACCS) previously stationed at Châteauroux-Déols Air Base
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...
, 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...
. Upon its arrival at Mildenhall, the 7120th ACCS converted from C-118s
Douglas DC-6
The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range...
to EC-135s which were used as airborne command posts under the code name "Silk Purse"
513th Tactical Airlift Wing
Evreux-Fauville Air Base
Évreux-Fauville Air Base is a French Air Force base located about 2 miles east of the town of Évreux in the Eure département, on the north side of the Route nationale 13 Highway....
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...
. With its activation on Mildenhall, the 513th TCW assumed operational control of two rotational (7441st, 7742d) Troop Carrier Squadrons of twenty MAC C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
and received the 7120th ACCS / Silk Purse Control Group from Châteauroux-Déols Air Station, 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...
. and the five Boeing EC-135H "Silk Purse"
C-135 Stratolifter
|-See also:-External links:* at Globalsecurity.org...
Flying Command Posts for European Command.
On 8 July 1958 the Air Force redesignated the 513 TCW the 513th Tactical Airlift Wing (513 TAW) with no change in its mission.
For the next four years RAF Mildenhall witnessed little change, with only the 10th ACCS replacing the 7120th ACCS on 1 January 1970, and assuming its mission. However, in June 1972, the base added to the list of its tenants with the arrival of Headquarters Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, which relocated from South Ruislip Air Station.
306th Strategic Wing
On 1 July 1978 the SAC 306th Strategic Wing
306th Flying Training Group
The 306th Flying Training Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force...
was transferred to RAF Mildenhall from Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base is a United States Air Force base in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation...
, 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....
with a KC-135 air refueling and a RC-135 reconnaissance mission. The 306th also functioned as the focal point for all SAC operations in Europe and became the host unit at RAF Mildenhall. MAC cargo and passenger transport operations continued under the 435th Tactical Airlift Group.
With the arrival of the 306th SW, Mildenhall also became known as SAC's European Reconnaissance center. For many years various typed of Boeing RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft were observed regularly arriving and departing from the Mildenhall runway. Most of these aircraft come from the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Offutt AFB, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
and had the capability to receive radar and radio signals from far behind the borders of the Communist Eastern Bloc. From Mildenhall the RC-135s flew ELINT and COMINT missions along the borders of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, 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....
and Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
. The twenty or so specialists on board the RC-135s during such missions listened to and recorded military radio frequencies and communications.
The next significant event in Mildenhall's history came with the arrival of Detachment 4, 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing in 1976, which controlled rotational Lockheed U-2
Lockheed U-2
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
and SR-71 Blackbird
SR-71 Blackbird
The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft. It was developed as a black project from the Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft in the 1960s by the Lockheed Skunk Works. Clarence "Kelly" Johnson was responsible for many of the...
operations from the base. It is not known when SAC first began making reconnaissance flights in Europe with these aircraft. There are indications that these fast aircraft have been operating in Europe since the end of the 1960s, with an SR-71 making a stopover in August 1970 at RAF Upper Heyford, England, before a mission over the Middle East.
These aircraft carried out strategic photo reconnaissance missions for NATO and the USAF within the framework of the SALT I Agreement of 1972. Under this agreement the Soviet Union and the United States reached agreement on a partial freeze on the number of offensive nuclear weapons and these flights were to check that the Soviets were adhering to the agreement.
As well as the photo missions the 9th SRW gathered telemetry signals from Soviet missile systems. Such missions were carried out using the SR-71 and U-2/TR-1 aircraft and Boeing RC-135s from the 55th SRW. This information was analyzed, together with information originating from reconnaissance satellites to present an intelligence picture for analysis to assemble a good picture of Soviet activities for national decision-making.
The 306th SW also played a major role in the success of Operation El Dorado Canyon
Operation El Dorado Canyon
The 1986 United States bombing of Libya, code-named Operation El Dorado Canyon, comprised the joint United States Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps air-strikes against Libya on April 15, 1986. The attack was carried out in response to the 1986 Berlin discotheque bombing.-Origins:Shortly after his...
, the American attack on the 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....
n capital of Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
in 1986. In support of this 14-hour, radio-silence rendezvous mission, the unit deployed the largest number of refueling aircraft ever flown over Europe and the largest fleet of KC-10's ever airborne at one time. In addition, the day after the attack 9th SW aircraft made several unmolested flights over the bombed military targets in and around Tripoli and Benghazi.
From their arrival until the departure of the last SR-71 on 18 January 1990, the 306th Strategic Wing's SR-71 and U-2 aircraft came to symbolize RAF Mildenhall in the local public's eye.
On 18 June 1987, HQ USAFE designated the 513 TAW as the 513th Airborne Command and Control Wing (513th ACCW) with responsibility for the E-3 Sentry AWCS
E-3 Sentry
The Boeing E-3 Sentry is an airborne warning and control system developed by Boeing as the prime contractor. Derived from the Boeing 707, it provides all-weather surveillance, command, control and communications, and is used by the United States Air Force , NATO, Royal Air Force , French Air Force...
aircraft at Mildenhall. The 513th ACCW's mission was to provide theater and Air Force commanders with trained aircrews and maintenance personnel and systems for airborne surveillance, warning and control of U.S. and allied military aviation assets.
Nearly five years later, during the Air Force's transition to the objective wing structure, the Air Force inactivated the 513th ACCW on 31 January 1992. The 513th was reactivated as a group at Tinker AFB Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
on 15 March 1996 as an Air Force Reserve unit.
With the collapse of the Soviet Union and lessening of Cold War tensions, the "Silk Purse" mission of the 10th ACCS came to an end on 31 December 1991 and the unit was inactivated.
Post Cold War
The 100th ARW provides aerial refueling support to Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps aircraft as well as aircraft of allied nations. Its aircraft are also capable of transporting litter and ambulatory patients using patient support pallets during aeromedical evacuations.
In May 1993, as part of the drawdown of forces in Europe, it was announced that the majority of the USAF-operated base at 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....
was to be returned to the British Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
. As a part of this return, the 352nd Special Operations Group and its associated aircraft, the MC-130E, HC-130P/N
HC-130
The Lockheed HC-130 is an extended-range, search and rescue and Combat search and rescue version of the C-130 Hercules transport. The HC-130H and HC-130J versions are operated by the United States Coast Guard in a SAR and maritime reconnaissance role. The HC-130P and HC-130N Combat King models...
and MH-53, transferred to RAF Mildenhall in March 1995.
On 1 July 1994 the 95th Reconnaissance Squadron was activated at Mildenhall, essentially taking over the mission of the deactivated 306th Strategic Wing.
See also
- List of RAF stations
- RAF Thorpe AbbottsRAF Thorpe AbbottsRAF Thorpe Abbotts is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 4 miles E of Diss in Norfolk.-Overview:Thorpe Abbotts airfield was built during 1942 and early 1943 for the RAF as a satellite airfield for RAF Horham but the rapid buildup of the 8th Air Force resulted in both...
- Strategic Air Command in the United KingdomStrategic Air Command in the United KingdomDuring the mid- to late 1940s the United States Air Forces in Europe was occupied with supporting the movement of men and aircraft of the Strategic Air Command to bases in England.-Early Cold War Tensions:...