Soesterberg Air Base
Encyclopedia
Soesterberg Air Base was a Royal Netherlands Air Force
military
airbase located in Soesterberg, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) eastnortheast
of Utrecht
. It was first established as an airfield in 1911, and in 1913, the Dutch Army bought the field and established the Army Aviation Division.
For almost 40 years, United States Air Force
facilities at Soesterberg, named Camp New Amsterdam was a major front line USAFE airbase during the Cold War
. The base was closed on 31 December 2008, due to budget cuts in the Dutch Army. The airbase ceased flying operations on 12 November 2008, when the command was transferred from the Dutch Air Force to Dutch Defense who will take care of the base until it will be given back to nature. The last fighter ever to depart, delayed due bad weather at Aviano AB, was a Greek F-4E. The former USAFE part stays in military hands, and will now officially be called Camp New Amsterdam.
, the Netherlands
was a neutral country, and flew border patrol missions from Soesterberg airfield. The Dutch confiscated all foreign aircraft landing inside the borders of their country during the war, and added the operational ones to their inventory to be used for pilot training at Soesterberg.
At the beginning of World War II
, the Dutch again declared neutrality, but the German force's blitzkrieg overran the country in five days, and Soesterberg was occupied by the German Luftwaffe
on 15 May 1940. A variety of German aircraft was stationed there during the war, flying anti-shipping missions along British
convoy routes in the North Sea
, bombing missions over England
, and fighter defence against Allied bombing missions. Throughout the war, Allied Air Forces caused enormous damage to the airfield, and by September 1944 the Luftwaffe acknowledged Soesterberg airfield to be more or less useless.
In May 1945, Canadian
forces liberated the airfield. After the War, an extensive Dutch construction programme was started - to build, new hangars, extending the runways and several locations around the base, used as service areas during the War, were upgraded. On 5 August 1951, the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) declared it operational and gave it an air defence role. The RNLAF has maintained flying units at Soesterberg since then.
On the base two monuments were erected. The monument for Fallen Aviators (Monument voor Gevallen Vliegers) is the official Royal Netherlands Air Force Memorial, and located near the main entrance of the base. On Memorial Day, 4 May the Royal Netherlands Air Force holds a ceremony to remember and commemorate the fallen of World War II.
The other monument at the base is for Executed Resistance Fighters. It is the symbol for the sacrifice that 33 resistance fighters gave for freedom. Every year on 19 November, there is a memorial service. During World War II, the German Army (Wehrmacht
) secretly executed the 33 resistance fighters in the woods of the base. The resistance fighters were part of several resistance groups and most of them were caught due to betrayal. Although the execution was held in secret, there were rumours about it, and after the War the base was minutely searched. The mass grave, camouflaged by buried trees, was located by Major A. Siedenburg. His son was one of the victims.
In 1954, the Dutch government agreed to the stationing of a US Air Force fighter squadron to augment air defence. The USAF forces operated from a part of Soesterberg Air Base which was named Camp New Amsterdam, in honour of the first Dutch settlement in America, Nieuw Amsterdam, later renamed New York City
.
on 16 November 1954 from RAF Manston
in the UK. By July 1955, the 512th reached full operational status. The squadron markings of the F-86s were with three green bands at the vertical tail.
It was a tradition in the U.S. Air Force that a squadron, which was stationed in a foreign country, have a historical tie with it. Because the 512th had no historical ties with the Netherlands, the Americans started a search for their traditional historical link between the two countries. It was found that the World War II 32d Fighter Squadron had been stationed on the Dutch islands Curaçao
and Aruba
in the Caribbean Sea
, which then gave the squadron its historical ties.
, where it replaced the 78th FIS. Its aircraft, personnel and equipment however stayed in the Netherlands, and made up the newly activated 32d Fighter Day Squadron
, which was operated at Soesterberg as a detachment of the 36th Fighter Wing at Bitburg Air Base
West Germany
.
In 1956, the squadron transitioned to North American F-100 "Super Sabres"
. The 32d sent five instructors pilots to Sidi Slimane AB in Morocco
to complete transition training for the F-100. At the same time, the squadron began ferrying the F-86s to Prestwick
, Scotland
, and Châteauroux-Déols Air Base
in France
for disposal. On 18 July 1958, USAFE redesignated the unit as the 32d Tactical Fighter Squadron, as part of the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing.
Due the requirement of a longer runway for landing and take offs, the runway of the base was extended to over 3000 metre. In 1957, the squadron’s operational strength was increased to 24 aircraft.
In 1959, the 32d received the signature "Royal", the crown and wreath of the Dutch Royal Family (the House of Orange) were added to the emblem, giving it its unique look. This unique honour was granted in recognition of the unit's contribution to the defence of the Netherlands, and graphically illustrates the 32d's close ties with the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The 32 TFS had the unique distinction of being the only unit in the USAF whose emblem included the royal crest of another nation. This addition was only authorised as long as the 32d TFS remained in the Netherlands.
In January 1959, the 525th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Bitburg received the first Convair F-102 "Delta Dagger", designed to upgrade the air defence capabilities of Western Europe. As part of this upgrade, the 32d was redesignated as the 32d Fighter Interceptor Squadron, and also received F-102s and acquired a 24-hour alert commitment flying alert interceptor mission from Soesterberg supporting NATO’s 2d Allied Tactical Air Force (2d ATAF). The 32 FIS was assigned to the USAFE 86th Air Division (Defense) at Ramstein Air Base
West Germany
on 1 July 1960. This transfer was made in order that all USAF fighter assets in Europe could be concentrated in one command.
The 32d flew 18 F-102s, with the aircraft, were divided into three flights red, white and blue. Through the years, the markings were altered several times. From a red-white-blue tailplane, red-white and blue flaps and a green band on, again, the tailplane into a green/brown camouflage painting.
, the USAF announced that its F-102 squadrons would be re-equipped with the modern McDonnell Douglas F-4 "Phantom II"
. The 32nd squadron was first in line to undergo the conversion, and the F-102s were flown back to the United States and were placed in service with the Air National Guard
.
On 1 July 1969, the USAF redesignated the unit as the 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron (32nd TFS). On 6 August 1969, the first two, brand new, Phantoms arrived. Flying the F-4 Phantom meant some drastic changes for the squadron and the base. Personnel had to be increased, and the squadron's task was extended to include lending air support to ground troops. Also, USAFE wanted to upgrade the headquarters element of the 32d to group status, and establish itself as a separate organisation from the 36th TFW at Bitburg. However, the Dutch and American governments had agreed that the US Air Force would only station a "squadron" at Soesterberg, and this fact hindered the American attempt to upgrade the squadron's status.
Also in 1969, the USAF decided to assign the 32nd with the "CR" tailcode. During the Vietnam War
, it was found that a camouflaged aircraft was hard to identify. That was why the tailcode concept was introduced. The tails of 32d TFS's F-4s were also provided with a green and orange band (green being the squadrons' color and orange of the Royal House of Orange).
In 1978, the F-4s were flown to Ramstein Air Base
in Germany, where they were assigned to the 86th TFW. The 32d was upgraded to the McDonnell Douglas F-15A "Eagle"
as part of Project Ready Eagle which brought F-15s to Bitburg in 1977. However, after flying the F-15A and F-15B for just 18 months, the USAF exchanged these models for the new F-15C and F-15D Eagles.
In May 1980, the 32d flew five of its Eagles to Eglin Air Force Base
Florida
, to participate in the weapons systems evaluation program. While at Eglin, the unit swapped its aircraft for the newer models. These planes arrived at Soesterberg on 13 June, making the 32nd the first unit in the USAFE to be equipped with the latest versions of the F-15. The 32nd completed the upgrade on 25 November 1980. At that time, the squadron possessed 18 F-15Cs and two F-15Ds fighter aircraft.
In 1989, the Dutch government allowed USAF to upgrade its headquarters unit at Soesterberg AB from squadron to group status. The 32d Tactical Fighter Group was activated at Soesterberg on 16 November 1989, with the 32 Tactical Fighter Squadron as a subordinate unit and much reduced in size.
During the 1991 Gulf War
, after more than forty years, the 32d saw combat. Aircrew and ground support personnel were deployed, during the operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM at Incirlik Air Base
, Turkey
. On 28 January 1991, one of the team members actually killed an Iraqi MiG. After the War they continued their air activities in theatre as a part of operation PROVIDE COMFORT from April 1991 until April 1993.
In November 1991, with the force structure reorganization, both units dropped tactical from their name. In the fall of 1991, the 32d became fully equipped with F-15A/B multi-stage improvement Eagles.
. With this departure, the 298th squadron was the only flying unit at the base until 1995, when the 300rd squadron joined the 298th squadron. In the same year, the 298th squadron converted to the CH-47 Chinook
, and passed the SA 316 to Gilze-Rijen Air Base
, while the 300th squadron received the AS 532 U2 Cougar
. Later the SA 316 returned to Soesterberg and joined 300th Squadron.
, a major force draw-down occurred in Europe, the USAF reduced its fighter force structure. These changes affected the 32nd, as part of the draw-down, the squadron's F-15 Eagles returned to the United States. The original intent of USAFE was to inactivate the 32d Fighter Group, and orders were so issued inactivating the group's subordinate units on 1 July 1994 and the group on 1 October.
On 19 April, the group furled its colors in formal ceremonies attended by members of the Royal Family, and the American ambassador. Later in the spring, however, HQ USAFE received permission from HQ USAF to use the 32d designation for the new 32d Air Operations Group. HQ USAFE created this unit on 1 July, and activated the 632d Air Base Squadron the same day to replace the 32d Fighter Group at Soesterberg to complete closure actions. The same order redesignated the group's 32d Fighter Squadron as the 32d Air Operations Squadron, with assignment to the 32d Air Operations Group. All actions were effective 1 July 1994.
In this way, USAFE was able to preserve the lineage of these two distinguished units. The American part of Soesterberg was returned to the Netherlands government on 27 September 1994. Only one F-15A remains in the Netherlands, and is displayed at the Military Aviation Museum. Soesterberg then became a Royal Netherlands Air Force transport helicopter base with 298th squadron (CH-47 Chinook
) and 300th squadron (AS 532 U2 Cougar
and SA 316) stationed at the base.
Flying officially ended on 12 November 2008. The last jet ever to take off was a Hellenic AF F-4E. The base formally closed on 31 December 2008. The 298th and 300th squadron have been moved to Gilze-Rijen Air Base
. A part of the base remains in use as a glider field however. Also, the former USAFE side will be in use by ground units and will be called "Camp New Amsterdam". Finally, the AF museum returned to the base and will use most of the existing hangars.
Royal Netherlands Air Force
The Royal Netherlands Air Force , Dutch Koninklijke Luchtmacht , is the military aviation branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Its ancestor, the Luchtvaartafdeling of the Dutch Army was founded on 1 July 1913, with four pilots...
military
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
airbase located in Soesterberg, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) eastnortheast
Boxing the compass
Boxing the compass is the action of naming all thirty-two points of the compass in clockwise order. Such names are formed by the initials of the cardinal directions and their intermediate ordinal directions, and are very handy to refer to a heading in a general or colloquial fashion, without...
of Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
. It was first established as an airfield in 1911, and in 1913, the Dutch Army bought the field and established the Army Aviation Division.
For almost 40 years, 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...
facilities at Soesterberg, named Camp New Amsterdam was a major front line USAFE airbase 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...
. The base was closed on 31 December 2008, due to budget cuts in the Dutch Army. The airbase ceased flying operations on 12 November 2008, when the command was transferred from the Dutch Air Force to Dutch Defense who will take care of the base until it will be given back to nature. The last fighter ever to depart, delayed due bad weather at Aviano AB, was a Greek F-4E. The former USAFE part stays in military hands, and will now officially be called Camp New Amsterdam.
Early history
During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
was a neutral country, and flew border patrol missions from Soesterberg airfield. The Dutch confiscated all foreign aircraft landing inside the borders of their country during the war, and added the operational ones to their inventory to be used for pilot training at Soesterberg.
At the beginning of 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...
, the Dutch again declared neutrality, but the German force's blitzkrieg overran the country in five days, and Soesterberg was occupied 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....
on 15 May 1940. A variety of German aircraft was stationed there during the war, flying anti-shipping missions along British
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...
convoy routes in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
, bombing missions over 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...
, and fighter defence against Allied bombing missions. Throughout the war, Allied Air Forces caused enormous damage to the airfield, and by September 1944 the Luftwaffe acknowledged Soesterberg airfield to be more or less useless.
In May 1945, Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
forces liberated the airfield. After the War, an extensive Dutch construction programme was started - to build, new hangars, extending the runways and several locations around the base, used as service areas during the War, were upgraded. On 5 August 1951, the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) declared it operational and gave it an air defence role. The RNLAF has maintained flying units at Soesterberg since then.
On the base two monuments were erected. The monument for Fallen Aviators (Monument voor Gevallen Vliegers) is the official Royal Netherlands Air Force Memorial, and located near the main entrance of the base. On Memorial Day, 4 May the Royal Netherlands Air Force holds a ceremony to remember and commemorate the fallen of World War II.
The other monument at the base is for Executed Resistance Fighters. It is the symbol for the sacrifice that 33 resistance fighters gave for freedom. Every year on 19 November, there is a memorial service. During World War II, the German Army (Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
) secretly executed the 33 resistance fighters in the woods of the base. The resistance fighters were part of several resistance groups and most of them were caught due to betrayal. Although the execution was held in secret, there were rumours about it, and after the War the base was minutely searched. The mass grave, camouflaged by buried trees, was located by Major A. Siedenburg. His son was one of the victims.
USAF use
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
512th Fighter-Day Squadron
The first U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) unit to operate from Soesterberg was the 512th Fighter-Day Squadron, which arrived with North American F-86F "Sabre"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...
on 16 November 1954 from RAF Manston
Kent International Airport
Manston - Kent's International Airport is an airport located at Manston in the District of Thanet within Kent, England, northeast of Canterbury. It was formerly called RAF Manston , and was also known as London Manston Airport...
in the UK. By July 1955, the 512th reached full operational status. The squadron markings of the F-86s were with three green bands at the vertical tail.
It was a tradition in the U.S. Air Force that a squadron, which was stationed in a foreign country, have a historical tie with it. Because the 512th had no historical ties with the Netherlands, the Americans started a search for their traditional historical link between the two countries. It was found that the World War II 32d Fighter Squadron had been stationed on the Dutch islands Curaçao
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
and Aruba
Aruba
Aruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
in the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
, which then gave the squadron its historical ties.
32d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
In September 1955, the designation of the 512th was transferred to RAF Shepherds GroveRAF Shepherds Grove
RAF Shepherds Grove is a former Royal Air Force base in Suffolk England 9 miles NE of Bury St Edmunds.The base was built for the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force during World War II. However the facility was not used by the USAAF and was opened by 3 Group, RAF on 3 April 1944...
, where it replaced the 78th FIS. Its aircraft, personnel and equipment however stayed in the Netherlands, and made up the newly activated 32d Fighter Day Squadron
32nd Air Operations Squadron
The 32d Air Operations Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 32d Air Operations Group, based at Ramstein Air Base, Germany...
, which was operated at Soesterberg as a detachment of the 36th Fighter Wing at 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....
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....
.
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...
. The 32d sent five instructors pilots to Sidi Slimane AB 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...
to complete transition training for the F-100. At the same time, the squadron began ferrying the F-86s to Prestwick
Prestwick
Prestwick is a town in South Ayrshire on the south-west coast of Scotland, about south-west of Glasgow. It adjoins the larger town of Ayr, the centre of which is about south...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and 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...
in 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...
for disposal. On 18 July 1958, USAFE redesignated the unit as the 32d Tactical Fighter Squadron, as part of the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing.
Due the requirement of a longer runway for landing and take offs, the runway of the base was extended to over 3000 metre. In 1957, the squadron’s operational strength was increased to 24 aircraft.
In 1959, the 32d received the signature "Royal", the crown and wreath of the Dutch Royal Family (the House of Orange) were added to the emblem, giving it its unique look. This unique honour was granted in recognition of the unit's contribution to the defence of the Netherlands, and graphically illustrates the 32d's close ties with the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The 32 TFS had the unique distinction of being the only unit in the USAF whose emblem included the royal crest of another nation. This addition was only authorised as long as the 32d TFS remained in the Netherlands.
In January 1959, the 525th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Bitburg received the first Convair F-102 "Delta Dagger", designed to upgrade the air defence capabilities of Western Europe. As part of this upgrade, the 32d was redesignated as the 32d Fighter Interceptor Squadron, and also received F-102s and acquired a 24-hour alert commitment flying alert interceptor mission from Soesterberg supporting NATO’s 2d Allied Tactical Air Force (2d ATAF). The 32 FIS was assigned to the USAFE 86th Air Division (Defense) at 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....
on 1 July 1960. This transfer was made in order that all USAF fighter assets in Europe could be concentrated in one command.
The 32d flew 18 F-102s, with the aircraft, were divided into three flights red, white and blue. Through the years, the markings were altered several times. From a red-white-blue tailplane, red-white and blue flaps and a green band on, again, the tailplane into a green/brown camouflage painting.
32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron
As a result of the 1968 Soviet intervention in CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia
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 USAF announced that its F-102 squadrons would be re-equipped with the modern McDonnell Douglas F-4 "Phantom II"
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
. The 32nd squadron was first in line to undergo the conversion, and the F-102s were flown back to the United States and were placed in service with the 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...
.
On 1 July 1969, the USAF redesignated the unit as the 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron (32nd TFS). On 6 August 1969, the first two, brand new, Phantoms arrived. Flying the F-4 Phantom meant some drastic changes for the squadron and the base. Personnel had to be increased, and the squadron's task was extended to include lending air support to ground troops. Also, USAFE wanted to upgrade the headquarters element of the 32d to group status, and establish itself as a separate organisation from the 36th TFW at Bitburg. However, the Dutch and American governments had agreed that the US Air Force would only station a "squadron" at Soesterberg, and this fact hindered the American attempt to upgrade the squadron's status.
Also in 1969, the USAF decided to assign the 32nd with the "CR" tailcode. During the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, it was found that a camouflaged aircraft was hard to identify. That was why the tailcode concept was introduced. The tails of 32d TFS's F-4s were also provided with a green and orange band (green being the squadrons' color and orange of the Royal House of Orange).
In 1978, the F-4s were flown to 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...
in Germany, where they were assigned to the 86th TFW. The 32d was upgraded to the McDonnell Douglas F-15A "Eagle"
F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
as part of Project Ready Eagle which brought F-15s to Bitburg in 1977. However, after flying the F-15A and F-15B for just 18 months, the USAF exchanged these models for the new F-15C and F-15D Eagles.
In May 1980, the 32d flew five of its Eagles to Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 3 miles southwest of Valparaiso, Florida in Okaloosa County....
Florida
Florida
Florida 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...
, to participate in the weapons systems evaluation program. While at Eglin, the unit swapped its aircraft for the newer models. These planes arrived at Soesterberg on 13 June, making the 32nd the first unit in the USAFE to be equipped with the latest versions of the F-15. The 32nd completed the upgrade on 25 November 1980. At that time, the squadron possessed 18 F-15Cs and two F-15Ds fighter aircraft.
In 1989, the Dutch government allowed USAF to upgrade its headquarters unit at Soesterberg AB from squadron to group status. The 32d Tactical Fighter Group was activated at Soesterberg on 16 November 1989, with the 32 Tactical Fighter Squadron as a subordinate unit and much reduced in size.
During the 1991 Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, after more than forty years, the 32d saw combat. Aircrew and ground support personnel were deployed, during the operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM at Incirlik Air Base
Incirlik Air Base
The Incirlik Air Base is located in İncirlik, five miles east of Adana, Turkey's fifth largest city, and from the Mediterranean Sea.The U.S...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. On 28 January 1991, one of the team members actually killed an Iraqi MiG. After the War they continued their air activities in theatre as a part of operation PROVIDE COMFORT from April 1991 until April 1993.
In November 1991, with the force structure reorganization, both units dropped tactical from their name. In the fall of 1991, the 32d became fully equipped with F-15A/B multi-stage improvement Eagles.
Dutch use
On the Dutch side, the airfield was used by 334th squadron flying the venerable Fokker F.27 beginning in 1968, and by the 298th squadron flying the SA 316 since 1969. In August 1981 however, the 336th squadron was reborn at Soesterberg. The task this time: Patrolling the skies over and around the islands of the Netherlands Antilles in the Caribbean. For the job, two new Fokker F.27 Mk.200 Maritime Patrol Aircraft were ordered. In September 1981, the first aircraft was delivered to the Royal Netherlands Air Force, and received the registration M-1. This aircraft departed to Curaçao in early November 1981, and the first pilot was Mayor G.W.G.F. Rijnders. The aircraft arrived on the island on 13 November 1981. The second Maritime registered M-2 arrived in March 1982. In 1992 the 334th squadron moved to Eindhoven AirportEindhoven Airport
-Facilities:Passenger facilities available include: Exchange office, Lost property office, Luggage lockers, Baby changing area and a Health centre. Wireless internet access is provided free of charge throughout the airport. A business lounge is available too. Major car rental companies have their...
. With this departure, the 298th squadron was the only flying unit at the base until 1995, when the 300rd squadron joined the 298th squadron. In the same year, the 298th squadron converted to the CH-47 Chinook
CH-47 Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
, and passed the SA 316 to Gilze-Rijen Air Base
Gilze-Rijen Air Base
Gilze-Rijen Air Base is a military airbase in the Netherlands located between the cities of Breda and Tilburg, in the Noord-Brabant province. It is mainly, but not exclusively used as a base for attack helicopters. The airfield has two runways, the longest, complete with instrument landing...
, while the 300th squadron received the AS 532 U2 Cougar
Eurocopter Cougar
-See also:-External links:* *...
. Later the SA 316 returned to Soesterberg and joined 300th Squadron.
USAF departure
With the end 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...
, a major force draw-down occurred in Europe, the USAF reduced its fighter force structure. These changes affected the 32nd, as part of the draw-down, the squadron's F-15 Eagles returned to the United States. The original intent of USAFE was to inactivate the 32d Fighter Group, and orders were so issued inactivating the group's subordinate units on 1 July 1994 and the group on 1 October.
On 19 April, the group furled its colors in formal ceremonies attended by members of the Royal Family, and the American ambassador. Later in the spring, however, HQ USAFE received permission from HQ USAF to use the 32d designation for the new 32d Air Operations Group. HQ USAFE created this unit on 1 July, and activated the 632d Air Base Squadron the same day to replace the 32d Fighter Group at Soesterberg to complete closure actions. The same order redesignated the group's 32d Fighter Squadron as the 32d Air Operations Squadron, with assignment to the 32d Air Operations Group. All actions were effective 1 July 1994.
In this way, USAFE was able to preserve the lineage of these two distinguished units. The American part of Soesterberg was returned to the Netherlands government on 27 September 1994. Only one F-15A remains in the Netherlands, and is displayed at the Military Aviation Museum. Soesterberg then became a Royal Netherlands Air Force transport helicopter base with 298th squadron (CH-47 Chinook
CH-47 Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
) and 300th squadron (AS 532 U2 Cougar
Eurocopter Cougar
-See also:-External links:* *...
and SA 316) stationed at the base.
Flying officially ended on 12 November 2008. The last jet ever to take off was a Hellenic AF F-4E. The base formally closed on 31 December 2008. The 298th and 300th squadron have been moved to Gilze-Rijen Air Base
Gilze-Rijen Air Base
Gilze-Rijen Air Base is a military airbase in the Netherlands located between the cities of Breda and Tilburg, in the Noord-Brabant province. It is mainly, but not exclusively used as a base for attack helicopters. The airfield has two runways, the longest, complete with instrument landing...
. A part of the base remains in use as a glider field however. Also, the former USAFE side will be in use by ground units and will be called "Camp New Amsterdam". Finally, the AF museum returned to the base and will use most of the existing hangars.
See also
- List of airports in the Netherlands
- The Netherlands in World War IIThe Netherlands in World War IIThe history of the Netherlands from 1939 to 1945 covers the events in the Netherlands that took place under the German occupation that started on May 10, 1940 with the Battle of the Netherlands. The Netherlands hoped to stay neutral when World War II broke out in 1939 but this failed to happen when...
- United States Air Forces in EuropeUnited States Air Forces in EuropeThe 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...