A Moment in Air Force History

The 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing arrived here in 1952 and became the Ramstein’s first operational unit. The 86th Airlift Wing and Ramstein Air Base are an inseparable pair. While they have a very long history together, it has not been continuous. The 86th left for five years because of the actions of two foreign nations.

On March 7, 1966 French President Charles De Gaulle announced France’s withdrawal from NATO’s military structure and gave the NATO forces one year to leave France. (To this day, France has not re-entered NATO’s military structure.) This initiated “Project FRELOC,” or Fast Relocation, where USAFE closed seven air bases, an air depot and 70 smaller locations in France. They moved the 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing with their factory-new RF-4Cs from Toul-Rosieres Air Base, France to Ramstein, giving the 26th TRW the host wing responsibilities. The 86th could have shared the base with the 26th TRW were it not for Canada.

On Feb. 1, 1968, Canada combined its Army, Navy and Air Force into the Canadian Armed Forces. And subsequent force reductions in Europe led to their 3 Wing’s departure from Zweibrücken Air Base in 1969—a base Canada had operated since its 1953 opening. Aware they were going to acquire this base, USAFE began making arrangements to free up a unit to operate it.

In 1968, all of the 86th’s squadrons were realigned to the 17th Air Force and the 86th was inactivated. The next year, USAFE activated the 86th Tactical Fighter Wing on Zweibrücken as the new host wing. Shortly after reactivation, the wing picked up a reconnaissance mission. (One of their RF-4Cs, #68-554 is parked on this base today.)

By 1971 an odd situation came to pass, the 86th TFW and the 26th TRW had gained responsibilities for fighter and reconnaissance missions. In an effort to realign and streamline functions USAFE moved the reconnaissance squadrons to Zweibrücken and moved the fighter squadrons to Ramstein, leaving the 526th Fighter Squadron on Ramstein.

Then in an unusual ceremony held on Jan. 31, 1973 at 17th Air Force Headquarters, Sembach Air Base—Brig. Gen. William F. Georgi traded his 26th TRW flag for the 86th TFW flag. And with that, without moving any people or equipment, the 86th returned to Ramstein. Home sweet home!

(Courtesy 435th Air Base Wing and 86th Airlift Wing history offices)