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Phalsbourg-Bourscheid Air Base is a former USAF base in France. It is located in the Moselle Département of France , just to the west of the town of Phalsbourg, 29 miles northwest of Strasbourg . ORIGINS Prior to 1950 , there were no existing airfields in the Phalsbourg area. With the advent of the Cold War in the late 1940's and the formation of NATO , agreements were made to expand the United States military presence in western Europe. The forces deployed there during World War II had been rapidly drawn down after 1945 , and on 4 April 1949 , an agreement was signed between Belgium , Canada , Denmark , France , Iceland , the United Kingdom , Italy , Luxembourg , Netherlands , Portugal , and the United States to develop a joint military force to offset the Soviet Union . The United States and United Kingdom would provide the strategic forces equipped with nuclear weapons. NATO would provide the tactial air power. This lead to the devlopment of the United States Air Force In Europe to command the American forces in NATO. The United States would eventually base combat aircraft and personnel in Belgium, England, France, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and West Germany. NATO ACQUISTION In 1950 , U. S. representives began a series of discussions with the French to select air bases and negotiate the details of establishing a large USAF presence. France was a nation with a long aviation heritage and many of the sites initailly selected were former World War II airfields that had been used by the French Air Force, the German Luftwaffe and the USAAF Ninth Air Force . USAFE desired an air field in Alsace-Lorraine region due to it's eastern location near the Rhine River , but at the time, there were no existing airfields that could meet NATO requirements. The agreed airfield site was west of the city of Phalsbourg, adjacent to French National Route N4 on gently roling farmland. USAF USE In February 1952 the 7040th Air Base Squadron was activated in Phalsbourg manage the base's construction. Highway N4 was moved a half-mile to the south, and by the summer of 1952, work began on the site preperation of the base. Construction continuted during 1953, and in 1954, the base was nearing completion. On 4 February 1955 Twelfth Air Force took posession of Phalsbourg AB, although no combat wing or aircraft had been assigned. Tactical Air Command advised USAFE that due to budget limitations, it would be unable to estabish a tactial air fighter/bomber wing at the base until 1961 . The 7040th ABS continued as the caretaker unit of the base until being repalced by the 7486th Air Base Group in 1955 . Phalsbourg was kept in a reserve standby status after the construction was completed. 23rd Helicopter Squadron The first USAF unit to be stationed at Phalsbourg AB was the 23rd Helicopter Squadron . The 23d activated on 9 July 1956 at Stewart AFB , Tennessee , then deployed to Phalsbourg in November . Two detachments of the 23rd were located at RAF Wethersfield , United Kingdom , and Wheelus Air Base , Libya . At Phalsbourg, the 23rd flew the Piasecki H-21B . These helicopters provided typical helicopter airlift missions such as special air lift, administrative support, and emergency air evacuation. The 23rd was the only helicopter squadron in USAFE and had difficulties operating, because it was not allowed to fly at night in France and had insufficient manning to provide complete base/wing operations. USAFE felt that the limitations of helicopter airlift was not worth the costs, and the 23rd was inactivated on 8 January 1958 . The helicopters were returned to CONUS, being assigned to Brookley AFB , Alabama . 10th/66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wings In January 1958 , the 10th TRW at Spangdahlem AB Germany deployed two RF-84F squadrons to Phalsbourg while the runway at Spangdahlem was under repair and renovation. On 8 March 1958 these squadrons were transferred to the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing which was then based at Sembach AB also in Germany. While these two squadrons were at Phalsbourg, the 66th TRW was transferred to Laon AB , but they remained TDY at Phalsbourg until the end of September 1958 until Laon's runway was ready for them. 513th Fighter Interceptor Squadron The 513th Fighter Interceptor Squadron arrived at Phalsbourg on 16 April 1958 from RAF Manston, England. The 516th FIS flew the F-86D "Sabre" , performing an all-weather air defense mission. The 516th FIS was assigned to the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing at Ramstein AB , Germany and stood air defense alert at Phalsbourg. For several months the 513th shared the facilities at Phalsbourg with the 66th TRW. The F-86's provided the air defense of Western Europe for the next five years. In Janurary 1959 , the Convair F-102 "Delta Dagger" began to replace the F-86 in the air defense role, and on 18 November 1960 , the aircraft of the 513th FIS began to stand down. The 513th was assigned to the 86th Air Division as it prepared for it's deactivation. The F-86's began to leave during November and December 1960 and the 513th FIS was inactivated on 8 January 1961 . With the departure of the F-86's Phalsbourg AB was again placed in a reserve status. 1961 Berlin Crisis During the summer of 1961 , as the Berlin Crisis unfolded, several USAF reserve units were notified on 16 August of their pending activation and recall to active duty. On 1 October the Massachusetts]] Air National Guard 102nd Tactical Fighter Wing and its three fighter squadrons, the 101st, 131st, and 138th went on active duty at Otis AFB . Between 28 and 30 October , the 102nd TFW departed Otis AFB to Phalsbourg. It's primary mission was close air supprot to NATO ground forces and air interdiction. This involved keeping it's F-86Hs on 24/7 alert. Starting on 5 December , the 102nd began deploying to Wheelus AB Lybia for gunnery training. 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron On 7 May 1962 , Seventeenth Air Force directed that the 102nd TFW would deploy back to CONUS during the summer, and the 102nd TFW returned to the United States in July 1962 , Regular USAF personnel, along with a group of ANG personnel who volunteered to remain on active duty formed the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadon of the newly activated 366th Tactical Fighter Wing . The 480th TFW reported to the 66th's Wing Headquarters at Chaumont AB and provided close air support to the U. S. Army Seventh Army as well as air defense. The 480th also sent it's pilots to Wheelus for training. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in September 1962 the 480th stood a total alert posture with its F-84's on 24/7 alert. On 16 July 1963 the 480th TFS departed Phalsbourg and rejoined the rest of the 366th TFW at its new home at Holloman AFB New Mexico Phalsbourg AB was then placed in a reserve status by USAFE . USAF Closure With the departure of the 480th TFS, the 7369th Combat Support Group maintained Phalsbourg in a standby reserve status, with occasional use by NATO for alerts and deployments of personnel and cargo into Germany for Reforger exercises. On 7 March 1966 , French President Charles De Gaulle announced that France would withdraw from NATO's integrated military military structure. The United States was informed that it must remove it's military forces from France by 1 April 1967 . Since no active Wing was present, it was an uncompliated process to deactivate Phalsbourg. On 15 February 1967 the American flag was lowered and the base returned to the French. Phalsbourg-Bourscheid AB USAF Emblems USAF Aircraft Types At Phalsbourg AB CURRENT USES from 1st combat helicopter regiment]] After the USAF departure, Phalsbourg AB was used by the French Army as a helicopter base and a logistics depot. Currently, the 1er Régiment d'Hélicoptères de Combat (3e RHC) Combat Helicopter Regiment operates from the base and flys SA341D "Gazelles" , SA 330 "Pumas" , and AS 532 "Cougar" In addition, the Aviation Legere de L'Armee de Terre (Army Light Aviation) has a quick reaction force, located at Phalsbourg, and the '''4e Brigade Aéromobile (Force d'Action Rapide)''', consisting of several additional helicopter units. Along with the Helicopter units, several Materials units are located at Phalsbourg: 6e Régiment du Matériel (6e RMAT) Material Regiment 15e Base de Soutien du Matériel (15e BSMAT) Materials Base The base is well-maintained and has been expanded over the years, and remains a front-line French military facility. REFERENCES
SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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