United States Air Force in France

US Air Force units stationed in France from 1951–1966

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Former bases of the United States Air Force
in France

Part of the Cold War

Map of former NATO air bases in France.
| Date| 1951-1966

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Location|

France

Result|  US Withdrawal in accordance with French withdrawal From NATO Military Command Structure

From 1951 to 1966 the United States Air Force deployed thousands of personnel and hundreds of combat aircraft to France to counter the buildup of the Soviet Armed Forces in Eastern Europe. The Cold War escalated into the attempted seizure of West Berlin during 1948. This convinced the western nations to form a common defense organization. Discussions led to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO's defense strategy came to incorporate land, sea, and air forces.

Due to the vulnerability of West Germany to Soviet attack, USAF planners did not want any new tactical air units moved into the U.S. Zone of Occupation there. By 1950, the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) wanted all tactical air units to be located west of the Rhine River to provide greater air defense warning time. France agreed to provide air base sites.

Between 1950 and 1967 the United States Air Force operated 11 major air bases in France. There were other communications sites, NATO Dispersed Operating Bases, Sub-Depots and minor facilities at several French Airports, such as Orly Airport and Marseille Provence Airport. The United States Army also established a significant presence in France, and was responsible for much air base construction and maintenance.

F-100D fighter-bombers of the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing at Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base, 1957. C-130A 56-0524 of the 40th Troop Carrier Squadron, Evreux-Fauville Air Base, 1958 provided USAFE Tactical Airlift capabilities

France was a founding member of NATO which came into existence on 24 August 1949. The first non French NATO tenant in France was the 1630th Air Base Squadron of the USAF Military Air Transport Service, activated in June 1950 at Paris - Orly Air Base. On 28 February 1958 the official name of Orly Air Base was changed to Orly Airport and most MATS flights were routed to Chateauroux Air Depot.

After 15 years of U.S. Air Force presence, French President Charles de Gaulle decided to evict non-French NATO forces from France. He refused to store U.S. nuclear weapons on French soil. On 7 March 1966, he announced that France would withdraw from the NATO Military Command Structure. He gave foreign NATO forces one year to depart France.

The State Department, the United States Department of Defense, and Air Force carefully managed the news about the American departure from France, and the attendant problems of an integrated NATO air defense for western Europe and the decrease in tactical airpower.[1] Due to the U.S. media focus on the Vietnam War, the removal of foreign, mainly US, NATO forces from France went virtually unreported in the US.

During 1966-67 all USAF offices and facilities in France were closed and personnel and equipment moved. The last USAF activities were the 1630th Air Base Squadron at Orly Airport and the Paris Administration Office. Both were closed in June 1967.

On 23 October 1967, all foreign flags were furled and after 17 years the last foreign NATO forces departed France.

Today most of the old USAF air bases in France are being used by the French military and are not accessible to tourists.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Jerry McAuliffe, The USAF in France 1950-1967

## Further reading

[edit]

* Endicott, Judy G. (1999) Active Air Force wings as of 1 October 1995; USAF active flying, space, and missile squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. CD-ROM.
* McAuliffe, Jerome J. (2005). US Air Force in France 1950–1967. San Diego, California: Milspec Press ISBN 0-9770371-1-8.
* Menard, David W. (1998) Before Centuries: USAFE Fighters, 1948–1959. Howell Press Inc. ISBN 1-57427-079-6
* Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
* [1] USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers—1908 to Present

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United States Air Force in France

Bases
(inactive)|

* Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport
* Chambley-Bussières Air Base
* Chateauroux Air Station (formerly Depot)
* Chaumont–Semoutiers Air Base
* Dreux-Louvilliers Air Base
* Étain-Rouvres Air Base
* Évreux-Fauville Air Base
* Laon-Couvron Air Base
* Orly Air Base
* Phalsbourg-Bourscheid Air Base
* Toul-Rosières Air Base
* NATO Dispersed Operating Bases

Wings|

* 10th TRW
* 21st FBW
* 23d HS
* 25th TRW
* 26th TRW
* 38th TBW
* 48th FBW
* 49th FBW
* 50th FBW
* 60th TAW
* 66th TRW
* 73d ADW
* 102nd TFW
* 117th TRW
* 126th BW
* 137th FBW
* 317th TCW
* 322d AD
* 366th TFW
* 388th FBW
* 465th TCW

Part of the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE)

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United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA)

Air Forces|

* Third (Europe)

Bases|

* Aviano Air Base
* Incirlik Air Base
* RAF Lakenheath
* RAF Mildenhall
* Ramstein Air Base
* Spangdahlem Air Base

Support facilities|

* Ämari Air Base
* Büchel Air Base
* Camp Lemonnier
* Câmpia Turzii Air Base
* Chabelley Airport
* Chièvres Air Base
* Ghedi Air Base
* Izmir Air Station
* Kleine Brogel Air Base
* Lajes Field
* Łask Air Base
* Morón Air Base
* RAF Akrotiri
* RAF Alconbury
* RAF Fairford
* RAF Menwith Hill
* RAF Molesworth
* RAF Welford
* Stuttgart Airport
* Volkel Air Base

Major units|

* 31st Fighter Wing
* 39th Air Base Wing
* 48th Fighter Wing
* 52nd Fighter Wing
* 86th Airlift Wing
* 100th Air Refueling Wing
* 406th Air Expeditionary Wing
* 435th Air Ground Operations Wing
* 501st Combat Support Wing

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