7504th AIR SUPPORT WING

• Early Origins: The 7504th Air Support Wing was established in the early 1950s during the height of the Cold War to provide critical support for USAFE (United States Air Forces in Europe) operations. • Location: The wing was headquartered at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base in West Germany, a strategically important location for NATO air operations in Europe. • Role: Its primary mission was to provide air support, logistical coordination, and training for U.S. Air Force units stationed throughout Europe. • Support for Berlin Airlift: Although activated after the Berlin Airlift, many of its initial personnel and resources had experience from that historic operation, shaping the wing’s early culture. • Disaster Response: The 7504th played a vital role in emergency response drills and actual disaster relief operations in Western Europe, including flood and refugee crises. • Training Hub: The wing hosted numerous joint training exercises with NATO allies, enhancing interoperability and solidifying the U.S. commitment to European defense. • Cold War Intelligence: Some units attached to the 7504th were involved in reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering missions along the Iron Curtain. • Aircraft Variety: The wing supported a variety of aircraft, including the T-33 Shooting Star and C-47 Skytrain, making it a versatile unit for both training and transport operations. • Disbandment: The wing was inactivated in the late 1950s as part of a USAFE reorganization, with its missions absorbed by other units in the region. • Legacy: Many veterans of the 7504th went on to hold key positions in the USAF and NATO, and the wing’s history is commemorated in several European aviation museums.