Tactical
Air Control System
Page 2 - NATO Ground Environment Operational Units - USAFE
US Air Force, Europe
Looking for more information from
military/civilian personnel assigned to or associated with any
units of US Air Force, Europe
that operated or supported the Theater Air Control System. If
you have any stories or thoughts on the subject, please email
me (webmaster).
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| 86th
Air Division (Defense) |
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 86th Air Division (Defense) Patch |
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| (Source:
601st Tactical Control Wing - A Historical Perspective, HQ
601st TCW, prob 1982 or soon thereafter) |
Cover |
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THE
PRE-601ST TCW ERA
Roots of the modern day Tactical Air Control System (TACS)
network go back to the World War II era and the Army's
555th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion.
This "triple nickel" unit, formed in 1942 from a group
of specialists who worked at the New England Telephone
and Telegraph Company, stormed ashore in Normandy on D-Day
and progressed across Europe gathering six battle streamers.
Throughout the war the 555th provided badly needed aircraft
control and surveillance services. On 31 December 1945,
the four companies of the 555th became the 601st TCS,
602d TCS, 603rd TCS, and 604th TCS. The first three units,
still active under the 601st TCW today, were activated
at Simmershausen, Goddelau, and Neustadt/Aisch, Germany,
respectively. These newly formed units were assigned to
the 501st Tactical Control Group and, from these fundamental
and rudiment beginnings, the TACS system has become what
it is today; though not without its growing pains.
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After
undergoing a aeries of relocations, changes of assignment, and inactivations/activations
the four squadrons were assigned to USAFE by 1 July 1948; just in
time to take part in the Berlin Airlift. These radar units helped
guide air transports along air routes to Berlin and ware awarded the
Medal for Humane Action for their efforts. 0n 1 December 1948, each
of the four tactical control squadron, was designated an aircraft
control and warning squadron or AC&WS.
(Source: OCCUPATION FORCES Series)
Tactical Control Sites - Dec 1948:
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Wiesbaden Military Post, APO 633 |
7402nd Tac Contr Gp |
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Darmstadt
Control Site, APO 175 |
602nd Tac Contr Sq (Dec 1948 - AC&W Sq) |
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Freising
Control Site, APO 207 |
604th
Tac Contr Sq (Dec 1948 - AC&W Sq) |
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Hof
Control Site, APO 696-6 |
603rd
Tac Contr Sq (Dec 1948 - AC&W Sq) |
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Rothwesten
Control Site, APO 171 |
601st
Tac Contr Sq (Dec 1948 - AC&W Sq) |
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Seven months later, on 10 June 1949, the AC&WS elements were once
again assigned to the 501st TCG. For the next four years, things remained
relatively stable with the exception of the addition of several detachments
to the squadrons.
At this point in time concerning the development of the European TACS,
a parallel situation developed in that the 526th TCG was activated
at Spangdahlem AB on 1 November 1953. Its operational component units
were the 619th TCS (Toul Rosiere AB, France), the 604th AC&WS (Freising,
Germany), the 615th AC&WS (Pruem, Germany), and the 616th AC&WS (Ulm,
Germany). These subordinate units came from several sources. For instance,
as previously shown, the 604th AC&WS had originally been Company "D"
of the 555th and was assigned to the 501st TCG prior to 15 July 1952.
At this time, control of the 604th passed to the 155th TCG prior to
being assigned to the 526th TCG in November 1953. Conversely, the
619th TCS was a newly activated unit which took over the personnel
and equipment of the just inactivated 121st TCS; a National Guard
element prior to 1951 whose main element arrived in Europe on 4 November
1952. In any event, like the 501st TCG, the 526th reported directly
to Twelfth Air Force under USAFE.
On 1 July 1955, the 501st and 526th TCGs merged to form the Tactical
Control Wing, Provisional. In all, this consolidation process brought
a number of elements together to form Twelfth Air Forces tactical
control system. These included two tactical control squadrons (the
807th TCS and 619th TCS), six aircraft control and warning squadrons
(the 601st AC&WS, 602d AC&WS, 603rd AC&WS, 604th AC&WS, 615th AC&WS,
and 616th AC&WS), and three Shoran Beacon Squadrons (the 3rd Shor.
B., 6th Shor. B., and 7th Shor. B.). |
TCW (P) Units, 1957
TCW (P) stein with crest,
late 1950s
86th ADD Gaggle Plaque, 1960s
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The
Tactical Control Wing, Provisional,
was created as a tentative measure designed to improve
the effectiveness of the radar and aircraft control organizations
within Twelfth Air Force. After operating as a provisional
wing for two years, the unit had ample opportunity to
determine the most suitable type of organization for the
effective accomplishment of the USAFE tactical control
mission. Accordingly, on 18 December 1957, this tentative
status was dropped and the unit was designated the 501st
Tactical Control Wing. Finally, on 18 November
1960, the 501st TCW merged with the 86th Fighter Interceptor
Wing to form the 86th Air Division (Defense).
For the next five years !he various TACS elements under
the 86th AD went through a series of relocations, activations,
inactivations, and redesignations.
On 15 February 1965, the 601st TCG was activated at Sembach Air Base, Germany. It was assigned three major subordinate units: the 601st TCS; the 601st Tactical Control Maintenance Squadron: and the 601st Direct Air Support Squadron. The 601st TCS had been realigned under the 601st TCG from the 86th AD along with its two subordinate control and reporting post and six forward air control post detachments (Det 0001 - Kirchgoens, Det 0003 - Fulda, Det 0004 Wuerzburg, Det 0005 - Bamberg, Det 0006 - Grafenwoehr, Det 0007 Straubing, Det 0100 - Celle, and Det 0300 - Neu Ulm). The 601st Tactical Control Maintenance Squadron was activated from in-house resource, and tasked with the mission of providing centralized field maintenance and supply support for the 601st TCG. The 601st Direct Air Support Sauadron was also formed along with four subordinate Direct Air Support Centers; Det 0100 - a DASC at Stuttgart, Get 0200 - a DASC at Mannheim, Det 0300 - a DASC at Koblenz and Det 0400 - a DASC at Frankfurt. A group staff was set up, composed of personnel from the former 601st TCS staff sections.
On 20 May 1965, operational control of the 601st TCG and its subordinate units passed from the 86th AD to Seventeenth Air Force. However, the former headquarters maintained responsibility for running the fixed radar system. For the next three years the 601st TCG experienced a vast expansion in both stature and mission responsibilities. In essence, by mid 1968, the 601st TCG outgrew itself.
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, Oct 7, 1953)
The 155th Tactical Control Group at Spangdahlem AB will be renamed as the 526th Tactical Control Gp on 1 Nov 1953. The 155th, originally an Ohio Air National Guard unit that arrived in Theater in Nov 1952, has already lost most of its Guard personnel through rotation.
The Group was one of the first units to arrive at Spangdahlem Air Base and was instrumental in getting that installation operational. |
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| DETACHMENT 2, 86th AIR DIV |
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| DETACHMENT 4, 86th AIR DIV |
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| see 412L Depot Level Maintenance Facility |
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| In 1968, with the reassignment of the AC&W squadrons to the newly formed 601st Tactical Control Wing, Det 4, 86th AD(D) was redesignated as Det 4, 601st TCW. No change of station or mission. |
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| (Source:
Forty-five Years of Vigilance for Freedom, United States Air Forces
in Europe, 1942-1987. Office of History, HQ USAFE, Ramstein AB,
Germany) |
| TACS
Related Chronology -- 1945-1968 |
| 1945 |
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31
December |
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Effective
this date, the 555th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion was redesignated
as the 501st Tactical Control Group
(TCG). Four tactical control squadrons -- the 601st, 602nd,
603rd, and 604th -- were assigned to the Group. |
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| 1947 |
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25
July |
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The
501st TCG and its four assigned squadrons, the 601st, 602nd,
603rd and 604th, were transferred from XII Tactical Air Command
to the European Air Transport Service. |
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25
September |
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The
501st TCG and one of its squadrons, the 603rd, were inactivated.
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20
December |
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The
three remaining squadrons -- the 601st at Rothwesten, the 602nd
at Darmstadt, and the 604th at Freising -- were reassigned to
USAFE. |
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| 1948 |
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25
May |
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Webmaster
Note: The 603rd Tactical Control Squadron was apparently
reactivated at Hof, Germany, on this date. |
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1
July |
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The
four tactical control squadrons were assigned to the 7400th
Communications Wing and attached to USAFE from 1 July to 20
December. |
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1
July |
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The
7402nd Tactical Control Group
was organized at Wiesbaden and assigned to the 7400th Comm Wing. |
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1
December |
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The
tactical control squadrons were redesignated as aircraft control
and warning squadrons (AC&WS). |
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16
December |
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The
7402nd TCG was redesignated as the 7402nd
AC&W Group. |
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21
December |
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The
four AC&W squadrons were attached to the 7402nd AC&W
Gp. |
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| 1949 |
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10
June |
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HQ
USAFE discontinued the 7402nd AC&W Group. |
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10
June |
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HQ
USAFE activated the 501st AC&W Group
and stationed the Group at Zwingenberg, Germany. Concurrently,
the 601st, 602nd, 603rd and 604th AC&W squadrons were relieved
from assignment to the 7402nd and reassigned to the 501st. |
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| 1951 |
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21
January |
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HQ
USAFE activated the Twelfth Air Force
at Wiesbaden and assigned it to USAFE to meet the command's
tactical air commitments to NATO and to operate the air component
of the European Command (EUCOM). All USAFE tactical units on
the continent were placed under the Twelfth's operational control. |
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2
April |
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USAFE
assumed new international responsibilities with the establishment
of a NATO organization, the Allied Air Forces
Central Europe (AAFCE), with headquarters at Fontaineleau,
France. The new command was initially made up of:
 Twelfth
Air Force,
British
Air Forces of Occupation, and
1st
French Air Division
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| 1952 |
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16
March |
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Effective
this date, USAFE redesignated the 501st as a tactical control
group. Later in the year, the 501st TCG moved from Landsberg
to the Kaiserslautern area. |
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2
April |
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AAFCE
organized the Second and Fourth Allied Tactical
Air Forces (2ATAF and 4ATAF). USAFE's expanding international
responsibilities resulted in more clearly defined tactical force
commitments to NATO when the Twelfth Air Force was assigned
as an operational command of 4ATAF. With the formation of 4ATAF
at Landsberg AB, the Commander of Twelfth Air Force assumed
a second job as Commander, 4ATAF. |
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7
November |
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The
155th Tactical Control Group was
transferred from Tactical Air Command (in the US) to USAFE and
stationed at Spangdahlem AB. |
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| 1953 |
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27
April |
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Twelfth
Air Force headquarters, which had been split between Landsberg
and Wiesbaden since 1951, was reunited at Ramstein (a portion
of Landstuhl Air Base). During the same time, Headquarters,
Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force moved from Landsberg to Trier,
Germany. |
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1
November |
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The
155th TCG was relieved from active military service and reverted
to the control of the Air National Guard. Personnel and equipment
from this unit were used to form the 526th TCG, which
was activated on the same day and assigned to USAFE and Twelfth
Air Force. (This action was similar to the replacement of reserve
component units within 7th Army that was occurring in the same
timeframe in Germany; described on the 7th
Army Page.). |
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| 1955 |
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1
July |
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USAFE
organized the Tactical Control Wing (Provisional)
at Landstuhl AB, Germany and attached to it the 501st TCG and
526th TCG.
807th TCS
(Kindsbach)
619th TCS (Toul, France until Nov 1955, then Birkenfeld, Germany)
At this time the 501st TCG was
comprised of:
602nd AC&WS
(Birkenfeld -- moved to Giebelstadt in 1956)
603rd AC&WS
(Langerkopf)
615th AC&WS (Prüm)
3rd SHORAN Beacon Sq (Rothwesten?)
6th SHORAN Beacon Sq (?)
At this time the 526th TCG was
comprised of:
601st AC&WS (Rothwesten -- moved to Pforzheim in 1955)
604th AC&WS
(Freising)
616th AC&WS (Türkheim)
7th SHORAN Beacon Sq
(Landsberg)
(Webmaster Note: unit locations not provided by the referenced
source. That information was taken from other sources.)
The 526th TCG is replaced by the Southern Sector.
CO of the Southern Sector is also CO of the 6161th ACWRON.
The 501st TCG is replaced by the Northern Sector.
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| 1957 |
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10
November |
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The
major functions of Headquarters USAFE and Twelfth Air Force
were consolidated. The Twelfth Air Force at Ramstein AB became
USAFE's Advanced Headquarters (USAFE ADVON). It included command
staff functions, communications, and combat intelligence. At
the same time, CINCUSAFE was named Commander, Fourth Allied
Tactical Air Force. |
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18
December |
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Effective
this date, USAFE discontinued the TCW (P) at Landstuhl and inactivated
the 526th TCG. At the same time, USAFE redesignated the 501st
TCG as the 501st Tactical Control Wing
and assigned the 619th TCS to the Wing. |
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| 1958 |
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30
June |
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Headquarters,
Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force officially closed at Trier
AB on this date and reopend at Ramstein AB on 1 July. |
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15
November |
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USAFE
discontinued Headquarters, Seventeenth Air Force at Wheelus
AB, Libya, and reconstituted it at Ramstein AB, Germany. 17th
AF assumed command of all USAFE central area units except those
reporting directly to Headquarters USAFE or located in Italy. |
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| 1960 |
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18
November |
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Headquarters
USAFE redesignated the 86th Fighter Interceptor Wing as the
86th Air Division (Defense) and
assigned to it the 32nd, 496th, 513th, 514th, 525th and 526th
Fighter Interceptor Squadrons. Concurrently, USAFE discontinued
the 501st Tactical Control Wing at Ramstein (and assigned the
AC&W squadrons to the Air Division). The Air Division assumed
the duties of both wings and responsibility for Langerkopf
Sector Operations Center. |
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18
November |
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USAFE
redesignated the 601st AC&WS as a tactical control squadron
and assigned it to the 86th Air Division with the 807th TCS. |
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| 1961 |
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8
April |
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USAFE
discontinued the 807th TCS at Ramstein AB. The squadron had
belonged to the 86th Air Division. |
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15
April |
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HQ
USAFE reassigned the 601st TCS from the 86th Air Division to
the 38th Tactical Missile Wing. |
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24
November |
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Tactical
Air Command (in the US) transferred the 152nd
Tactical Control Group to USAFE. The command assigned
the 152nd to Seventeenth Air Force and stationed it at Mannheim
with the 106th TCS. |
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| 1962 |
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15
June |
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HQ
USAFE reassigned the 601st TCS from the 38th TMW to Seventeenth
Air Force. |
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| 1964 |
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15
March |
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On
this date, General Electric Company, as the contractor, transferred
five 412L
Air Weapons Control System sites located at
Kindsbach, Erbeskopf, Wasserkuppe, Giebelstadt, and Döbraberg
to USAFE. The final elements of the system were turned over
to the command on 10 August, following completion of systems
testing. |
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As
a result of two incidents where USAFE planes were shot down
after straying across the border to the Soviet Zone of Germany,
CINCUSAFE imposed a buffer zone
in central Europe along the West German-communist bloc border.
Special procedures for positive control of aircraft in the buffer
zone were established. |
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| 1965 |
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4
January |
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The
412L Air Weapons Control System took over all USAFE air defense
and buffer zone functions. |
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15
February |
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USAFE
activated the 601st Tactical Control Group at Sembach AB, Germany.
One tactical control squadron -- the 601st -- was assigned to
the group. |
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| 1966 |
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??? |
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In
Germany, the withdrawal of France's NATO-committed aircraft
resulted in USAFE rotating six F-102 interceptors from 86th
Air Division squadrons to the Luftwaffe's Erding AB. |
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| 1967 |
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September |
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During
the month, the 601st TCGreceived radar and communications equipment
needed to operate the 407L
Tactical Air Control System (TACS). The command first
began programming to improve its tactical air control system
in 1962 but encountered numerous delays in obtaining equipment. |
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| 1968 |
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1
November |
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On
this date, USAFE reassigned Headquarters, 86th Air Division
and the 32nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron to Seventeenth Air
Force; the AC&W squadrons were reassigned to the 601st Tactical
Control Wing at Sembach AB. The 496th, 525th and 526th Fighter
Interceptor Squadrons became subordinate units of the 50th and
36th Tactical Fighter Wings and the 26th Tactical Reconnaissance
Wing, respectively. The command took all of these actions to
reduce overhead manning, save gold flow funds, and continue
without interruption the commitment of the tactical units to
the NATO air defense mission. |
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14
November |
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On
this date, USAFE redesignated the 86th Air Division at Ramstein
AB, Germany, as the 86th Fighter Interceptor Wing and concurrently
discontinued the unit. |
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| If you have copies of the TAF REVIEW, the TACONEER or any of the other pubs listed below - I would be very interested in scans or photo copies... Also, if you know of other publications distributed by USAFE or NATO radar units or air defense organizations - I am very interested in knowing about them! |
Unit Newspapers
AC&W Squadrons
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TAF Review, Sep 1957 |
Page 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14-15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26
Interesting articles:
Tac Control Wing: pages 14-17
7030th
Support Gp: pages 20-22
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Landstuhl News, 9 Mar 1956 |
Each page is about 500 KB in size.
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Landstuhl News, 23 Mar 1956
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On Guard, Oct 1961 |
On Guard, Dec 1961
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Scanner, November 1955 |
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Page 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21, 22-23, 24 |
Each page is about 250 KB in size.
Page 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21, 22-23, 24 |
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Scanner, December 1955
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Scanner, January 1956 |
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Page 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21, 22-23, 24 |
Each page is about 250 KB in size.
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Taconeer, April 1957 |
Taconeer, May 1957 |
Taconeer, July 1957
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601st AC&WS, Rothwesten |
603rd AC&WS , Langerkopf |
615th AC&WS , Prüm |
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USAFE Newspaper with coverage of AC&WS units in the 1950s and early 1960s:
TAF Review - 12th Air Force magazine
On Guard
- 86th Air Div magazine
Raider Magazine - 86th FIW newspaper
TACONEER- 501st TCW newspaper (replaced all of the squadron papers upon activation of the 501st)
Scanner - Southern Sector, TCW (P) newspaper
Transmitter - 601st AC&WS newspaper
603rd Hilltopper - 603rd AC&WS newspaper
Transceiver - 615th AC&WS newspaper
Landstuhl News - Landstuhl Air Base newspaper
Did the 602nd, 604th and 616th AC&WS have their own unit newspapers/magazines in Germany???
Anybody having knowledge of other AC&WS related newspapers in Germany or who has copies of issues of the above mentioned or other newspapers/magazines relating to USAFE TACS and the NATO air defense organization in the Central Region is kindly requested to contact the webmaster.
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| USAFE RADAR UNITS |
152nd TC Gp |
155th TC Gp |
501st TCW |
601st TCW
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601st AC&WS |
602nd AC&WS |
603rd AC&WS |
604th AC&WS |
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606th AC&WS |
615th AC&WS |
616th AC&WS |
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| (Source: Stars & Stripes, European edition, Feb 23, 1962) |
Flying knights with feet on the ground
By
Wallace Beene, S&S Madrid Bureau |
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| Interesting article (with photos) that explains the role of the 65th Air Division, USAFE, in Spain - a unit that performed a similar role as the 86th Air Division. |
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| follow link to view photos and read the article from the Stars & Stripes archives |
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Integrated Air Defense - 4th ATAF |
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 Still
under construction |
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US and French GCI sites
Fixed
Radar - 4th ATAF |
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Fixed
radar sites - 4th ATAF region (1950s-1960s)
The first map shows the location and callsigns of manual Ground Control Intercept sites operated by the US Air Force and French Air Force in Germany in the mid 1950s.
The second map shows the location of original GCI sites and of new semi-automated Control and Reporting Centers operated by USAF, GAF and FAF units within Southern Germany
as part of NATO's integrated air defense system in the
late 1950s and throughout the 1960s.
Both lists of sites
and locations are still in draft form.
Corrections, additions and suggestions are welcome!!!
Questions relating to
4 ATAF CRC-SOC sites:
1. It appears that the North SOC was originally located
at Langerkopf but then moved to Boerfink? Is this true
and when did this happen?
2. Was the callsign used for the SOC's different
from the callsigns used by the colocated CRC's?
3. What was the callsign for RP Burglengenfeld?
4. Was RP Burglengenfeld actually equipped with the 412L
system?
5. A Metz plotting board from 1956 (Pinetree.com) indicates
that the boundary between North and South SOCs ran north
of Nurnberg; but a map in the USAF/USN Flight Information
Publication - Enroute Supplement for March 1966 shows
the boundary line running south of Nurnberg. Was there
a shift due to the French pull out or is the first indication
incorrect?
6. Using the boundaries shown on the same Metz plotting
board (mentioned in Question #5), it appears that Achern
and Friedrichshafen reported to the French SOC at Drachenbronn
in the late 1950s? True? Can someone provide more details
on the French CRCs operated in southern Germany before
the pullout in 1966? (CRC's at Achern and Freidrichsfeld.)
7. What was the reason for the change in callsigns at
a CRC location? (For example: "Batman" and "Strawbasket" for CRC Lauda in the 1960s and 70s.) |
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RESPONSES:
4. What was the callsign for RP Burglengenfeld?
Anton ..., Germany, states that
fhe callsign of RP Burglenegenfeld (in the late 1980s) was Angel Face, allocated with four DEST's (see Mobile Radar Sites section below). |
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| 501st Tactical Control Wing |
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 501st Tactical Control Wing (Prov) - (B/W - still looking for color image)
 501st Tactical Control Wing - (B/W - still looking for color image) |
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| (Source: Email from Jim Clements, 602nd TCS, 1946-48) |
501st TCG, 1947
Bad Kissingen
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1. 501st TCG, Bad Kissingen (KB) |
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| (Source: TACONEER, January 1958, 501st TCW magazine) |
Wing Becomes of Age
THE 18TH OF DECEMBER 1957 marked a milestone in history of the Air Force when the Tactical Control Wing Provisional was formerly redesignated the 501st Tactical Control Wing. Composed of two tactical control groups, the 501st and 529th, the wing assumed the numerical designation of the senior group under the command of Col Carl B. Lindstrand to join the ranks as a full fledged member of the United States Air Force.
It all started back at Drew Field, Tampa Florida, in '42 amid the chaos of World War II preparations, when 'draft', 'gas-rationing' and 'Roosevelt' were on the lips of Mr. and Mrs. America. Amid all of this unreal activity, the 555th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion was formed. An Army organization to be sure, but never-the-less this was the beginning of Tactical Control history.
Everybody got into the act forming cadres for this newly born unit. Personnel were hastily drawn from the 3rd Fighter Command and even from civilian organizations of the New England and Michigan Bell Telephone Company.
Five months and many cadence counts later found the 555th on its way to an overseas staging area in Massachusetts. Rumors flew through the air. Processing lines, shots, mosquito netting, arctic survival kits, movies and pinups made up the life in this area. |
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Sign in front of entrance to TCW (P) Hqs, Landstuhl AB
COL Carl B. Lindstrand |
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An unannounced ocean voyage and foggy country side, driving on the left, fish and chips, and suddenly June 1944. Another boat trip
this time across the choppy English Channel penetrating Fortress Europe through Normandy, a beach head and the 555th made it. Though the land of heady wine and perfume the men traipsed behind the infantry and in some cases elusive maneuvers in front of it to make controller history.
Long after the the big guns of Europe were silenced, the 555th remained on the continent only to find herself victim of austerity and inactivation from 1947 to 1949.
Born again in July 1949, the group this time came to life as the 501st Tactical Control Group, at Landsberg, later to move to the Kaiserrslautern area.
Early 1953 saw the second tactical control group in operation in Europe. The new unit was an Air Force National Guard outfit, founded une 20, 1948. It was first designated the 155th Aircraft Control and Warning Group, and later became the 526th Tactical Control Group, one of the nucleus of the Wing.
The difficulties encountered in attempting to employ two units with separate headquarters in a single, coordinated aircraft control and warning system pointed out the necessity of such a merger as the Tactical Control Wing.
The forerunner of the merger, Colonel Thomas S. Bond, Jr., then commander of the 501st Tactical Control Group, was instrumental in welding these units into one. The radar stations early in 1955 abandoned their patchwork coverage of areas to conform to a sector concept which took into account the geographical location and teamwork in corstelling (sic) radar coverage information between the various stations in the system.
The 501st Tactical Control Group (sic) (Webmaster Note: should say 'Wing') is the sole air defense system of the United States Air Force in Europe. It employs over 4,000 officers and airmen operating radar sets and equipment valued well over the forty million dollar mark.
Spread from the bleak and stormy North Sea to the placid sunny Austrian alps, the wing covers over forty-five different living sites. The sites range in size according to personnel from as little as five airmen to the largest with over 400 officers and airmen. Eleven squadrons compose the 501st as it stands now, six are aircraft control and warning squadrons, one a headquarters, two shoran beacon and two tactical control squadrons all reporting to the headquarters at Landstuhl Air Base.
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The Wing is headed by an electronics expert, Colonel Carl B. Lindstrand, who guides the destinies of his huge family with the help of a seasoned staff. The highly technical operation of the wing's early warning system demands a top notch performance. Untold headaches are avoided, thanks to an efficient and smooth running maintenance operation.
And with the new numerical designation, the 501st Tactical Control Wing has become of age and is ready to take its place alongside older and more experienced Air Force wings. |
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| (Source:
Fourth Anniversary, 501st TCW, 10 July 1959, pamphlet) |
1959
The 501st Tactical Control Wing is the sole air defense system of
the United States Air Force in Europe. Its central sector of control
employs over 3500 officers and men operating 26 radar sets worth over
20 million dollars. Spread throughout West Germany, the 501st TCW
operates over 35 living sites. The sites range from as little as five
enlisted men to the largest with over 400 officers and airmen. Six
Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons and one Tactical Control Squadron
make up the Wing's complex operation with all reporting to Ramstein
Air Base, Headquarters of the 501st Tactical Control Wing. |
501st
TCW emblem
 501st TCW Patch
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ORGANIZATION
(1959):
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501st
TCW |
Col
Lindstrand, Commanding |
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601st
AC&WS |
Lt
Col Walker |
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602nd
AC&WS |
Lt
Col Skelton |
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603rd
AC&WS |
Lt
Col Koszarek |
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604th
AC&WS |
Lt
Col Spencer |
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615th
AC&WS |
Lt
Col Kersch |
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616th
AC&WS |
Lt
Col Murrill |
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807th
TCS |
Lt
Col Pageler |
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FMAbt
312 (GAF) ** |
Hauptmann
Pfeiffer |
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**
FMAbt . . . Flugmeldeabteilung = Aircraft control
squadron
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| 601st
Tactical Control Wing |
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