7499th Support Group
The 7499th Support Group is an inactive United States
Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the
United States Air Forces in Europe, being stationed at
Wiesbaden Army Airfield, West Germany. It was inacti-
vated on 30 June 1974. Its mission was resumed by the
7575th Operations Group, which operated from Rhein-
Main Air Base, West Germany from 1 July 1977 until its
inactivation on 31 March 1991.
1 History
The 7499th participated in overt and covert reconnais-
sance throughout the European theater during the Cold
War and reported directly to Headquarters USAFE. The
unit was initially formed as a squadron in 1948, first
at Furstenfeldbruck AB, Germany. By 1955, with the
pending inactivation of the Air Resupply And Com-
munications Service 582d Air Resupply Group at RAF
Molesworth, England, the unit was expanded to a group
level and moved to Wiesbaden AB.
1.1 Origins
The unit’s origins begin on 9 August 1946, when an Army
Air Forces C-47 Skytrain departed Tulln Air Base near
Vienna, Austria, on a scheduled courier run that would
take it to Venice, Italy, then south to Rome. These
flights were routine, and this aircraft had three passen-
gers besides the crew and cargo. As the C-47 flew to-
ward Venice, it encountered heavy weather, including
an undercast, and, unknown to its crew, blundered into
Yugoslav airspace for several minutes. Before long Yu-
goslav Yak-3 fighters came on the scene and shot the C-47
down. The pilot skillfully crash-landed and all the people
aboard survived but were interned. This caused an im-
mediate uproar from the US government, and stern state-
ments were issued to Yugoslav prime minister Josip Broz
(Tito) about immediate release and access to the crash
site. Talks were underway when, on 19 August, incredi-
bly, almost the same exact event occurred again. Another
C-47 courier aircraft was shot down by Yugoslav fighters
in the same area. This time the crew was not so fortunate
and all aboard perished.[1]
Under threat of US cutoff of aid to Yugoslavia, Tito Most likely because of the Airlift and its accompanying
yielded, the interned Americans were released, and some sharp increase in tensions, USAFE decided to form the
compensation paid to the next-of-kin of the dead per- reconnaissance and ELINT units into a single squadron.
sonnel. Relative calm ensued between the US and Yu-
1
goslavia, but a question lingered in the minds of officials
in USAFE Headquarters at Wiesbaden AB, Germany.
How did those Yugoslav fighters, twice, find those C-47s
in bad weather and shoot them down?[1]
USAFE acquired an RB-17 Flying Fortress from a photo-
mapping unit, Detachment A of the 10th Reconnaissance
Group at Fürth Airfield, Germany. These aircraft were
in Europe as part of Project Casey Jones, an attempt to
photomap as much of the world as possible to create maps
and charts for use in future contingencies, and installed
Electronic Countermeasures equipment in it. The B-17
was flown carefully along the border near where the C-
47s had been shot down, making sure it did not infringe
Yugoslav airspace. By luck, on the very first mission, the
Yugoslavs cooperated and turned on their radar and began
tracking it. The equipment picked up the familiar signals
from a German Würzburg radar on about 560 MHz and
took bearings, dozens of them, all of which cut at the
same point. Where the bearings crossed there had been
a German radar school during the war. Obviously the
Yugoslavs had put into service one or more of the old
German radars.[1]
This mission was so successful that USAFE directed that
further electronic “ferret” missions be flown along the
border with the Soviet zones of Germany and Austria,
as well as over the Baltic Sea, looking for Soviet radar
stations. Over the next several years these aircraft de-
tected a gradual Soviet radar buildup in their zones. Dur-
ing the Berlin Airlift 1948–49, the B-17s would fly occa-
sional missions in the Berlin Air Corridor, using call signs
making them appear as airlift C-54s (“Big Willie”). They
flew only at night and did not land at Tempelhof airfield,
declaring emergencies with “landing gear problems” and
thus exiting to the west without Soviet observers seeing
them.[1]
Thus began the ELINT mission. Detachment A would go
on to join a flight of the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron
(specializing in photo recon) on 26 March 1947 and move
to Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base, Germany. Then came the
Berlin Airlift, in June 1948. As part of the collection op-
eration some C-47s and RB-26 Invaders were acquired
and modified with cameras. They occasionally flew as
part of the airlift stream, diligently collecting photogra-
phy. A few B-17 ELINT flights were also made in the
Berlin Air Corridors, but only at night.[1]
2 1 HISTORY

The 7499th Air Force Squadron was activated at Fürsten- 1.3 7499th Support Group
feldbruck on 1 November 1948.[1]
In 1955, in response to increasing collection requirements
and the pending inactivation of the MATS intelligence
units, USAFE upgraded its reconnaissance effort, creat-
1.2 7499th Support Squadron ing the 7499th Support Group at Wiesbaden with three
squadrons.[2]

1.3.1 7405th Support Squadron

7499th Support Squadron B-17G-85-VE Fortress 44-8889

From Fürstenfeldbruck, the 7499th continued to fly fre-

quent missions in the West Berlin Air Corridors. As the
Soviets modernised their units and increased their pres-
ence, it was vital to gain as much information on them
as possible. For better management of this covert outfit
as well as to bring it closer to the major USAFE photo
and ELINT interpretation centres, the 7499th moved in
August 1950 to Wiesbaden AB, within a few miles of
USAFE Headquarters.
Beginning in 1950, the unit upgraded to C-54 Skymas-
ters to do both photo reconnaissance and ELINT work,
replacing the B-17s. The C-54 boasted better collec-
tion capability, and had the additional advantage of actu-
ally being a transport, thus attracting much less attention
at Tempelhof. C-47s also replaced the RB-26s, the C-
47s also being less visible to the Soviets than the Invader
bomber overflying East Germany.
EC-97G Stratofreighter 52-2688
The former 7499th Squadron became the 7405th Sup-
port Squadron, remaining at Wiesbaden as the only unit to
conduct corridor collection. The 7405th had been openly
tasked with the courier mission to West Berlin, mean-
ing it was to conduct daily flights to and from Tempelhof
Air Base carrying passengers and priority cargo. It was
known as the “Berlin for Lunch Bunch”. Under this cover
the newer aircraft were to continue their collection using
better sensors, including the first infrared imagery sen-
sors. Its C-47s and RB-26s soldiered on into the late
1950s, and some C-54s until 1963. In 1959 the C-47s
were supplanted by four Convair T-29s, navigator train-
ers converted for courier work and vertical photography,
but another generation was about to arrive.[3]
1.3 7499th Support Group 3

A new aircraft, a specially modified Boeing EC-97G

Stratofreighter, made its appearance in 1953. This air-
craft (serial 49-2952), covertly carrying a 240-inch fo-
cal length camera, was codenamed PIE FACE and was
mostly used along the periphery of the satellite nations.
This camera, with a 20-foot focal length, was developed
by Boston University and was installed initially in an RB-
36. However, it was later decided that because an over-
flight though the corridor to Tempelhof by an RB-36
would probably be too provocative, it would be better if
a transport aircraft was equipped with this huge camera.
The work to remove the camera from the RB-36 and in-
stall it in the C-97 was conducted in a secure hangar at
Convair at Air Force Plant No. 4, Carswell AFB. The
camera took 18 x 36-inch negatives exposed at 0.0025
seconds and could be positioned to take vertical or left or
right oblique photographs through a large window which
was hidden by covert doors.[3]
When flown on an occasional West Berlin Air Corridor
mission, even at the required altitudes of less than 10,000
ft, the camera would produce spectacular, high-resolution
photography, very useful for technical analysis of equip-
ment. This aircraft would provide valuable imagery right
up until 1972, when it was finally retired to AMARC after
some productive missions around Cuba during the Cuban
Missile Crisis.[3]
Additional Boeing EC-97Gs that arrived in 1963 were os-
tensibly cargo carriers, but fitted with ELINT gear and,
in one case, with oblique cameras. Aircraft 52-2686 and
52-2639 were equipped with multiple ELINT work sta-
tions in the upper, cargo section of the fuselage. Air-
craft 52-2688 was equipped with cameras only. Aircraft
52-2687 was equipped with smaller, single work stations,
one for ELINT and one for cameras on the lower deck
of the double fuselage, leaving the upper deck normal in
appearance and capable of carrying cargo. These aircraft
were designed to gather high-quality technical data on the
then-new Soviet SA-2 Guideline Surface-to-air missile 7406th Support Squadron Boeing RB-50B-55-BO Superfortress
system, which by the mid-1960s had spread throughout 47–157 Wiesbaden AB, West Germany, 1956.
the Warsaw Pact countries, especially in East Germany,
and was downing US aircraft over North Vietnam. This
platform was especially valuable for providing data en-
abling the US to design appropriate electronic counter-
measures against the SA-2. The north and south West
Berlin Air Corridors were unique places for this collec-
tion, since several Soviet SA-2 sites were located directly
within corridor limits. When the SA-2 was superseded by
more advanced missile systems, the aircraft was reconfig-
ured to collect on them.[3]

Lockheed C-130A-LM Hercules, AF Serial No. 54-1637 of the

1.3.2 7406th Support Squadron 7406th Operations Squadron.

The 7406th Support Squadron was activated at Rhein-

Main Air Base, West Germany on 10 May 1955 and re- the aircraft and provided the flight crews. A separate
ceived its first aircraft (RB-50E Superfortress) in March USAF Security Service squadron provided the recon crew
1956. The mission of the 7406th SS was airborne re- that manned the intelligence collection positions on the
connaissance. The 7406th SS owned and maintained aircraft.[2]
4 1 HISTORY

The RB-50s were replaced with specially configured C- furbished C-130A tail number 57-0453 that has been re-
130A-II Hercules recon aircraft in 1958. The first C- stored to look identical to C-130A 60-528 when it was
130A Hercules 56-0484 was assigned in March 1958. shot down. The Aerial Reconnaissance Memorial hon-
Other C-130A-II aircraft assigned to the 7406th SS in- ors all SILENT WARRIORS (all military airborne recon
cluded in order of assignment from July to October 1958: crews) who paid the ultimate price while defending their
56–0525, 56–0528, 56–0530, 56–0534, 56–0538,56– country.[2]
0541, 56–0535 and 56-0540.[2]
Under the ‘Big Safari’ programme of intelligence collec- 1.3.3 7407th Support Squadron
tion, E-Systems (now Raytheon) in 1957 to convert ten
C-130A aircraft for SIGINT duties under the ‘Sun Val-
ley’ project. These C-130s replaced the RB-50Es which
in turn were modified as RB-50Gs and transferred to the
Pacific.[2]
One of these C-130’s (56-0528)) was shot down with the
loss of a crew of seventeen (six 7406th flight crew mem-
bers and eleven USAFSS recon flyers) over Soviet Arme-
nia on 2 Sep 1958, becoming the first C-130 lost to hos-
tile fire. Four Soviet MiG-17 pilots took turns firing on
the unarmed C-130 when the American aircraft inadver-
tently penetrated Soviet airspace while on a recon mission
along the Turkish-Armenian border. C-130 60-528 had
less than 200 flying hours when it was shot down.[2]
The 7499th operated temporarily out of Macdill AFB,
Florida in the 1960s. At first (Feb 1964) it was under
the 15th Tactical Fighter Wing (TAC), then in Feb 1966
the 4409th Support Squadron was set up. The mission
area was the north coast of Cuba with a coordinated U-
2 mission. At first 7406th flight crews, on TDY, trained
TAC & 4409th flight crews. As more 7406th personnel
transferred to the 4409th the TDY training stopped.[2]
C-130B-II Hercules aircraft that had previously been as-
signed at Yokota Air Base, Japan from 1961–1971 were
sent to the 7406th at Rhein-Main AB in 1971, replac-
ing the C-130A-II models that were converted to original
'cargo' configuration and assigned to Air National Guard
units in CONUS.[2]
The 7406th SS continued flying reconnaissance missions
from Rhein-Main in the C-130B models until 30 June
1973 when the squadron’s sister Security Service flying RB-57A-1 reconnaissance aircraft, Wiesbaden AB, 1955
squadron moved to Hellenikon Air Base, Athens, Greece.
as Det No. 1, 7499th Support Group. The 7406th had The 7407th Support Squadron performed airborne photo
two hotels in Glifada with two to a room. This was just surveillance. They used RB-57A, then RB-57D, and fi-
south of Athens and Hellenikon and across the road from nally RB-57F Canberra aircraft at Rhein-Main AB.
a beautiful beach. Uniforms were not permitted off base.
In late 1955 the squadron received ten highly modified
The 7406th SS operations remained at Rhein-Main but
RB-57A-1 Canberra reconnaissance aircraft, These air-
flew its operational missions out of Hellenikon from 1
craft were modified RB-57As under Project Lightweight
July 1973 until its last C-130B-II mission was flown on
(later renamed Project Heartthrob) with higher-thrust J65
13 June 1974. The unit was flying only Mediterranean
engines, a reduction of the crew from two to one, the re-
missions by this time. The 7406th SS was inactivated on
moval of all items not absolutely essential for the daylight
30 June 1974. After inactivation of the 7406th Squadron
photographic reconnaissance mission.[4] and capable of
the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (SAC) at Offutt
carrying P-2s, K-17s, K-37s, K-38s, or T-17s cameras in
AFB, Nebraska took over the missions with Boeing RC-
the bomb bay which could be interchanged according to
135 aircraft.[2]
the aircraft’s mission. The intended mission of Project
On 2 Sep 1997, the National Security Agency (NSA) ded- Heart Throb aircraft included day and night, high and
icated at National Vigilance Park, Fort Meade, Maryland low, and visual and photographic reconnaissance. The
an Aerial Reconnaissance Memorial consisting of a re- RB-57A was unarmed. It was painted with a high gloss
1.3 7499th Support Group
black paint which was intended to minimize detection
by searchlights. The crew was two—one pilot and one
photo-navigator. The 7407th flew between 16 and 20 sor-
ties before it was closed down. These sorties were flown
over Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Yugoslavia between
September 1955 and Aug 1956 and were usually fairly
shallow penetrations. Many sorties were tracked by MiG
15s or MiG-17s, but these aircraft lacked sufficient per-
formance to pose a significant threat to the high-flying
RB-57As. It is possible that one of these planes was shot
down by a surface-to-air missile during the Hungarian
Revolution of 1956, after which Heartthrob operations
ended. Four RB-57s were deployed to the 6021st Recon-
naissance Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan in early Martin/General Dynamics RB-57F-CF 63-13291, 7407th Com-
November 1956.[5]
Two other B-57s, designated RB-57A-2 were modified
with a bulbous nose containing AN/APS-60 mapping
radar and a SIGINT direction finder system in 1957 un-
der project SARTAC. It is known that they carried a
high-capacity data tape recorder in the bombbay to store
intelligence data obtained during sorties, and they were
also equipped with doppler navigation radar. The aircraft
and their missions were very secret and little information
about them was ever released.[5]
The service of the RB-57As was brief, as in 1957, midair-
refuelling capable RB-57D Canberras were deployed in
1957 to the 7407th CSS to support USAFE operations.
All RB-57D operations were under heavy security and
very little information ever leaked out about their early
operations. They presumably carried out reconnaissance
missions along the East German border and over the
Baltic Sea. Since the missions were carried out under
an atmosphere of high secrecy, RB-57s returning from
missions over the Baltic were often intercepted by RAF
Hawker Hunters just to make sure that they were not So-
viet aircraft.[5]
North American RF-100A-10-NA Super Sabre 53-1551 Bitburg
AB, West Germany 28 February 1955. used by Detachment
1 of 7407th Support Sqn of 7499th Support Group. Aircraft
Crashed near Neidenbach, West Germany on 1 October 1956.
Pilot ejected safely.
5
bat Support Squadron, Rhein-Main AB, West Germany. Aircraft
retired to AMARC as BM0106, 30 May 1974.
This squadron had a Detachment 1 organized at Bitburg
Air Base, West Germany using three RF-100A Super
Sabre reconnaissance aircraft (53-1551, 53–1554, 53–
1554) known as “Slick Chicks”. In May 1955, after suc-
cessful competition of flight tests, the aircraft were sent
to the 7407th Support Squadron.[6]
The overflight operations these aircraft conducted are still
classified, however, one details of one particular flight in
1956 have leaked out. On this sortie the pilot of 53–1551
took off from a base in Turkey to photograph a rocket
base deep inside the Soviet Union. The RF-100A was
quickly picked up by Soviet radar and, as the target was at
the extreme range of the aircraft, the pilot had no option
but to fly a virtually straight track. As a consequence the
Soviets soon determined the intended target. Through-
out the mission, the pilot was faced with the unnerving
spectacle of a never-ending stream of Soviet interceptor
fighters attempting to bring down the RF-100A by firing
a variety of machine-guns, cannons and missiles at the
aircraft.[6]
To compound the pilots problems, his heavy fuel load and
four drop tanks allowed only very limited evasive ma-
noeuvring. Thanks to poor Soviet gunnery, inadequate
planning by the Soviet Fighter Controllers and a fair slice
of luck, the pilot reached the target and took the required
photographs. However, his problems were far from over,
as the target was at the extreme limits of the aircraft’s
range and no other airfields were available, he had no
choice but to reverse course and retrace his route. The
pilot made it back to Turkey, but with virtually empty
tanks having kept the aircraft in continuous afterburner
for over half an hour as he shot past some extremely ag-
itated Russians – as the RF-100A was officially limited
to just a few minutes of afterburner, this effectively de-
stroyed the entire aft fuselage.[6]
As far as it can be established, none of the “Slick
Chicks” were lost over unfriendly territory. In June 1958
the Detachment was inactivated and the two remaining
RF-100A’s were transferred to the 3131st Maintenance
6 1 HISTORY

Group at Châteauroux-Déols AB, France and eventually

were sent to Taiwan.[6]
Intelligence gathering sorties by the RB-57D’s continued
until 1964 when wing fatigue problems caused type to be
withdrawn from service. In late 1963, the two prototype
Martin RB-57F Canberras were assigned to the 7407th
CSS for operational testing and evaluation (OT&E). They
carried out a series of high-altitude reconnaissance flights
along the East German border and over the Baltic Sea.
In February 1964, following these trials, they were trans-
ferred to the 58th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron at
Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. Eventually two production
RB-57Fs capable of covertly mounting the Bulova 707- 7th Special Operations Squadron MC-130E Combat Talon flying
1000 long range camera with a 240 inch focal length were over a German village.
assigned to the 7407th CSS.[5]
On 14 December 1965, one of the prototype RB-57Fs
(63-13287) operating TDY out of Incirlik Air Base,
Turkey, was lost during a mission over the Black Sea.
What actually happened is still uncertain. There were re-
ports that the aircraft had been shot down by a Soviet S-75
Dvina Surface-to-air missile, but at the time, the official
statement by the USAF was that the aircraft crew had
probably perished from an oxygen system failure, since
it took over an hour for the aircraft to spiral down from
altitude and fall into the Black Sea. Although searches
for the wreckage continued through 28 December, only
small bits and pieces of it were ever found. However,
there were also reports that the two crewmembers were
captured alive by the Soviets, with their ultimate fate be-
ing uncertain.[7]
Stress cracks began appearing in the wing spars and ribs
of the RB-57Fs in the early 1970s and the activities of the
RB-57Fs were restricted. The last of the RB-57Fs were
retired in early 1974 and 7407th squadron was inactivated
30 June 1974.[5]

1.3.4 Downsizing

All along, the 7405th and its sister squadrons were also
flying peripheral reconnaissance missions throughout Eu-
rope and, increasingly, the Middle East, but beginning in
the late 1960s Strategic Air Command Boeing RC-135s
assumed a greater share of the peripheral strategic re-
connaissance mission and on 30 June 1974 the 7499th
Group and 7406th and 7407th squadrons were inacti-
vated. The 7405th Support Squadron was re designated
as the 7405th Operations Squadron and continued its
mission.

1.4 7575th Operations Group

However, the West Berlin Air Corridor missions were
unique and no RC-135s would be flying to West Berlin.
So the 7405th Support Squadron and its “Berlin for Lunch
Bunch” C-130s continued this unique task, the squadron
being directly assigned to HQ USAFE.

Lockheed C-130E-LM Hercules 62-1828. The Aircraft fitted
with various sensors and used by the 7405th Operations Sqdn as
spyplane operating from Frankfurt/Rhein-Main AB, West Ger-
many. 1828 is shown landing at Tempelhof Cemtral Airport,
West Berlin, on 14 April 1981. Note the fake MAC markings (the
7405th was subordinate to USAFE), probably designed to enable
these C-130Es to blend in at the 7405th’s Rhein-Main base.
In late December 1975, the 7405th flew its last EC-97G
mission from Wiesbaden Air Base when the USAF turned
the base over to the United States Army and moved its
operations to Rhein-Main AB. There, redesignated as the
7405th Operations Squadron, it acquired three heavily
modified C-130E Hercules, airlifters in name only. By
this time, technology improvements were such that each
aircraft could carry a variety of sensors with advanced
capabilities. Thus, if one sensor type detected a new and
unusual activity, the aircrew could almost instantly bring
other sensors to bear on it. This ability provided lucrative
intelligence time and time again.
On 1 July 1977, the squadron was assigned to the newly
organized 7575th Operations Group at Rhein-Main
AB. Along with the 7575th OG, the 7580th Operations 7499th Support Group
Squadron was activated on 1 July 1977 at Rhein-Main
AB. The 7580th OS was a non-flying squadron staffed • Designated as the 7499th Air Force Squadron and
7
with C-130 Electronic Warfare Officers (EWOs) and air-
craft maintenance personnel.[8]
In 1977, when the 7575th Operations Group was formed
at Rhein-Main AB, HQ USAFE realigned the 7th Spe-
cial Operations Squadron under its control, until March
1983, when the 7th SOS transferred from USAFE to
Military Airlift Command (MAC). The 7th SOS op-
erated four MC-130E Combat Talon Is (64-0523, 64–
0555, 64–0561 and 64-0566). Although even today very
little is known about this special unit, the mere fact that
the USAF information service always answers 'no com-
ment' to any questions about its role is sufficient to al-
low the tentative conclusion that clandestine operations
are involved, with the squadron performing undisclosed
missions under the direction of the DCS Operations of
HQ USAFE.
The 7th SOS’s MC-130Es were been spotted in every cor-
ner of Europe. These sightings were perhaps connected
with NATO marine unit exercises with which the 7th SOS
is also involved. One of the most bizarre sightings dates
from January 1976 when a traveller from West Berlin
saw a low-flying C-130 over the Transitstrasse, the tran-
sit route, near Magdeburg in the German Democratic Re-
public. Flying at an estimated fifty meters over the motor-
way, the Hercules disappeared northwards at great speed.
It was certainly an MC-130E from the 7th SOS but what
it was doing in the DDR is not so certain. Granted it was
flying perfectly legally in the air corridor at the time of
the sighting, the fact that it was a black MC-130E from
the 7th SOS does make one a trifle suspicious.
The 7405th’s corridor/Control Zone collection missions,
with their pivot at Tempelhof Central Airport, continued
through the 1980s. Then came the 1989 collapse of the
Warsaw Pact and the fall of the Berlin Wall; the 1990
German reunification, and the phase-out of Soviet armed
forces from Eastern Europe. The 7405th helped monitor
this until shortly before Germany was reunified. On 29
September 1990, the last C-130 collection mission was
flown; then, on 3 October, the Berlin Air Corridors and
Control Zone officially disappeared. From 1946 to 1990
the “Berlin for Lunch Bunch” had flown over 10,000 mis-
sions to West Berlin. Now it had flown its last, Germany
and the city of Berlin were again unified, and the 7405th
Operations Squadron faded into military aviation and in-
telligence history. Its mission was completed.[8]
The 7405th Operations Squadron was inactivated on 1
January 1991; the 7575th Operations Group and 7580th
Operations Squadron were inactivated on 31 March
1991.[8]
2 Lineage
8 4 REFERENCES

organized on 1 November 1948 2.4 Aircraft

Redesignated as 7499th Composite • RF-100A Super Sabre, 1955–1958

Squadron in 1949
Redesignated as 7499th Support Squadron in
1954 3 See also
Redesignated as 7499th Support Group on 10
• Air Resupply And Communications Service
May 1955
Inactivated on 30 June 1974[9]
4 References
7575th Operations Group

• Designated as the 7575th Operations Group and 4.1 Notes

activated on 1 July 1977
[1] 7499th Support Group

Inactivated on 31 March 1991 [2] “7406th Support Squadron History”. 7406suppron.com.

Retrieved 2012-12-10.

[3] “7405th Support Squadron Factsheet”. 9websites.com.

2.1 Assignments
Retrieved 2012-12-10.
• United States Air Forces in Europe, 1 November [4] Knaack, p. 315
1948 – 1 January 1991
[5] Mikesh, p. __

2.2 Stations
• Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base, Germany (later: West
Germany), 1 November 1948
• Wiesbaden Army Airfield, West Germany, 1 August
1950
• Rhein-Main Air Base, West Germany (later Ger-
many), 31 December 1975 – 1 January 1991
2.3 Components This article incorporates public domain material from
websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Re-
• 7405th Support Squadron (Wiesbaden AB), 10 May search Agency.
1955
After 30 June 1974, assigned directly to HQ
USAFE.
Redesignated as 7405th Operations Squadron,
31 December 1975
Assigned to 7575th Operations Group, 1 July
1977 – 1 January 1991
• 7406th Support Squadron (Rhein-Main AB), 10
May 1955 – 30 June 1974
• 7407th Support Squadron (Rhein-Main AB), 10
May 1955 – 30 June 1974
• 7580th Operations Squadron Rhein-Main AB), 1
July 1977 – 31 March 1991
• 7th Special Operations Squadron, 1 Jul 1977 – 1
March 1983
[6] Anderson, p. __
[7] Jackson, p. __
[8] “7575th Operations Group Factsheet”. 9websites.com.
Retrieved 2012-12-10.
[9] 7405th Operations Squadron assumed mission of inacti-
vated group
4.2 Bibliography
• Anderson, David A. (1987) North American F-100
Super Sabre (Osprey Air Combat), Osprey Publish-
ing Company, ISBN 0-85045-662-2
• Jackson, Robert. Canberra: The Operational
Record. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution
Press, 1989. ISBN 0-87474-502-0.
• Knaack, Marcelle Size (1988). Encyclopedia of US
Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems. Vol. 2, Post-
World War II Bombers 1945-1973. Washington,
DC: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-
59-5.
• Mikesh, Robert C. Martin B-57 Canberra: The
Complete Record.Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer
Publishing Ltd., 1995. ISBN 0-88740-661-0.
 9

5 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

5.1 Text
• 7499th Support Group Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7499th_Support_Group?oldid=685168163 Contributors: Topbanana, Kle-
men Kocjancic, Rjwilmsi, Ground Zero, Chris the speller, TimBentley, TGC55, Ohconfucius, Bwmoll3, Nick Number, Magioladitis,
Buckshot06, R'n'B, Canglesea, Czarkoff, Mild Bill Hiccup, Lineagegeek, Reedmalloy, Yobot, AnomieBOT, Lotje, Antemister, John of
Reading, Helpful Pixie Bot, Khazar2, FoxyOrange, Jdsnyder34785, Tjdrum and Anonymous: 3

5.2 Images
• File:7405th_Operations_Squadron_-_Emblem.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/7405th_
Operations_Squadron_-_Emblem.png License: Public domain Contributors: scan of USAF Patch Original artist: United States Air Force
• File:7405th_Operations_Squadron_C-130E_62-1828.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/7405th_
Operations_Squadron_C-130E_62-1828.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: United States Air Force Photo Original artist: United
States Air Force
• File:7405th_Support_Squadron_-_Emblem.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/7405th_Support_
Squadron_-_Emblem.png License: Public domain Contributors: scan of USAF Patch Original artist: United States Air Force
• File:7406th_Support_Squadron_-_Emblem.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/7406th_Support_
Squadron_-_Emblem.png License: Public domain Contributors: scan of USAF Patch Original artist: United States Air Force
• File:7407th_Support_Squadron-_Emblem.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/7407th_Support_
Squadron-_Emblem.png License: Public domain Contributors: scan of USAF Patch Original artist: United States Air Force
• File:7407th_Support_Squadron_RB-57A-1_1956.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/7407th_
Support_Squadron_RB-57A-1_1956.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Mikesh, Robert C. Martin B-57 Canberra: The Complete
Record.Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1995. ISBN 0-88740-661-0. USAF Photo Original artist: United States Air Force
• File:7499th_Support_Group_-_Emblem.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/7499th_Support_
Group_-_Emblem.png License: Public domain Contributors: scan of USAF Patch Original artist: United States Air Force
• File:7499th_Support_Squadron_-_Emblem.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/7499th_Support_
Squadron_-_Emblem.png License: Public domain Contributors: scan of USAF Patch Original artist: United States Air Force
• File:7575th_Operations_Group_-_Emblem.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/7575th_Operations_
Group_-_Emblem.png License: Public domain Contributors: scan of USAF Patch Original artist: United States Air Force
• File:7580th_Operations_Squadron_-_Emblem.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/7580th_
Operations_Squadron_-_Emblem.png License: Public domain Contributors: scan of USAF Patch Original artist: United States Air Force
• File:7th_SOS_MC-130_Germany.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/7th_SOS_MC-130_Germany.
jpg License: Public domain Contributors: http://www.aviationspectator.com/image/latest-aviation-images?page=327 USAF Photo Original
artist: United States Air Force
• File:7th_Special_Operations_Squadron.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/7th_Special_Operations_
Squadron.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Air Force Historical Research Agency Original artist: ?
• File:B-17G-85-VE_Fortress_44-8889.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/B-17G-85-VE_Fortress_
44-8889.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: http://7499thgroupreunions.com/default.aspx USAF Photo Original artist: United States
Air Force
• File:Boeing_KC-97G-26-BO_Stratofreighter_52-2688.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Boeing_
KC-97G-26-BO_Stratofreighter_52-2688.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: http://9websites.com/airforce/spyplane.htm USAF
Photo Original artist: United States Air Force
• File:Boeing_RB-50B-55-BO_Superfortress_47-157.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Boeing_
RB-50B-55-BO_Superfortress_47-157.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: http://www.7406suppron.com/gallery/gallery.asp?
action=viewimage&categoryid=26&text=&imageid=230&box=&shownew= USAF Photo Original artist: United States Air Force
• File:C_130a_7406os_rm.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/C_130a_7406os_rm.jpg License: Public
domain Contributors: United States Air Force Historical Research Agency, Maxwell AFB Alabama. Original artist: USAF
• File:Flag_of_the_United_States.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg License:
PD Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
• File:Flag_of_the_United_States_Air_Force.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Flag_of_the_United_
States_Air_Force.svg License: Public domain Contributors: http://www.flagpictures.org/downloads/print/airforce1.svg Original artist:
United States Air Force
• File:General_Dynamics_RB-57F_Canberra_take_off_(SN_63-13291)_061031-F-1234P-021.jpg Source: https:
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/General_Dynamics_RB-57F_Canberra_take_off_%28SN_63-13291%29_
061031-F-1234P-021.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: US Goverment Original artist: ?
• File:Lockheed_C-130E-LM_Hercules_62-1828.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Lockheed_
C-130E-LM_Hercules_62-1828.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: http://9websites.com/airforce/spyplane.htm USAF Photo
Original artist: United States Air Force
• File:North_American_RF-100A-10-NA_Super_Sabre_53-1551.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/
North_American_RF-100A-10-NA_Super_Sabre_53-1551.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: http://www.f-100.org/hun111.
shtml USAF Photo Original artist: United States Air Force
10 5 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

• File:Roundel_of_the_USAF.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Roundel_of_the_USAF.svg License:

Public domain Contributors: MIL-STD-2161A (AS), DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE STANDARD PRACTICE PAINT SCHEMES
AND EXTERIOR MARKINGS FOR US NAVY AND MARINE CORPS AIRCRAFT (1 MAY 1993) and USAF TO 1-1-4, TECH-
NICAL MANUAL EXTERIOR FINISHES, INSIGNIA AND MARKINGS, APPLICABLE TO USAF AIRCRAFT (CHANGE 6 - 20
MAR 1998). Original artist: Zscout370
• File:Seal_of_the_US_Air_Force.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Seal_of_the_US_Air_Force.svg
License: Public domain Contributors: SVG created from this image Original artist: Arthur E. DuBois, according to [1]
• File:United_States_Air_Forces_in_Europe.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/United_States_Air_
Forces_in_Europe.svg License: Public domain Contributors: http://www.usafe.af.mil/art/mediagallery.asp?galleryID=1236 (EPS-File,
SVG format conversion: wdwd) Original artist: en:United States Army Institute of Heraldry

5.3 Content license

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