162:
779:
well. Not only did the 71st take 13 missiles and the required launchers and checkout vans, but also two complete MSQ units, plus personnel to back up the two
Shanicle base units that were permanently installed at Wheelus. The exercise was followed by similar deployments from Hahn Air Base, and later Sembach Air Base, all units of the newly formed 38th TMW. The exercises were moved to Patrick AFB, FL, in 1959 for launches at Cape Canaveral.
169:
872:
678:
273:. The base had a beach club, the largest military hospital outside the US, a multiplex cinema, a bowling alley and a high school for 500 students. The base had a radio and TV station, a shopping mall and fast food outlets. At its height, over 15,000 military personnel and their dependents lived at the base. Wheelus Air Base was originally built by the
414:
775:. Operations Suntan (October 1954), Sunburst (June 1955), and Sunflash (March 1956) became annual qualification firings for all Matador squadrons based in Europe. There were 36 Matador launches from Wheelus in 1957, while there were only 13 launches at Cape Canaveral and only 25 from Holloman AFB in Alamogordo, New Mexico during the same time.
1005:
421:
670:
662:
428:
839:
During the early 1960s, many children of US oil personnel sent to develop the oil field installations and pipelines were allowed to attend the high school at
Wheelus, typically riding buses from residential areas in or near Tripoli. Classes often had to pause briefly while large aircraft were taking off.
727:
air forces. The squadron's tail markings changed with the F-86Ds having two or three horizontal red chevrons starting at the base of the rudder, with the chevron point touching the vertical fin's leading edge and angling towards the upper trailing edge of the rudder. Inside the rearmost chevron was
778:
The 1958 exercise from 6 October through 19 November, called "Operation
Marblehead," took 19 C-130 Hercules and seven C-124 Globemasters just to move the 339 personnel and equipment of the 71st TMS from Bitburg to Wheelus and back. C-47 twin engined transports carried personnel back and forth as
838:
Oil was discovered in Libya in 1959, and what had been one of the world's poorest countries became comparatively wealthy. The US continued a generally warm relationship with Libya and pursued policies centered on interests in operations at
Wheelus Air Base and the considerable US oil interests.
456:(USAFE)-based fighter-bomber units also began using Wheelus AB and its nearby El Uotia Gunnery Range for gunnery and bombing training. A further agreement between the United States and Libya, signed in 1954, granted the US the use of Wheelus and its gunnery range until December 1971.
308:
for short-range reconnaissance units, and coastal and naval reconnaissance units. Special weather reconnaissance units were also based at
Mehalla. The main Luftwaffe unit stationed at the base was the 2nd Staffel of the Aufklärungsgruppe (H) 14 or 2.(H)/14.
821:
based 20th and 48th TFWs with F-100Ds, and the 81st TFW trained in air-to-air and air-to-ground gunnery and delivery of conventional ordnance and nuclear "shapes" at the weapons range about 10 nautical miles (19 km) further east of the air base.
829:
replaced most USAFE fighters in the 1960s, Phantom detachments became the predominant activity at
Wheelus. USAFE's use of Wheelus continued until 1970, when as part of the USAF withdrawal from the base, desert weapons range training ended.
720:. The squadron insignia adorned each side of the center fuselage, over the wing. The tail markings consisted of a red-and-white comet design on the vertical tail. A white lightning flash decorated the red portion of the comet's tail.
842:
The value of the installation had declined with the development of long-range nuclear missiles that had effectively replaced many bombers. Thus
Wheelus served primarily as a tactical fighter training facility through the 1960s.
1009:
858:. Before the revolution, the US and Libya had already reached an agreement on US withdrawal from Wheelus. This proceeded according to plan, and the facility was turned over to the new Libyan authorities on 11 June 1970.
1179:
293:
The airfield was constructed in 1923 and used by the
Italian Air Force. In 1933 the roads around the airfield and the neighbouring Mellaha Lake became the home for the
359:
1154:
435:
1184:
565:
269:
from 1943 to 1970. At one time it was the largest US military facility outside the US. It had an area of 52 km (20 sq mi) on the coast of
1150:
1199:
1194:
1189:
693:. The 7272nd was later designated the 7272nd Fighter Training Wing and became the host unit at Wheelus AB until the base's closure on 11 June 1970.
782:
The missile launch area was located 24 km (15 mi) east of
Tripoli, the remote southern section of the base, away from flight operations.
262:
851:
397:. It was renamed Wheelus Army Air Field (AAF) on 17 May 1945 in honor of USAAF Lieutenant Richard Wheelus who had died earlier that year in a
1204:
809:; the 32nd (Soesterberg, the Netherlands); 431st (Zaragoza, Spain) and 497th (Torrejón, Spain) fighter-interceptor (FIS) squadrons with
646:
Wheelus hosted SAC bomber deployments in 45-day rotational deployments, using
Wheelus as a staging area for planned strikes against the
442:
764:
697:
686:
453:
119:
955:
889:
826:
441:
Wheelus AAF was closed on 15 May 1947, then reopened as Wheelus Air Base (Wheelus AB) on 1 June 1948 and transferred to the USAF
653:
SAC's use of Wheelus continued until 1970, when as part of the USAF withdrawal from the base, its rotational deployments ended.
936:
161:
316:, an aircraft with 2-man crews, which could cover approx 710 km, with a maximum speed of 360 km/h, as well as three
1095:
908:
893:
332:
992:
981:
915:
771:), beginning in October 1954, with three separate live launch operations for all of the operational squadrons using the
763:
The expanse of Libyan desert was used first by the 701st TMW, then later its successor, the 38th Tactical Missile Wing,
569:
434:
328:
282:
112:
1052:
701:
344:
599:
aircraft were frequent visitors at Wheelus and maintained a small detachment there until the base's closure in 1970.
1174:
1098:
was Commander of the Air Rescue Service. Added by TSgt Paul Garner, USAF (Ret) 7th ARS 1955 and the 56th ARS 1956.
985:
810:
922:
882:
709:
616:
643:, becoming a vital link in SAC war plans for use as a bomber, tanker refueling and reconnaissance-fighter base.
549:
operated out of Wheelus until 1970 when they were relocated to the 67th ARRSQ in the UK. The 58 ARRS flew three
791:
705:
596:
527:
523:
511:
535:
904:
1140:
519:
515:
336:
258:
639:
tankers) from US air bases to Wheelus. The base became one of several SAC forward operating locations in
507:
305:
102:
1072:
612:
484:
798:
UK, established an operational detachment at Wheelus AB, in February 1958. This detachment managed the
636:
561:
546:
394:
592:
1136:
713:
632:
628:
294:
929:
814:
752:
729:
274:
57:
46:
847:
795:
681:
North American F-100D-65-NA Super Sabre AF Serial No. 56-2967 of the 20th FBW at Wheelus AB.
539:
449:
266:
855:
806:
317:
313:
818:
740:
624:
585:
488:
363:
340:
270:
483:
MATS activated the 1603rd Air Transport Wing at Wheelus on 1 June 1948. The wing flew
1168:
1109:"About this Collection - Country Studies | Digital Collections | Library of Congress"
973:
772:
577:
464:
371:
321:
802:
for month-long squadron rotations by the Europe-based USAFE tactical fighter wings.
977:
717:
647:
640:
620:
496:
352:
1159:
1094:
At the time the Air Rescue Service was part of Military Air Transport Command and
723:
In January 1955 the F-86D began to replace the F-86Fs, which were sent to smaller
611:
overtook post-Second World War international politics, on 16 November 1950 USAF's
1028:
871:
677:
581:
531:
398:
468:
460:
1068:"Middle East Countries: Syria, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Saudi-Arabia"
134:
121:
17:
669:
661:
301:
467:," although temperatures at the base frequently reached 110 to 120 degrees
463:
to Libya once called it "a Little America...on the sparkling shores of the
1108:
704:
was ordered to active duty in June 1953. The squadron was reassigned from
673:
North American F-86D-50-NA Sabre AF Serial No. 52-10054 of the 431st FIS.
665:
North American F-86F-20-NH Sabre AF Serial No. 51-13168 of the 431st FIS.
608:
367:
896: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
748:
472:
413:
375:
420:
554:
500:
445:(MATS). Its host unit under MATS was the 1603rd Air Transport Wing.
200:
187:
1145:
1067:
427:
805:
USAFE units from Europe such as the 36th and 49th TFW's with their
768:
744:
733:
573:
550:
492:
390:
383:
379:
348:
817:
practiced weapons delivery and use at Wheelus. In addition, the
728:
a solid blue triangle. In September 1958, the 431st FIS moved to
724:
402:
865:
386:
transport route for cargo, transiting aircraft and personnel.
503:, and operated the base transport control center until 1952.
1013:
433:
426:
419:
412:
736:, and was transferred from USAFE to SAC's 16th Air Force.
560:
MATS aircraft and personnel from Wheelus participated in
576:. The Wing (later Group) flew special operations in the
335:
began using Mellaha the same month. It was used by the
708:
and deployed to Wheelus, where it was equipped with 25
700:
was activated when the 107th Fighter Squadron of the
186:
150:
111:
100:
92:
84:
76:
71:
34:
968:Following the US withdrawal, the base was renamed
591:The MATS presence was withdrawn and relocated to
980:, as well as served as the headquarters for the
854:by a group of military officers centered around
595:, West Germany in January 1953. MATS and later
389:On 15 April 1945, Mellaha AAF was taken over by
312:The squadron was equipped with 12 single-engine
984:. The base was bombed by the US in 1986 during
1155:National Museum of the United States Air Force
542:, Saudi Arabia, were also part of the group.
8:
1180:Installations of the United States Air Force
547:58th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron
689:(USAFE) on 16 October 1951, under USAFE's
566:580th Air Resupply and Communications Wing
526:, stationed at Sidi Slimane, Morocco, the
362:. It functioned as a stopover en route to
31:
956:Learn how and when to remove this message
553:Jolly Green Giant helicopters, and three
510:, was assigned to Wheelus along with the
327:The airfield was captured by the British
751:, where it remained until relocating to
676:
668:
660:
168:
1019:
743:moved to Wheelus Air Base, Libya, from
685:Wheelus AB was reassigned from MATS to
358:In addition, Mellaha Field was used by
991:The airfield was subsequently renamed
786:Detachment 1, 20th Fighter-Bomber Wing
759:Annual Missile Launch Operation (AMLO)
739:On 1 August 1956, the Headquarters of
1062:
1060:
7:
1014:Air Force Historical Research Agency
972:(seemingly after the legendary hero
894:adding citations to reliable sources
1096:Brigadier General Thomas J. Du Bose
443:Military Air Transportation Service
324:for transport of men and materiel.
765:United States Air Forces in Europe
698:431st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
687:United States Air Forces in Europe
479:Military Air Transport Service use
454:United States Air Forces in Europe
25:
1160:Pictorial History, AMLO, 38th TMW
588:until being inactivated in 1956.
459:With its 4,600 Americans, the US
281:. Today the facility is known as
1029:"Tripoli - Circuits of the past"
1008: This article incorporates
1003:
870:
827:McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
755:, Germany, on 15 November 1959.
564:in 1952. Also in 1952 the MATS
167:
160:
1200:1970 disestablishments in Libya
1195:World War II airfields in Libya
1190:Military installations of Libya
881:needs additional citations for
568:was reassigned to Wheelus from
514:at about this time. They flew
300:Mellaha was used by the German
83:
1:
1185:Libya–United States relations
800:USAFE Weapons Training Center
333:United States Army Air Forces
1205:1943 establishments in Libya
993:Mitiga International Airport
570:Mountain Home Air Force Base
345:Consolidated B-24 Liberators
283:Mitiga International Airport
1053:File:Atcroutes-1sep1945.jpg
702:Michigan Air National Guard
1221:
986:Operation El Dorado Canyon
409:Cold War usage by the USAF
27:Former US airbase in Libya
1146:20th FDW/TFW F-100 photos
603:Strategic Air Command use
277:in 1923 and was known as
207:
204:
199:
195:
155:
41:
1137:Accident history for MJI
1033:www.circuitsofthepast.nl
834:United States withdrawal
792:20th Fighter-Bomber Wing
706:Selfridge Air Force Base
597:Military Airlift Command
536:59th Air Rescue Squadron
528:57th Air Rescue Squadron
524:56th Air Rescue Squadron
512:58th Air Rescue Squadron
320:liaison aircraft, and a
1141:Aviation Safety Network
1113:The Library of Congress
337:376th Bombardment Group
275:Italian Royal Air Force
259:United States Air Force
88:United States Air Force
1010:public domain material
976:) and was used by the
970:Okba Ben Nafi Airfield
813:and the 50th TFW with
682:
674:
666:
627:and support aircraft (
438:
431:
424:
417:
351:and southern parts of
318:Fieseler Fi 156 Storch
306:North African Campaign
263:British-occupied Libya
107:36 ft / 11 m
1073:World Digital Library
1027:Liesemeijer, Herman.
680:
672:
664:
613:Strategic Air Command
485:Douglas C-47 Skytrain
448:With the crowning of
437:
430:
423:
416:
378:on the North African
360:Air Transport Command
331:in January 1943. The
135:32.89500°N 13.28028°E
890:improve this article
691:7272nd Air Base Wing
562:Operation Hajji Baba
508:7th Air Rescue Group
395:Air Training Command
811:F-102 Delta Daggers
593:Rhein-Main Air Base
557:refueling tankers.
131: /
905:"Wheelus Air Base"
846:In September 1969
815:F-100 Super Sabres
807:F-84 "Thunderjets"
683:
675:
667:
534:, Azores, and the
471:(43 to 50 degrees
439:
432:
425:
418:
295:Tripoli Grand Prix
140:32.89500; 13.28028
1175:Airports in Libya
966:
965:
958:
940:
753:Ramstein Air Base
730:Zaragoza Air Base
252:
251:
248:
247:
16:(Redirected from
1212:
1124:
1123:
1121:
1119:
1105:
1099:
1092:
1086:
1085:
1083:
1081:
1064:
1055:
1050:
1044:
1043:
1041:
1039:
1024:
1007:
1006:
982:Libyan Air Force
961:
954:
950:
947:
941:
939:
898:
874:
866:
796:RAF Wethersfield
615:began deploying
540:Dhahran Air Base
279:Mellaha Air Base
267:Kingdom of Libya
261:base located in
255:Wheelus Air Base
197:
196:
190:
175:Wheelus Air Base
171:
170:
164:
146:
145:
143:
142:
141:
136:
132:
129:
128:
127:
124:
64:
63:
53:
52:
36:Wheelus Air Base
32:
21:
1220:
1219:
1215:
1214:
1213:
1211:
1210:
1209:
1165:
1164:
1133:
1128:
1127:
1117:
1115:
1107:
1106:
1102:
1093:
1089:
1079:
1077:
1066:
1065:
1058:
1051:
1047:
1037:
1035:
1026:
1025:
1021:
1004:
1001:
962:
951:
945:
942:
899:
897:
887:
875:
864:
856:Muammar Gaddafi
836:
788:
761:
659:
605:
538:, stationed at
481:
411:
339:(Heavy) of the
314:Henschel Hs 126
291:
188:
182:
181:
180:
179:
178:
177:
176:
172:
139:
137:
133:
130:
125:
122:
120:
118:
117:
101:Elevation
67:
61:
56:
50:
45:
37:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1218:
1216:
1208:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1167:
1166:
1163:
1162:
1157:
1151:"Lady Be Good"
1148:
1143:
1132:
1131:External links
1129:
1126:
1125:
1100:
1087:
1056:
1045:
1018:
1017:
1000:
997:
964:
963:
946:September 2015
878:
876:
869:
863:
860:
835:
832:
819:United Kingdom
787:
784:
760:
757:
741:17th Air Force
658:
655:
604:
601:
586:Southwest Asia
506:Headquarters,
480:
477:
410:
407:
364:Benina Airport
341:12th Air Force
290:
287:
250:
249:
246:
245:
242:
239:
236:
232:
231:
228:
225:
222:
218:
217:
214:
210:
209:
206:
203:
193:
192:
184:
183:
174:
173:
166:
165:
159:
158:
157:
156:
153:
152:
148:
147:
115:
109:
108:
105:
98:
97:
94:
90:
89:
86:
82:
81:
78:
74:
73:
69:
68:
66:
65:
54:
42:
39:
38:
35:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1217:
1206:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1172:
1170:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1152:
1149:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1138:
1135:
1134:
1130:
1114:
1110:
1104:
1101:
1097:
1091:
1088:
1075:
1074:
1069:
1063:
1061:
1057:
1054:
1049:
1046:
1034:
1030:
1023:
1020:
1016:
1015:
1012:from the
1011:
998:
996:
994:
989:
987:
983:
979:
975:
974:Uqba ibn Nafi
971:
960:
957:
949:
938:
935:
931:
928:
924:
921:
917:
914:
910:
907: –
906:
902:
901:Find sources:
895:
891:
885:
884:
879:This section
877:
873:
868:
867:
861:
859:
857:
853:
849:
844:
840:
833:
831:
828:
823:
820:
816:
812:
808:
803:
801:
797:
793:
785:
783:
780:
776:
774:
773:TM-61 Matador
770:
766:
758:
756:
754:
750:
746:
742:
737:
735:
731:
726:
721:
719:
715:
711:
707:
703:
699:
694:
692:
688:
679:
671:
663:
656:
654:
651:
649:
644:
642:
638:
634:
630:
626:
622:
618:
614:
610:
602:
600:
598:
594:
589:
587:
583:
579:
578:Mediterranean
575:
571:
567:
563:
558:
556:
552:
548:
543:
541:
537:
533:
530:stationed at
529:
525:
521:
517:
513:
509:
504:
502:
498:
494:
490:
486:
478:
476:
474:
470:
466:
465:Mediterranean
462:
457:
455:
451:
446:
444:
436:
429:
422:
415:
408:
406:
404:
400:
396:
392:
387:
385:
381:
377:
373:
372:Tunis Airport
369:
365:
361:
356:
354:
350:
346:
342:
338:
334:
330:
325:
323:
322:Junkers Ju 52
319:
315:
310:
307:
303:
298:
296:
288:
286:
284:
280:
276:
272:
268:
264:
260:
256:
243:
240:
237:
234:
233:
229:
226:
223:
220:
219:
215:
212:
211:
202:
198:
194:
191:
185:
163:
154:
149:
144:
116:
114:
110:
106:
104:
99:
95:
91:
87:
79:
75:
70:
59:
55:
48:
44:
43:
40:
33:
30:
19:
18:Wheelus Field
1116:. Retrieved
1112:
1103:
1090:
1078:. Retrieved
1071:
1048:
1036:. Retrieved
1032:
1022:
1002:
990:
978:Soviet Union
969:
967:
952:
943:
933:
926:
919:
912:
900:
888:Please help
883:verification
880:
848:King Idris I
845:
841:
837:
824:
804:
799:
789:
781:
777:
762:
738:
722:
718:Douglas C-47
695:
690:
684:
652:
648:Soviet Union
645:
641:North Africa
606:
590:
559:
544:
505:
497:Saudi Arabia
482:
458:
447:
440:
388:
357:
326:
311:
299:
297:motor race.
292:
289:World War II
278:
254:
253:
77:Airport type
29:
794:, based at
582:Middle East
532:Lajes Field
399:plane crash
329:Eighth Army
304:during the
138: /
113:Coordinates
1169:Categories
999:References
916:newspapers
862:After 1970
852:overthrown
716:, and one
469:Fahrenheit
461:Ambassador
343:to launch
126:13°16′49″E
123:32°53′42″N
1118:21 August
1038:21 August
657:USAFE use
452:in 1951,
302:Luftwaffe
201:Direction
609:Cold War
368:Benghazi
347:to bomb
265:and the
244:Asphalt
230:Asphalt
208:Surface
93:Location
85:Operator
80:Military
1080:27 July
930:scholar
825:As the
749:Morocco
607:As the
522:. The
473:Celsius
450:Idris I
376:Tunisia
353:Germany
271:Tripoli
238:11,076
205:Length
189:Runways
96:Tripoli
72:Summary
1076:. 1955
932:
925:
918:
911:
903:
712:, two
710:F-86Fs
635:, and
555:HC-130
516:SA-16s
501:Cyprus
499:, and
370:or to
257:was a
241:3,376
235:11/29
227:1,829
224:6,000
221:03/21
937:JSTOR
923:books
769:USAFE
745:Rabat
734:Spain
714:T-33s
637:KC-97
633:KB-50
629:KB-29
625:B-47s
621:B-36s
617:B-50s
574:Idaho
551:HH-3E
520:H-19s
493:Egypt
489:C-54s
391:USAAF
384:Dakar
380:Cairo
366:near
349:Italy
1120:2018
1082:2013
1040:2018
909:news
850:was
790:The
725:NATO
696:The
584:and
545:The
518:and
487:and
403:Iran
103:AMSL
62:HLLM
58:ICAO
47:IATA
1139:at
892:by
491:to
475:).
401:in
393:’s
213:ft
151:Map
51:MJI
1171::
1153:–
1111:.
1070:.
1059:^
1031:.
995:.
988:.
747:,
732:,
650:.
631:,
623:,
619:,
580:,
572:,
495:,
405:.
374:,
355:.
285:.
216:m
60::
49::
1122:.
1084:.
1042:.
959:)
953:(
948:)
944:(
934:·
927:·
920:·
913:·
886:.
767:(
382:-
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
