page_title: 354th Fighter Wing
section_title: Desert Shield/Storm
hierarchical_section_title: 354th Fighter Wing / History / Desert Shield/Storm
caption_attribution_description: English: The 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron Personnel - March 1991 - King Fahd International Airport after Operation Desert Storm
context_page_description: The 354th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force wing that is part of Pacific Air Forces. It is the host wing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and is assigned to the Eleventh Air Force.
  The wing replaced the 343d Fighter Wing on 20 August 1993 as part of a service-wide effort to preserve the lineage of the Air Force's most honored wings. Prior to its inactivation, the 343d was the oldest surviving air combat unit in Alaska, with a lineage dating back to the Aleutian Campaign.
  The 18th Fighter Squadron, whose history also dated back to World War II, remained active, but the 355th Fighter Squadron replaced the 11 TASS.
  Also changing names were the 3d Fighter Training Squadron, which became the 353d Fighter Squadron. The 353 FS and 355 FS had long associations with the new host unit.
  All 354th Fighter Wing Aircraft carry the tail code "AK". The 355 FS was inactivated in August 2007 as a result of Base Realignment and Closure 2005 action and all A-10 aircraft were reassigned to other USAF units. The 18 FS was redesignated as the 18th Aggressor Squadron and remains at Eielson, operating the F-16 in an adversary role.
context_section_description: In 1980, the 354th was allocated to President Jimmy Carter's Rapid Deployment Force, formally known as the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF). In 1983 the RDJTF became a separate unified command known as the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), focusing on the Middle East.
  Within CENTCOM, The 354th was assigned to the United States Central Command Air Forces (USCENTAF). Starting in 1985, the 354th's A-10 aircraft and personnel were deployed to Cairo West AB, Egypt for BRIGHT STAR exercises. BRIGHT STAR deployments also occurred in 1987 and 1989 from Myrtle Beach AFB.
  With the outbreak of the Kuwait crisis in August 1990, Myrtle Beach AFB deployed the 353 and 355 TFS on 15 August 1990 to King Fahd International Airport, near Dammam, Saudi Arabia. At the time of the deployment, King Fhad was under construction. At King Fahd, the 354 TFW (Provisional) was formed. The 354 TFW was one of the first USAF units deployed to the Persian Gulf for Operation Desert Shield.
  During Operation Desert Storm, aircraft assigned to the 354th initially flew against early-warning radar and Scud missile sites, as well as search-and-rescue missions of downed coalition pilots. When the ground attack began in late February 1991, the 354th performed its ground support mission, inflicting heavy damage to Iraqi armor and artillery emplacements, as well as cutting off enemy supply lines.
  The 354 TFW (P) consisted of 131 A/OA-10A aircraft from the following bases:
  The 354th returned home from the Gulf on 25 March 1991
  On 1 October 1991, the 354 TFW was redesignated the 354th Fighter Wing with the inactivation of Tactical Air Command (TAC) and the wing's reassignment to the new Air Combat Command (ACC).
caption: Photo of the 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron Personnel – March 1991 – King Fahd International Airport after victory in Operation Desert Storm
exif: {}