48th Fighter Wing The 48th Fighter Wing ( 48 FW ) is part of the United States Air Force Third Air Force , assigned to HQ Air Command Europe , and is based at RAF Lakenheath , England . The 48 FW is the only F - 15 wing based in Europe . It was given the name " Statue of Liberty Wing " on 4 July 1954 and remains the only USAF unit with both a name and a numerical designation . The 48 FW operates in support of U . S . Air Forces Europe , U . S . European Command and NATO . Units . The Liberty Wing has nearly 5 , 700 active - duty military members , 2 , 000 British and U . S . civilians , and includes a geographically separated unit at nearby RAF Feltwell . In addition to supporting two combat - ready squadrons of F - 15E Strike Eagle and F - 15C Eagle fighter aircraft , the Liberty Wing houses the 56th Rescue Squadron ' s HH - 60G Combat Search and Rescue helicopters . History . Cold War . Chaumont - Semoutiers Air Base . On 10 July 1952 , the Oklahoma Air National Guard 137th Fighter - Bomber Wing at Chaumont - Semoutiers Air Base , France was redesignated the 48th Fighter - Bomber Wing . The fighter squadrons being redesignated the 492d , 493d , and 494th respectively , the 58 F - 84Gs and support aircraft of the ANG were assigned to the 48th Fighter - Bomber Group under the Hobson Plan . The 48th FBW commanded the functions of both the support groups as well as the flying combat 48th FBG . The few National Guardsmen still with the wing departed and the last were released from active duty on 9 July , although a few reserve officers remained on active duty for an additional six to twelve months . With the F - 84 , the 48 FBW supported NATO and the United States Air Forces in Europe ( USAFE ) , activities , participating in exercises with the US Seventh Army . In addition , the 48th conducted operational readiness exercises and tactical evaluations . Honing bombing and gunnery skills . The 48th frequently deployed to Wheelus AFB , Libya for training . The 48th developed into the premier fighter wing in France , serving the longest , from 10 July 1952 through 15 January 1960 . The men and women of the 48th worked hard to develop Chaumont - Semoutiers Air Base into one of the best air bases in Europe . Its squadrons remained unchanged while flying three different type of fighters , the F - 84G , F - 86F and the F - 100 D , and maintaining the capability to fight either a conventional or nuclear war if need be . An open house was held once a year , with great numbers of French civilians in attendance . In 1954 , over 15 , 000 attended the Armed Forces Day event to see static aircraft displays , watch flight demonstrations , listen to a French army band and other activities . In just over three years since construction began , Chaumont Air Base became an important part of the Haute - Marne region . To bolster Franco - American relations , the 48th Wing Staff came up with the idea of changing the wing insignia . Chaumont AB is located not far from the workshops of Frédéric Bartholdi – the French architect which designed the Statue of Liberty . The new design incorporated the Statue of Liberty , and throughout Europe the 48th became known as the " Statue of Liberty " Wing . On 4 July 1954 the mayor of the town of Chaumont bestowed the honorary title of the Statue de la Liberté ( Statue of Liberty ) Wing upon the 48th . It is the only USAF unit with both an official name and a numerical designation . Not long after the wing proudly took on the title of The Statue of Liberty Wing , the wing ' s comptroller discovered the factory that had produced the actual Statue of Liberty was only 25 miles from Chaumont . In fact , one of the actual molds still existed . The factory agreed to cast a three - meter replica of the statue for $ 1 , 700 . The wing raised the funds by raffling off a 1956 French Ford Versailles sedan . The statue still stands in Chaumont as a memorial to the service of the 48th Fighter - Bomber Wing in France , with a replica located at RAF Lakenheath . In November 1953 , the wing exchanged its F - 84Cs for newer F - 86F " Sabre " , receiving 75 aircraft , 25 per squadron . Then in late 1956 that the Air Force would exchange the 48th ' s Sabers for a newer aircraft : the F - 100D " Super Sabre " . The larger - bodied F - 100 was capable of carrying more ordnance than the F - 86 and was one of the first fighters designed to operate at supersonic speeds . 90 single - seat F - 100D aircraft were received , along with 13 F - 100F dual - seaters . The wing began realigning its units 15 March 1957 , as part of an Air Force worldwide reorganization . The 48th Fighter - Bomber Group was inactivated on 8 December 1957 when its component squadrons were assigned directly to the 48th FBW as the Air Force reorganized its wings into the tri - deputate system . As part of yet another organization change , the 48th dropped the " Fighter Bomber " designation 8 July 1958 , becoming the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing . The three flying units also changed designation , becoming tactical fighter squadrons . Despite the close relationship between the wing and the people of Chaumont , international relationships between France and the US deteriorated in the late 1950s , resulting in French President Charles de Gaulle demanding the removal of NATO forces from the country . Under a project known as “ Red Richard , ” USAFE relocated its units from France to other locations around Europe . Simultaneously , the advent of the inter - continental ballistic missile had reduced the United States ’ dependence on European - based airborne medium - and long ranged bombers On 15 January 1960 , the 48 TFW redeployed to an empty Strategic Air Command heavy bomber base , RAF Lakenheath , England . In the early the wing ' s three fighter squadrons lifted off Chaumont ' s runway and , after making farewell passes over the outlying village , headed toward the English Channel . RAF Lakenheath . On 15 January 1960 , jet fighters of the 48TFW landed at RAF Lakenheath for the first time . The Royal Air Force used the base during World War II and Strategic Air Command during the Korean War , both flying bomber aircraft . The tactical components of the 48th TFW upon arrival at Lakenheath were : The squadron markings consisted of alternating stripes across the tailfin in squadron colors , with a shadowed " V " shaped chevron on the nose . Starting in March 1970 squadron tail codes ( shown above ) were added when the aircraft went from a natural finish to a Southeast Asian camouflage motif . The wing and its fighters brought a new mission and the first permanent American presence to RAF Lakenheath . The base required a myriad of construction projects to support the mission . Maintenance and flying operations areas required conversions to support fighter operations , and the base needed the creation of a support structure for a permanent host unit . East Germany ' s 1961 decision to build the Berlin Wall and the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis increased Cold War tensions to an all - time high . In response , RAF Lakenheath served as a rotational base for SAC B - 47 and B - 52 aircraft throughout the Berlin Crisis . Also in 1962 , the 48th TFW came under the operational command of Third Air Force . Between 1963 and 1972 the wing ' s F - 100 fleet maintained its readiness by participating in a number of USAFE and NATO exercises training to react to possible aggression from the Soviet Union . They underwent a series of NATO tactical evaluations , for which they earned the wing their first Air Force Outstanding Unit Award , for the period from 1 July 1961 to 29 February 1964 . The wing conducted several deployments to Turkey , Italy , Spain , and across the United Kingdom On 1 October 1971 , the 492d Tactical Fighter Squadron stood down from its NATO commitments , followed by the 493d on 1 December and the 494th on 1 February 1972 . The period between 1972 and 1977 can be described as a five - year aircraft conversion . Beginning in late 1971 the 48th TFW started its conversion to the McDonnell Douglas F - 4D Phantom II , with the aircraft being transferred from the 81st TFW at RAF Bentwaters . The conversion to the F - 4D took several years , with the last F - 100 departing in August 1974 . With the arrival of the Phantoms , the F - 4s adopted a common tail code of " LK " . This tail code lasted only a few months as in July and August 1972 the 48th TFW further recoded to " LN " . The F - 4D carried squadron identifying fin cap colors of blue , yellow and red ( 492d , 493d , 494th respectively ) . The squadron conversion dates were : The F - 4 ' s service with the 48th TFW was short as operation " Ready Switch " transferred the F - 4D assets to the 474th TFW at Nellis AFB Nevada . The 474th sent their General Dynamics F - 111 As to the 347th TFW at Mountain Home AFB Idaho , and the 347th sent their F - 111Fs to Lakenheath in early 1977 . Unlike the previous F - 4 transition , the F - 111 change took place quickly and without any significant problems . In fact , the wing received its third Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for such a smooth transition . Almost immediately after changing aircraft , the wing began a series of monthly exercises and deployments that took the Liberty Wing to Italy , Iran , Greece , and Pakistan . A fourth fighter squadron , the 495th Tactical Fighter Squadron was activated with the 48th TFW on 1 April 1977 with a squadron tail color of green . This was 33 years to the day since the squadron ' s inactivation . The 495th ' s mission of functioning as a replacement training unit for the other three fighter squadrons made the 48th TFW unique in two ways . First , it made the 48th the only combat unit in USAFE with four squadrons . Furthermore , it made the 48th the only wing operating with its own replacement training unit . In the same year construction of the airfield ' s Hardened Aircraft Shelters ( acronym : HAS , but commonly referred to as a TAB - VEE ) began as part of a wider NATO effort . By September 1979 , the wing had flown the highest number of hours ever recorded in a fiscal year by an F - 111 unit . This dedication culminated in the 48th ' s performance during a joint USAFE Operational Readiness Inspection and NATO Tactical Evaluation in March 1980 . As a result , the Secretary of the Air Force selected the 48th TFW for its fourth Air Force Outstanding Unit Award . In the early 1980s the wing struggled with aircraft shortages . Primarily , this resulted from the upgrade to the Pave Tack , a laser guided weapons delivery system . Each aircraft had to process through the upgrade facility at the Air Logistics Center in California . At the same time , the wing had to deal with supply shortages resulting from years of reduced military budgets in the late 1970s . Operation El Dorado Canyon By the mid - 1980s the " Red Scare " was not the only American fear for national security ; terrorists struck targets from bombing of US Marines in Beirut to Berlin , from Rome to Rotterdam . Some of these attacks were attributed to the Libyan government headed by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi . In retaliation , U . S . President Ronald Reagan ordered a strike against targets in Tripoli , which were carried out by the United States Navy Sixth Fleet and F - 111s of the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing . The F - 111Fs from Lakenheath were chosen for their capability to fly long distances and deliver laser - guided munitions with great accuracy . At approximately 19 : 00 the evening of 14 April 1986 , 24 F - 111Fs departed Lakenheath ' s runway , six of which were airborne spares in the event malfunctions forced any of the primary aircraft to abort . In flights of four , aircrews flew south through the Straits of Gibraltar and began their orchestrated attack shortly after midnight on 15 April . They were targeted on Azziziyah Barracks , the Sidi Balal terrorist training camp , and Tripoli Airport . With the sky lit up from Tripoli ' s city lights , anti - aircraft tracers , and brilliant surface to air missile detonations , determined 48th TFW crews unleashed 60 tons of munitions , damaging their targets . In spite of the mission ' s success , the Wing experienced a major loss . As the strike force recovered at Lakenheath , both air and ground crews were given the somber news that Major Fernando Ribas ( Utuado , Puerto Rico ) pilot , and Weapons System Operator Captain Paul Lorence , were missing . The grueling 14 - hour flight took its toll . “ Those guys were so fatigued , the crew chiefs literally had to pull some of the crews out of the cockpits , ” recalled CMSgt Richard O ’ Shaughnessy , then a Master Sergeant and weapons flight supervisor . “ Most of them actually lost several pounds from sweating so much . When the guys pulled their helmets off , sweat literally poured down their foreheads and necks " . On 8 September 1986 , US Navy Secretary John Lehman personally presented the Navy ' s Meritorious Unit Commendation to the 48th TFW for its participation in the operation . The 48th TFW is the only Air Force unit to have received this prestigious award . Likewise , General Charles L . Donnelly , Jr . , Commander - in - Chief , USAFE , visited RAF Lakenheath on 17 February 1987 and presented decorations to those who participated in the operation . The ceremony ended with a presentation to Captain Lorence ' s widow Diane , followed by a missing man flyover . Operation Desert Storm In response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990 , during the first week of August , Col Thomas J . Lennon , 48th Tactical Fighter Wing Commander , received a call from Headquarters , US States Air Force , asking if the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing was ready to deploy . Colonel Lennon built a team of 13 members from wing leadership , known as the “ Lucky 13 , ” and preparations began for the eventual movement of personnel and F - 111s to Saudi Arabia . On 25 August 1990 , 18 F - 111s took off from Lakenheath as the first USAFE unit to deploy . In this first group , nearly 500 men and women of the Liberty Wing departed with the assuredness of years of training behind them and a clearly defined mission before them . The 48th TFW deployed more than 60 aircraft and 1 , 500 personnel to Taif Air Base , Saudi Arabia . The 492d , 493d and 494th TFSs deployed , supplying 66 F - 111Fs , which were in place by December 1990 . Some aircrew & other members of the 495th TFS were deployed & dispersed throughout its 3 sister squadrons . During the air war 17 January through 24 February 1991 , and subsequent four - day ground war of 24 – 28 February 48th TFW F - 111Fs flew thousands of sorties , unleashing their lethality of precision - guided munitions on Iraqi armor , artillery , bridges , military airfields and command and control centers . 48th aircrews even stopped the flow of oil contaminating the Persian Gulf by bombing a pumping installation purposefully damaged by retreating Iraqi forces . Overall , the 48th TFW flew a total of 1919 combat sorties , totaling 2203 target hits . The Wing returned to RAF Lakenheath 13 May 1991 . Modern era . Incorporating the lessons learned during the desert operations , the Air Force directed changes that led to the Objective Wing Organization . Beginning in mid - 1991 , the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing began restructuring under this program , realigning its maintenance - fighter squadron work force and establishing several command positions to include the 48th Logistics Group , 48th Medical Group , 48th Support Group , and 48th Operations Group ( originally designated the 48th Fighter Group ) . The program also redesignated many of the Air Force ' s units by dropping the " Tactical " from their names . Thus on 1 October 1991 , the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing was redesignated the 48th Fighter Wing , and the 492d , 493d , 494th and 495th became simply Fighter Squadrons . The 495th FS inactivated on 13 December 1991 . In the midst of the organizational changes , the wing switched aircraft again , exchanging the F - 111Fs for the F - 15E Strike Eagle . On 15 February 1992 , the first F - 15E landed at Lakenheath , with the last F - 111F departing for units within the US on 16 December 1992 . The final F - 15E arrived in June 1993 ( actually early 2000s ) , and the wing achieved initial operational capability on 1 October 1993 . With this mission change , the 493d Fighter Squadron inactivated on 1 January 1993 , only to reactivate again on 1 January 1994 . The squadron received its first maintenance trainer F - 15C Eagle on 10 January 1994 , then its full complement of F - 15C & D aircraft by 22 July 1994 . This marked the first time that the 48th had flown a specifically air - to - air weapon system , after flying for more than 50 years with an air - to - ground mission . Since September 2001 , in response to the terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September 2001 , various units of the 48th FW have deployed to Afghanistan to support Operation Enduring Freedom and to Iraq to support Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn , and also to various other US allies such as the South Korea . The wing participated in Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya in March 2011 . One of the wing ' s F - 15E aircraft crashed in Libya after an unapproved flight maneuver on 21 March 2011 , but both aircrewmembers survived with minor injuries . Components . Groups Squadrons