The F - 100D at MBAFB, 1956 - 1970

The F - 100D at MBAFB, 1956 - 1970. . On 19 November 1956, after more than 10 years of inactive status, the 354 Fighter Group was reactivated at Myrtle Beach AFB. The first maintenance training aircraft was flown in on 7 December 1956 by the Fighter Day Wing Commander, Colonel Francis S. Gabreski; the first operational F-100D was flown in on 5 February 1957 by the Fighter Day Group Commander, Colonel James F. Hackler., Upon becoming operational in the F-100D, the 354 Tactical Fighter Wing (redesignated 1 July 1958) deployed units to the Middle East during the 1958 Lebanon emergency. The Wing also took part in the Berlin crisis (1961), the Cuban missile crisis (1962), and the Dominican Republic crisis (1965). During the same period, the 354 TFW maintained F-100 squadrons on rotational fusty in Italy and Turkey supporting US commitments to NATO., In the late 1960s, with growing US involvement in Southeast Asia, the 356 TFS deployed to Misawa AFB, Japan; the 352 TFS deployed to Phan Rang AB, Republic of South Vietnam; and the 355 TFS deployed to Phu Cat AB, RSVN. The 353 TFS moved its operations to Torrejon AFB, Spain, to permanently pick up the Wing's NATO mission., On 10 April 1970, after 13 1/2 years in the Super Sabre, the F-100's reign with the 354 TFW ended. The last six F-100s were transferred to the South Dakota ANG at Sioux Falls as the wing transitioned to the A-7D Corsair II.