20th

Medals.
By the end of the conflict, Saudi based EF-111As had flown 219 combat missions, totaling 1,155 flying hours. The
wing’s six EF-111As based in Turkey flew 252 combat missions, totaling 704 hours, while the 23 F-111Es at Incirlik
flew 456 combat missions, a total of 1,327 combat hours. When Desert Storm ended, the wing had deployed
458 personnel, flown 1,798 combat sorties without a loss, and dropped 4,714 tons of ordnance.
Upper Heyford Becomes Desert Storm Evacuation Center
During this period, RAF Upper Heyford was designated as the Regional Evacuation Control Center. To accomplish
this mission, the 20th activated the contingency hospital complex to support Desert Storm. The wing accomplished
major facility upgrades at RAF Bicester, RAF
Little Rissington, and RAF Croughton in record time. The
wing provided food, transportation and lodging requirements,
as well as personnel, recreational, legal, and financial
services to support 5,000 augmenting personnel
and an anticipated 2,000 patients.
In the first 6 months of 1991, Transient Alert personnel, in
support of Desert Storm, serviced and launched the largest
number of transient aircraft in the history of RAF Upper
Heyford -- 1,408 aircraft.
On Mar. 9, 1991, 27 of the 28 deployed F-111Es and EF-
111As, along with the support personnel, returned home
from Incirlik AB, Turkey.
EF-111A of the 42nd ECS prior to takeoff for deployment to
Turkey in support of Operation Provide Comfort Sep. 23,
1991. USAF Photo
The 42 ECS redeployed to Incirlik in support of Operation Provide Comfort on Apr. 6, 1991.
In May, 42d ECS Avionics Maintenance Unit personnel -- deployed to Saudi Arabia since December 1990 -- returned
to Upper Heyford. Other 42d ECS/AMU personnel rotated into Saudi in the same month.
Eight months after it was assigned to the 20 TFW, the 2168th Communications Squadron was redesignated the
620th Communications Squadron on May 1, 1991.
20th Wing Organizational Growth
On Jul. 16, three units were attached to the 20th TFW, the 850th Munitions Maintenance Squadron at RAF Welford,
the 7501st Air Base Squadron at RAF Greenham Common, and Detachment 1, 7501st Air Base Squadron
at RAF Welford.
Returning to normal operations, 20th TFW aircrews participated in the NATO Central Enterprise 91 exercise from
Jun. 10 to 14, 1991. On Jul. 19, 1991, the 79th TFS took top honors at the International Air Tattoo held at RAF
Fairford.
The wing held a homecoming celebration for 42d ECS aircrews and support personnel returning from Operation
Provide Comfort deployment on Aug. 14, 1991.
Wing aircrews flew in support of Elder Joust from Sep. 10 to 12, 1991.
On Sep. 31, 1991, another rotation of 42d ECS personnel to Saudi Arabia took place.
20th Fighter Wing History --- Page Number 24.