Dreux History
1951
- Location of base selected
1952
- Sep – construction begins with roads and railroad track
- Railroad spur extended from La Loupe
- Nov – runway construction begins; also taxiways, hardstands and hangers
1955
- Summer – ready for occupancy
- Sept/Oct – 60th Troop Carrier Wing (TCW) with 10th, 11th, and 12th Troop Carrier Squadrons (TCS) flying C-119s relocated from Rhein-Main AB, West Germany
- Mission: in-theater airlift
- Also transported personnel and equipment to support weapons training on desert ranges in Libya and Morocco in north Africa (Wheelus and Nouasseur Air Bases)
1956
- Feb – 60th TCW supported Project Snowbound, disaster relief mission to Italy and northern Greece.
- May/Jun – 309th Troop Carrier Group from Ardmore AFB, OK flying C-123B’s was transferred to Dreux
- Assigned to 322 Air Division from 2 Jun 56 – 8 Aug 56
- 8 Aug 56 – 309th assigned to 60th TCW (until 12 Mar 57)
1957
- 12 Mar – HQ 60th Troop Carrier Group deactivated
- 25 Sep – 60 TCW HQ deactivated and squadrons assigned to 60th Wing
1958
- 20 Apr – USAFE notified the 309th TCG to return to CONUS for cost reasons
- Jul /Aug – 309th returns to Ardmore AFB, OK
- 25 Sep – – 60 TCW HQ deactivated and squadrons assigned directly to the 322nd Air Division at Evreux-Fauville AB
- Remaining assigned units given to 7305th Combat Support Group at Dreux or 317th Air Base Group at Evreux
1960
Sept – Dreux High School activated with approx 360 students
1961
- 1 Jan – Base goes to standby/caretaker status under Evreux AB
- 10, 11, and 12 TCS and support units deactivated, although 12 TCS remained at Dreux until summer ‘62 when aircraft were sold or returned to the US
- Remaining support personnel assigned to 317th Air Base Group
- Jul – First elements of Defense Air Communications Control Center (DCA) arrive at Dreux to establish DACCC-Eur
- Installation team from the US Army Signal Engineering Agency and USAF European Ground Electronics Engineering and Installation Agency arrive to install equipment and begin temporary ops for DACCC-Eur in Bldg 132
- 1 Sep – DACCC-Eur officially established at Dreux
- 1 Oct – The 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Group from Montgomery, AL was federalized in response to the Berlin Crisis. The 117th consisted of the 106 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (TRS) from Birmingham, Alabama; the 160th TRS, Montgomery, AL; the 153TRS, Missisppippi ANG, and the 184th TRS from the Arizona ANG. Due to budget constraints only the 106th deployed to France, with Dreux selected as its bed down location, with the other squadrons remaining in CONUS available to deploy if necessary. Some personnel from the other squadrons rotated through France during the 117th’s deployment, but no further aircraft were deployed.
- 3 Nov – Dreux again has an active flying mission with the arrival of 20 RF-84F Thunderstreaks, two T33A’s and one C-47 from the 106th TRS.
- 22 Nov – Wing designated as the 7117th Tactical Wing (Provisional)
- 8 Dec – Due to air traffic control issues with French, RF-84s departed Dreux for reassignment to Chaumont AB; 7117th Wing HQ remained at Dreux.
1962
- A detachment of the 2nd Mobile Comm Gp begins operations from the Marguerite 4 area
- 22 Jul – 106th TRS returned to Alabama; Dreux AB placed back in standby status
- Operational control returned to 322nd Air Division; 7305th Combat Support Group at Dreux
- 23/24 Nov – DACCC-Eur moves from temporary location in Bldg 132 to permanent location, Bldg 143
1963
- 5-8 Sep – DACCC-Eur relocates from Dreux to Camp des Loges near Paris
1966
- 7 Mar – Charles de Gaulle announced France would withdraw from NATO’s integrated military structure and that all US facilities would be turned over to the French.
- Jul – 2nd Mobile Comm Gp elements relocate to Sembach AB, Germany
1967
- Dreux High School inactivated
- 24 Mar – Dreux returned to French control