3/23/2010 - RAF MILDENHALL, England -- On
March 7, 1966, General Charles De Gaulle, the French President, informed
the United States government the all foreign troops must leave France.
That was the end result of a number of agendas which began with the
French desire to develop a self-determinate nuclear arsenal, remove
France from what it considered an unequal partnership with the United
Kingdom and the United States in NATO, and free it from being drawn into
a conflict between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization members and
members of the Warsaw Pact, should the Russian forces encroach on West
Germany territory.
France wished to be free to seek its own treaty with the Warsaw Pact
countries. If the country remained in the NATO membership, it would be
obligated to respond against any Russian aggression in Germany according
to the NATO mandates. This allowed RAF Mildenhall to become home to the
513th Troop Carrier Wing on July 1, 1966.
In a series of acts from 1958 forward, De Gaulle grew more and more
hostile to the United States playing a dominant role in NATO. He wrote
President Eisenhower and Prime Minister McMillan that there must be a
tripartite directorate with France having an equal role in NATO to the
United Kingdom and the United States.
However, his real intent was to draw NATO forces into France's colonial
affairs regarding their conflict with insurgents in Algeria.
When Eisenhower and McMillan refused, De Gaulle began building up the
defenses of France and pulled the French Mediterranean Fleet out of NATO
command on March 11, 1959.
In June 1959, De Gaulle prohibited NATO nuclear weapons from being
stationed in France. His ultimate goal was two-fold. De Gaulle sought to
make France independent of the United States and the United Kingdom's
influence and to possess the ability to conduct autonomous negotiations
with the USSR should the East Germans move into West Germany.
In coming years he removed the rest of France's Navy from the NATO
command.
On Feb, 13, 1960, France became a nuclear power when it exploded a
nuclear device in the Sahara desert. What concerned the western nations
in the NATO alliance was the statement of the French Chief of the
General Staff. He pointed out that their nuclear weapons could fire in
any direction.
The obvious threat was that America could just as easily become a
target. The remark was in response to the American Secretary of State
Dean Rusk, when he warned France that American nuclear weapons would be
pointed at France if they performed a nuclear strike beyond the agreed
plans.
In March 1966, De Gaulle removed all French armed forces from NATO
control and told the United States (and other NATO military members) to
leave France. France remained an ally to NATO forces, but only agreed to
station French troops in Germany during the Cold War.
It was because of this moment in history, on March 7, 1966, that
Mildenhall became destined to play a new role in the Cold War. On April
15, 1966 RAF Mildenhall began to make preparations for the arrival
of the 513th Troop Carrier Wing.
On July 1, 1966, the 513 TCW became the parent organization for
RAF Mildenhall when it began its transition from Evreux-Fauville Air
Base, France with two rotational C-130 squadrons.