ROUTES IN MEDITERRANEAN:
EAST MED- Started in 1967. Leave Athens and head south. At Crete head east to a point just east of Cyprus. Turn south off the coast of Syria, Lebanon, and Israel, then turn west off the coast of Egypt, then northeast to a point just south of Cyprus. Orbit when requested by back-end crew. Return to Athens. During crisis times (1967, early 1970 & late 1973) when Arabs and Israelis were shooting at each other, more than one mission would be flown per day. During the 1967 war the U.S. Navy flew EC-121M’s out of Rota, Spain, and in the 1970 & 1973 wars the U.S. Navy flew P-3’s out of NAS Sigonella, Sicily, that covered one eight hour period while the 7406th covered the other two eight hour periods to provide round the clock coverage in the East Med.

CENTRAL MED- Missions were flown round robin out of Athens. One or two missions per month. Off the coast of Libya turn west and follow coast through Gulf of Sidra to Tripoli. Turn north to point off Malta. 

WEST MED- (Started in 1972) Missions started and ended in Catania/Sigonella NAS, Sicily, and/or Napoli/Capodichino NAS,  Naples, Italy. Later changed to RON’s at Rota NAS, Spain.
Some missions flew from Rhein-Main to a point off Sicily, turn  west off the coast of Tunisia, Algeria & Morocco, then RON at Rota NAS, Spain. After leaving Rota, fly a Central Med mission on the way home to Rhein/Main.

CARIBBEAN:
Caribbean missions operated out of Macdill AFB FL. At first (Feb 1964) it was under the 15th Tactical Fighter Wing (TAC), then in Feb 1966 the 4409th Support Squadron was set up. At one time or another seven 7406th Support Squadron aircraft were assigned there:

1. Aircraft 58-0711, Feb 64 - Nov 66
2. Aircraft 56-0530, Nov 65 - Aug 66
3. Aircraft 56-0538, Mar 66 - Jun 67
4. Aircraft 56-0525, Nov 66 - Nov 68
5. Aircraft 56-0540, Apr 67 - Apr 70
6. Aircraft 56-0541, Jul 68 - Dec 68
7. Aircraft 56-0534, Dec 69 - Aug 71

The mission area was the north coast of Cuba with a coordinated U-2 mission. At first 7406th flight crews, on TDY, trained TAC & 4409th flight crews. As more 7406th personel transferred to the 4409th the TDY training stopped. The 4409th also had C-130B-II aircraft from Yokota, Japan.

JAPAN:
On 19 February 1967 two aircraft, 56-0534 & 56-0541 and four air crews departed TDY to HQ 41st Air Division (PACAF) at Yokota Air Base, Japan, on Operation “Creek Mark” to assist the Airborne Communication Reconnaissance Program (ACRP) mission there.
The 556th Reconnaissance Squadron was stationed at Yokota with the C-130B-II. They had missions areas in Korea, China Sea, Gulf of Tonkin, and Vietnam. The 7406th C-130A-II’s flew local missions out of Yokota over the Sea of Japan, relieving the C-130B-II’s to fly missions in Southeast Asia - This made maintenance more doable because A-model maintenance was a problem in Vietnam. In June 1967 aircraft 56-0541 and 56-0534 and the four crews returned to the 7406th squadron at Rhein/Main.

Coordinated Missions
The 7406th C-130s did run coordinated missions with other people, but some of the details are still sensitive.

1959-1960:
In December 1959 the new nose hanger at Rhein/Main was completed and turned over to the squadron. In December 1959 location TUSLOG, (Turkish U.S. Logistics Group) Detachment 72, was activated at Adana, Turkey with one officer and two airmen. In 1960 Major Harold B. Murray became squadron operations officer. On the 4th July 1960 the squadron received it’s last C-130A-II, 56-0535. In December the first aircraft to complete IRAN (Inspect & Repair As Necessary) was returned to the squadron. At the end of 1960 the squadron had 68 officers and 220 airmen.

1963-1968
On 8 May 1963 Det 0001 of the 7499th Support Group was established at Tehran, Iran. On 3 Aug 1964 Lt Colonel Robert E. Crowley assumed command. In Oct 1964 aircraft 56-535 was assigned to HQ AF Logistics Command, Wright-Patterson AFB OH. In Apr 1965 aircraft 56-535 was reassigned to the 7406 Support Squadron. On 14 December 1965 the 7407th Squadron lost an RB-57F (63-13287) over the Black Sea. At this time all 7499th Group (including the 7406th) missions to/from Turkey ceased. All missions in the Caspian Sea area ceased. Missions now started from Athens, Greece. On 4 March 1966 aircraft 56-538 was deployed from Rhein/Main AB to the 4409th Support Squadron (TAC) at Macdill AFB FL. In Apr 1967 there was a change in the Greek government. The 7406th missions mostly moved from Athens, Greece to Rhein/Main, Germany. Some missions were flown from Sigonella, Sicily into the East Med, then in 1968 normal missions resumed from Athens into East Med. A few missions were flown from Capodichino NAS, Naples, Italy - some of which were West Med missions.

In 1967 Evreux Air Base closed. All C-130 training in Europe had been done there. All C-130 training was now done in the ZI at Sewart AFB, Tennessee, and at Lockborne AFB, Ohio. In spring of 1967 all engines received from depot were now T56-A9B types which utilize solid state circuitry in the fuel control system. In June 1967 the squadron had 65 officers & 310 airmen. On 16 June 1967 aircraft 56-0530 had a near miss with a Soviet An-12 in the Baltic Sea. On 30 June 1967 aircraft 56-538 returned to Rhein/Main from Macdill AFB FL On 10 July 1968 Lieutenant Colonel Thomas L. Allard assumed command. On 1st of October 1968 the Squadron operations section moved into the previous location of the 7407th Support Squadron at Rhein/Main. The 7407th was disbanded.
On August 1st 1968, the Detachment in Athens, Greece - designated Det #1 of the 7499th Support Group - was re-designated as Det #3, 7406th Support Squadron with Major Ralph C. Erchinger as Commander. In August 1968 aircraft 56-0541 was turned over to the “sister Squadron” 4409th at McDill AFB, Florida. In Sep 1968 aircraft 56-0541 returned to the 7406th at Rhein/Main.

Facilities at Incirlik
INCIRLIK- In 1957 personnel began going TDY from Rhein/Main. They were housed in ten-man tents near the base front gate. In 1958 two Quonset huts (three counting the toilet/shower) replaced the tents. One hut was for NCOs & one for airmen The toilet was connected to the two huts by a walkway. For heat they had a 55 gallon drum with oil at the bottom. The area was called the “Happy Lizards”. In December 1959 an officer and two airmen were assigned to Incirlik, but additional maintenance personnel, on TDY, came from Rhein/Main.. There was one building on the flight line, a prefab affair with three rooms: one office, a large conference room & a supply room. All acft work was done on the line.