As the Cold War "heated up" in the early 1950's, U.S.
strategic planners became aware of the imortance of
Spain and the Iberian Peninsula to the defense of the west.
From Spain, the allies could control the gateway to
the Medeterranean and would have a safe rear area,
adding depth to NATO's defense. Accordingly, the
basic ground work was laid with Spain in 1951 with
the deployment of the Joint U.S. Military Group.
Spain desired recongnition as a contributor to Western
defense -- hence the choice by Spanish leaders themselves
of Torrejon as the main base in Spain. Because of this,
such issues as Barajas air traffic control conflicts and
Madrid as a likely Soviet nuclear target were waved aside.
In 1952, the United States entered into negotiations with
Spain in order to obtain strategic bomber and naval bases
in Spain. With the phase-out of the B-50 and B-36 bombers,
Strategic Air Command needed forward operating bases, in
addition to those already acquired in Morocco, for its new
B-47 jet bombers and for required tanker support. Accordingly,
when the two nations signed the Defense Agreement of September
26, 1953, the United States obtained the right to build and
"jointly use" air bases in Spain.
Construction of the base began almost immediately following
signing of the defense agreement. The site, dedicated as
Torrejon Air Base on September 23, 1956, was assigned to
Sixteenth Air force on December 15, 1956. Sixteenth Air
Force was the command designated to oversee SAC operations
in both Spain and Morocco.
Constructed at a cost of about $66.7 million in 1956 dollars,
Torrejon was activatd on June 1, 1957. A month later, Sixteenth
Air Force and U.S. facilities at the Spanish bases were
reassigned to SAC. SAC rotationa B-47 assumed alert at the
base on July 1, 1958. Strategic Air Command bombers and
tankers continued to operate out of the three Spanish
bases until 1965, when the U.S. Government phased out
B-47s form the active Air Force inventory.
From 1958 until 1965, Torrejon also supported the 65th
Air Division, which had responsibility in conjunction
with the Spanish Air Force for the air defense of Spain
By the mid-1960s, with the closure of the U.S.
bases France, Torrejon became the main airlift access
point to the Southern Region/Meditarranean bases.
In the early 1960s, Tactical Air Command began supporting
NATO strike commitments at forward operating bases in NATO's
Southern Region through the rotation of fighter squardrons
from the United States to bases in Italy and Turkey. By
1966, because of its commitment to the Vietnam War, TAC
could no longer support this rotational program and
Headquarters United States Air Force decided to reassign
on of Tac's fighter wings to Torrejon for this purpose.
Accordingly, in April 1966 the 401st Tactical Fighter
Wing deplyed to Torrejon with three fighter squadrons.
At the same time, Headquarters Sixteenth Air Force
and Torrejon were assigned form SAC to United States
Air Forces in Europe (USAFE). The 401st Tactical
Fighter Wing was the only U.S. Air Force fighter wing
in the Mediteranean region as of March 1988. The
401st Tactial fighter Wing was scheduled to leave, at
the request of the Spanish government, no later than
May of 1992.
(Courtesy of the 401st TFW Public Affairs
Office and the 1992 Torrejon High School Year Book)
