The 1964th Communications Group of the United States Air Force was a highly decorated communications group with service in the Vietnam War and then in Europe.
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The Group traced its history to the designation and organization of the 1964th Communications Squadron at Tan Son Nhut Airfield (later, Tan Son Nhut Air Base), South Vietnam, on 1 May 1962, in accordance with AFCS G-23 instructions of 29 March 1962. [1] It was assigned to the Southeast Asia Communications Region (itself part of the Pacific Communications Area), Air Force Communications Service. It was upgraded to Group status on 1 October 1962 and appears to have directed about 10 squadrons in the Republic of Vietnam. It provided communications and navaids for Air Force fixed bases in the country. The group commander also served as the Seventh Air Force director for communications-electronic [2] and as the Southeast Asia Communications Region deputy commander for mainland Southeast Asia. [3]
On 28 March 1973 the group moved without personnel or equipment (WOPE) to Ramstein Air Base, West Germany, and was reassigned to the European Communications Area (AFCS MO-2, 15 March 1973). The European Communications Area later became the European Communications Division; European Information Systems Division; and then the European Communications Division.[ citation needed ]
In 1984 it became an Information Systems Group. On 1 November 1986 it was redesignated (back) to the 1964th Communications Group (AFCC SO G-O7, 21 October 1986).[ citation needed ]
By the late 1980s in Germany the group's missions appear to have included telephone, teletype, microwave, cryptographic/dighal subscriber terminal element, secure voice communications, long range navigation, maintenance, and operations within the Federal Republic of Germany. [4]
Roughly at the time of Air Force Communications Command's demise in May 1993, Fletcher's Air Bases, Volume II still listed the group as functioning and located at Ramstein Air Base. [5]
It was redesignated the 86th Communications Group [6] under the 86th Fighter Wing.
On 1 Sep 2004 the USAFE Air and Space Communications Group was deactivated and the inactive 86th Communications Group was redesignated and reactivated as the 86th Air and Space Communications Group with three squadrons: 1st Air and Space Communications Operations Squadron, 1st Combat Communications Squadron, and 1st Communications Maintenance Squadron. [7]
On 16 Jul 2009 the group was inactivated and those squadrons were transferred to the 435th Air and Space Communications Group when the 435th Air Ground Operations Wing was activated.
