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Lt. Col. Hank "Moose" Reed, commander of the 22nd Fighter Squadron, holds up the U.S. flag as he taxis down the runway at Spangdahlem Air Base. The F-16CJ pilot had just returned from the U.S. Central Command area of operations where he flew missions in the war in Iraq.
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52nd Fighter Wing
Home base: Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
Aircraft: F-16 Fighting Falcons fighter-bombers and A-10 Thunderbolts, which are designed to provide close air support of ground forces.
Units: 22nd Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Squadron, 81st Fighter Squadron and the 606th Air Control Squadron, plus support and logistical squadrons. The 22nd and 23rd Fighter Squadrons returned to the base from the Persian Gulf on May 5, 2003.
Duties: The 52d Fighter Wing is the largest fighter operation in Germany. In Iraq, the wing's F-16CJ's, known as "Wild Weasels," flew missiones to suppress Iraq's air defenses by destroying radar sites during the 27-day war. In addition, the Spangdahlem fighter pilots also escorted bombers and other fighter jets over Iraq.
Official Web site 
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EDITOR'S NOTE: CNN's policy is to not report information that puts operational security at risk.
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| SOURCES |
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| CNN, U.S. Defense Department, GlobalSecurity.org, Periscope |
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