Republic F-84F

Arrival of an F-84F of the New Jersey Air National Guard at Chaumont Air Base, France, as part of Operation Stair Step. More than 100,000 ANG and Air Force Reserve personnel, with planes and equipment, were deployed to Europe because of the Berlin crisis. (U.S. Air Force photo)

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Republic F-84F

F-84Fs of the Federalized Air National Guard in Newfoundland, November 1961, prior to flying the Atlantic to Europe in response to the Berlin Crisis. Because of the long over-water distance to the next airfield in the Azores, the planes were towed to the end of the runway prior to takeoff to conserve fuel. During this Operation Stair Step deployment of more than 200 fighter aircraft (the largest overseas movement of a fighter force since World War II), not a single plane was lost. (U.S. Air Force photo)

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Douglas C-124

Douglas C-124s unload their cargo at Phalsbourg Air Base, France, as part of Operation Stair Step. Federalized Air National Guard units, equipped with F/RF-84Fs and F-86Hs, moved into five airfields in northeastern France where they bolstered NATO forces from November 1961 to August 1962 before returning home. (U.S. Air Force photo)

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F-86Hs at Prestwick Air base

F-86Hs at Prestwick Air base, Scotland after flying the North Atlantic from the U.S. as part of Operation Stair Step, Oct. 1961. After refueling, they continued to their new base in France.

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Tactical Air Command and the Berlin Crisis

In the fall of 1961, Tactical Air Command was again called into action, this time to provide men and planes to Europe because of the Berlin Crisis. Numerous USAF Reserve and Air National Guard units were mobilized to increase TAC's combat strength, and in November TAC deployed more than 200 Federalized Air National Guard airplanes and thousands of personnel under Operation Stair Step to France, Germany and Spain to augment USAFE units already on duty in Europe. The crisis ended in the summer of 1962 and the personnel returned to the United States.

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Republic F-84F

Republic F-84F

Douglas C-124

F-86Hs at Prestwick Air base