7172 FMS Libya N: Africa and 9th FMS (SAC) Idaho

**7172nd Field Maintenance Squadron (FMS), Libya/North Africa:** The 7172nd Field Maintenance Squadron was a United States Air Force unit assigned to Wheelus Air Base, Libya, during the Cold War era, primarily in the 1950s and 1960s. The squadron provided critical aircraft and equipment maintenance support for SAC (Strategic Air Command) units deployed to North Africa as part of rotational alert forces, ensuring operational readiness during tense periods of U.S.-Soviet rivalry. Its strategic location in Libya enabled rapid response capabilities for American bomber and reconnaissance missions across the Mediterranean and into Eastern Europe. **9th Field Maintenance Squadron (FMS) (SAC), Idaho:** The 9th Field Maintenance Squadron was stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, under the Strategic Air Command. The squadron supported the 9th Bombardment Wing and its fleet of B-47 Stratojet and later B-52 Stratofortress bombers through comprehensive maintenance, repair, and logistical operations. Its efforts played a vital role in sustaining the United States' strategic deterrent posture throughout the Cold War.