| In 1962, the first USAF custodial unit "Detachment 0600" was activated at Kleine-Brogel to support the 10th Wing. Detachment 0600 came under the 306th Munitions Maintenance Squadron and was the first American military unit to be assigned to Belgium with a combat mission since the end of World War II. That mission was to receive, store, and maintain nuclear weapons, and to provide custody and control of nuclear weapons until receipt of U.S. authority to release them. In July 1964, Det 0600 came under the 7332nd Munitions Maintenance Group and became Det. 1 under the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing (Bitburg AB, Germany) in 1967. On April 1 1972, Det. 1 was assigned the 7361st Munitions Support Sqn. (MUNSS). The squadron was transferred to the 52nd Tactical Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem, Germany in July 1976. In October 1992, the 32nd Fighter Group at Soesterbeg AB in the Netherlands took command as the support base for Kleine-Brogel. A year later, in October 1993, support reverted back to the 52nd at Spangdalhem. In July 1993n the 7361st was redesignated the 601st MUNSS, to be further designated the 617th MUNSS in July, 1994. In 1996, the 52nd Munitions Support Squadron was activated, reflecting direct subordination to the 52nd Wing under the post-Cold War nuclear weapons regional basing scheme. |
