RAF Shepherds Grove

RAF Shepherds Grove
Near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, in England
RAF Shepherds Grove Shown within Suffolk
Coordinates	52°18′55″N 000°55′13″E / 52.31528°N 0.92028°E / 52.31528; 0.92028Coordinates: 52°18′55″N 000°55′13″E / 52.31528°N 0.92028°E / 52.31528; 0.92028
Type	Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	Royal Air Force United States Air Force
Site history
Built	1943 (1943)
In use	1944-1966 (1966)
Airfield information
Elevation	64 metres (210 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 01/19 1,845 metres (6,053 ft) Asphalt 08/26 1,220 metres (4,003 ft) Asphalt 14/32 1,200 metres (3,937 ft) Asphalt

RAF Shepherds Grove is a former Royal Air Force station located 9 miles (14 km) southwest of Diss, Norfolk and 9.9 miles (15.9 km) northeast of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England.

The airfield was built for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force during the Second World War. However the facility was not used by the USAAF and was opened by No. 3 Group RAF on 3 April 1944. The name came from a small copse nearby and the airfield is close to Walsham le Willows in Suffolk.

It was occupied by No. 196 Squadron RAF in January 1945 as an airfield for Operation Varsity, supporting the Rhine crossing.

After the Second World War North American F-86A Sabres of the United States Air Force 116th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS) were stationed there in August 1951. The 116th FIS was a mobilized Air National Guard squadron from Washington State assigned to the newly activated 81st Fighter-Bomber Wing (FBW). In September the 91st and 92nd FIS arrived at Shepherds Grove from Moses Lake AFB, Washington to complete the complement of squadrons assigned to the 81st FBW.

The 81st FBW however, did not stay at Shepherds Grove long, moving Wing Headquarters to RAF Bentwaters in late September 1951, and relocating the 91st FIS with them. The 116th FIS returned to state control in November 1952 and was replaced by the 78th FIS. With the move of the 81st FBW headquarters to Bentwaters, the 7519th Air Base Squadron was the administrative USAFE host unit.