Combat Support Wing to exercise Freedom of Huntingdon

Combat Support Wing, based at RAF Alconbury, will be exercising their Freedom with an inspection of the troops, followed by a military parade down the High Street on Friday, May 19.

This event, held to mark five years of the freedom, is particularly special for the Wing Headquarters, ahead of its relocation to RAF Fairford later this year.

The 501st Combat Support Wing is a unique organisation with more than 2,000 airmen at seven geographically separated locations across the United Kingdom and Norway.

Each installation contributes to the Pathfinder mission of enabling command and control, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and global strike operations to meet US and NATO objectives.

The 501st tracks its lineage to the WW2-era 501st Bombardment Group, through the Cold-War era 501st Tactical Missile Wing, and then into the modern era as the 501st Combat Support Wing.

Now, the wing serves a community of more than 14,000 personnel and supports the NATO Joint Warfare Centre, U.S. European Command, and NATO intelligence analysis units, among others.

Members of the public are welcome to watch the parade from outside the Commemoration Hall on Huntingdon High Street at 10.20am, ahead of the parade arriving in the Market Square at 10.30am.

The Ceremony will commence at 10.45am, where an inspection of the troops by the Mayor of Huntingdon, Cllr Philip Pearce, will be followed by an address on behalf of the town, and a response by the wing’ commanding officer.

After an address by the mayor of Huntingdon’s chaplain, the civic party will parade to St Benedict’s Court to salute the Freedom March Past.

For more information, visit the Huntingdon Town Council website, where a programme of the event is available to view.