Combat Support Wing awarded freedom of Huntingdon

Huntingdon town centre rang with the sounds of a band and troops marching on Friday as the 501st Combat Support Wing was granted the freedom of the town.

Members of the support wing, which is based at RAF Alconbury, were on parade on the market square where they were granted the honour by members of Huntingdon Town Council.

The supporting wing, part of the US Air Force, was also subject to a formal inspection and a flypast was held to celebrate the occasion.

Troops marched through the town, and were greeted by the mayor of Huntingdon, Councillor Sarah Gifford, and the High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire, Andrew Harter.

The 501st Combat Support Wing is a unique organisation with more than 2,000 airmen at seven different 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 U.S and NATO objectives.

The freedom of Huntingdon was granted to the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment in May, with RAF Wyton having received the honour in 2013.

The US Air Force at Alconbury also has long links to the town going back to the Second World War. The old 31st Foot (Huntingdonshire) Regiment merged with other units over the years to form the modern day Princess of Wales Royal Regiment.

The regiment’s old colours used to be kept in St Mary’s Church.