The military facility was closed in 1991 after the Cold War ended, the site now serving as the civilian Zweibrücken Airport.

Construction of the base was initiated by French Army engineers and German contractors in 1950 on a section of the former Siegfried Line.

Construction was funded from USAF sources; however, the RCAF assumed control of the Zweibrücken base on January 6, 1953.

Before leaving, they erected a west coast Indian totem pole as a token of their friendship with the local German citizens.

The 17th TRS and its McDonnell Douglas RF-4C Phantom IIs came to Zweibrücken from the inactivating 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at RAF Upper Heyford, England.

On June 12, 1971, the 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron with its Electronics Counter-Measures (ECM) equipped McDonnell EF-4C Phantom II "Wild Weasel" fighters was transferred to Zweibrücken from the 50th TFW at Hahn AB when the 50th switched to a strike-attack role, with air defense as a secondary mission.

As part of operation "Creek Action", a command-wide effort to realign functions and streamline operations, HQ USAFE transferred the 26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing from Ramstein Air Base to Zweibrücken, and the 86th Tactical Fighter Wing from Zweibrücken to Ramstein on January 31, 1973.

High-hour RF-4C aircraft were sent to AMARC, others were reassigned to the 38th TRS or to existing Bergstrom, Shaw, RAF Alconbury or Air National Guard squadrons.

During exercises, the planes would be tasked to collect imagery and return to base where the film would be quickly downloaded from the aircraft, processed, then interpreted, with the results sent up the chain of command, under strict time lines.

Deployments from the United States included EB-57E aircraft from 17 DSES, based at Malmstrom AFB, Montana in April/May 1976 and September 1977.

From April 5 to July 7, 1979 the base also hosted the 86th TFW while Ramstein AB's runways were closed for extensive repairs.

The wing continued to conduct reconnaissance operations in support of NATO, USAFE, and the US Army in Europe (USAREUR).

The wing also engaged in operational employment and development of advanced reconnaissance systems to further enhance the military posture of NATO in Europe.

The 10 MAS though under the direction of the 322nd Air Division (MAC) at Rhein-Main AB, became an associated unit of the 26th drawing support from it.

The 26 TRW provided the 10 MAS all of its facilities and logistical support required to operate the European Distribution System (EDS).

The EDS was organized to give the units in Europe a quicker way to receive small equipment items or supplies on a round-the-clock basis, without the expense of the larger cargo aircraft.

Some victims of the Scud missile attack in Saudi Arabia received interval medical care at the 609th en route back to the U.S.

In the fall of 1988, HQ USAFE began planning to move two more units to Zweibrücken and increase the support mission of the 26th TRW.

In the front of the air base, where the fuel depot was formerly located, now stand groups of factory outlet stores.

At the time the base closed in 1991, the only visible reminders of 3 Wing RCAF was the totem, the stained glass windows of the Protestant Chapel, and the Peter Cunningham Memorial Arena.

[1] As of 2007 the stained glass in the Protestant chapel has been removed and the totem relocated to the "Rose Garden" in the city of Zweibrücken.