Although the major mission of Rhein-Main Air Base was strategic and tactical airlift, the base also operated a substantial special operations mission.

The 7406th Operations Squadron was activated at Rhein-Main on 10 May 1955 and received its first aircraft (RB-50s) in March 1956.
The RB-50s were replaced with specially configured C-130A-II reconnaissance aircraft in 1958.
The 7406th owned and maintained the aircraft and provided the flight crews.
A separate USAF Security Service squadron provided the crew that manned the intelligence collection positions on the aircraft.
One of these C-130s (56-0528) was shot down with the loss of a crew of seventeen over Yerevan, Soviet Armenia on 2 September 1958.
Four Soviet MiG-17 pilots took turns firing on the unarmed C-130 when the American aircraft penetrated Soviet airspace while on a mission along the Turkish-Armenian border.

Between June 5–10, 1967 – during the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War – the 7406th flew dangerous, unarmed missions over the battle gathering electronic intelligence data.
The 7406th continued flying recon missions from Rhein-Main in the C-130B models until 30 June 1973 when the squadron's sister Security Service flying squadron moved to Ellinikon International Airport, near Athens, Greece (known to the U.S. as Hellenikon AB).
 Operational missions were flown until 13 June 1974 from Greece when the unit was disbanded.
The 7206th nomenclature continued, embodied in the 7206th Air Base Group which was a support group in Athens until 1993.
Surveillance missions continued at Hellenikon under the auspices of the 6916th ESS.

With the relocation of the 7406th to Greece, the 7th Special Operations Squadron was moved from Ramstein to Rhein-Main as one of the units shuffled as part of operation Creek Action.
 The 7406th's Hercules had been used for covert Communications intelligence (COMINT) missions along the Eastern Bloc borders.
The 7th SOS's MC-130Es, code-named 'Combat Talon', were no less mysterious and were also striking to look at with their matt black camouflage scheme and two large hooks on the nose.
The 7th SOS's MC-130Es were being spotted in every corner of Europe.
The 7th SOS was reassigned to the 7575th Operations Group in 1977, and then to the 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing on 1 February 1987.
It was relocated to RAF Alconbury in the United Kingdom in December 1992, coming under a different group in the process.

The 7575th Operations Group operated at Rhein-Main from 1 July 1977 to 31 March 1991.
Initially, three unique units were assigned to the group:  the 7405th Operations Squadron, the 7580th Operations Squadron, and the 7th Special Operations Squadron.
The 7405th had recently moved from Wiesbaden Air Base and converted to flying heavily modified C-130E Hercules, airlifters.
The 7580th was staffed with Electronic Warfare Officers and specialized aircraft maintenance personnel who flew in the back of or maintained the 7405th's aircraft.
The mission of the 7405th and 7580th was to conduct covert reconnaissance flights through the West Berlin Air Corridor, also known as the Berlin corridors and control zone.
Although the major mission of Rhein-Main Air Base was strategic and tactical airlift, the base also operated a substantial special operations mission.
The 7406th Operations Squadron was activated at Rhein-Main on 10 May 1955 and received its first aircraft (RB-50s) in March 1956. The RB-50s were replaced with specially configured C-130A-II reconnaissance aircraft in 1958. The 7406th owned and maintained the aircraft and provided the flight crews. A separate USAF Security Service squadron provided the crew that manned the intelligence collection positions on the aircraft. One of these C-130s (56-0528) was shot down with the loss of a crew of seventeen over Yerevan, Soviet Armenia on 2 September 1958. Four Soviet MiG-17 pilots took turns firing on the unarmed C-130 when the American aircraft penetrated Soviet airspace while on a mission along the Turkish-Armenian border.
Between June 5–10, 1967 – during the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War – the 7406th flew dangerous, unarmed missions over the battle gathering electronic intelligence data. The 7406th continued flying recon missions from Rhein-Main in the C-130B models until 30 June 1973 when the squadron's sister Security Service flying squadron moved to Ellinikon International Airport, near Athens, Greece (known to the U.S. as Hellenikon AB).  Operational missions were flown until 13 June 1974 from Greece when the unit was disbanded. The 7206th nomenclature continued, embodied in the 7206th Air Base Group which was a support group in Athens until 1993. Surveillance missions continued at Hellenikon under the auspices of the 6916th ESS.
With the relocation of the 7406th to Greece, the 7th Special Operations Squadron was moved from Ramstein to Rhein-Main as one of the units shuffled as part of operation Creek Action.  The 7406th's Hercules had been used for covert Communications intelligence (COMINT) missions along the Eastern Bloc borders. The 7th SOS's MC-130Es, code-named 'Combat Talon', were no less mysterious and were also striking to look at with their matt black camouflage scheme and two large hooks on the nose. The 7th SOS's MC-130Es were being spotted in every corner of Europe. The 7th SOS was reassigned to the 7575th Operations Group in 1977, and then to the 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing on 1 February 1987. It was relocated to RAF Alconbury in the United Kingdom in December 1992, coming under a different group in the process.
The 7575th Operations Group operated at Rhein-Main from 1 July 1977 to 31 March 1991. Initially, three unique units were assigned to the group:  the 7405th Operations Squadron, the 7580th Operations Squadron, and the 7th Special Operations Squadron. The 7405th had recently moved from Wiesbaden Air Base and converted to flying heavily modified C-130E Hercules, airlifters. The 7580th was staffed with Electronic Warfare Officers and specialized aircraft maintenance personnel who flew in the back of or maintained the 7405th's aircraft. The mission of the 7405th and 7580th was to conduct covert reconnaissance flights through the West Berlin Air Corridor, also known as the Berlin corridors and control zone.
Rhein-Main Air Base