 On 19 January 1959 "Jagdbombergeschwader 31" became the first German Air Force wing to be assigned to NATO.On 20 April 1961 the wing was given the name ""Boelcke"", in honor of the World War I Luftstreitkräfte fighter pilot Oswald Boelcke.Initially equipped with Republic F-84F Thunderstreak fighters, the wing received Lockheed F-104 Starfighters starting in 1961 and became the first operational air force Starfighter wing on 20 June 1962.