Headquarters 16th AF formed the joint force air component command for Operation Silver Wake , the evacuation of Americans and allied noncombatants from Albania . The 31st Fighter Wing was the first F-16 Falcon unit to fly combat missions utilizing night vision goggles , and wing aircraft provided close air support during Pope John Paul II 's historic visit to Sarajevo . Today the wing remains a major participant in support of Balkan air operations . The 39th Wing at Incirlik AB , Turkey , deployed a flying ambulance surgical team to Dhahran Air Base , Saudi Arabia in response to the Khobar Towers bombing . The wing assisted in the evacuation of nearly 6,500 pro-U.S. Kurds from northern Iraq
Khobar Towers bombing
Khobar Towers bombing
16th Air Expeditionary Task Force