Vol. 48 No. 30 Utah B July 28, 1994 Hill AFB, ' r - - - ' - ' V - Tim C , "" ' " - , . - -- - - - - j F-- 4 A ; . i V- - . t j ? ,r : 'iv Phantom dual-sea- t, in- er terceptor fighter bomber with attack, reconnaissance and Wild Weasel capabilities. Its two J79 engines can drive it to a speed in excess of Mach 2.0 (1,500 mph). rHiniriiniHTi.lv frgffiifnr'-" - m ri m ii ttM onirnintMii mm n nnwwim intnr urimtmii m until mwnMiti-i-- t iftim i wirtium After 29 years at Hill innibin Chenry ft ance responsibilities for the F--4 Phantom II. The depot repair work has Technical Coordination Group been transferred to the U.S. Navy faNewer aircraft have virtually cility at Cherry Point, N.C., as part of replaced it in the U.S. military inven- DOD consolidation efforts. A ceremony to commemorate the 29 tory, but employees at Ogden Air F-- 4 Phanof years the F-- 4 was maintained by Hill Logistics Center think the same much the in tom II aircraft way is planned for Monday at 11 a.m. in friend. old and respected Bldg. 233. Ogden Air Logistics Center they view an divestbe will Hill commander, Maj. Gen. Lester L. officially Monday, mainten ed of its programmed depot Lyles, urges Hill employees, retirees by John Swanke and Robert Hamilton F-- 4 4 F-- F-- er F-4- pilots reca experiences at reunion shot Flight," who on May 10, 1972, flying e Russian-madin MiG aircraft down three fighter about three minutes. Oyster Flight members who attended the reunion were: Brig. Gen. It. Stephen Ritchie, USAFR; Col. F-4- s, by MSgt. Dave Kendziora U.S. Air Force Reserve Combat veterans and others enjoyed a memorable reunion July 16 and 17 during an Air Force Individual Mobilization Augmentee conference at Hill AFB. (See related story. Page 3.) Special guests included two of America's most recent aces and four of the eight members of "Oyster Charles B. DeBellevue, commander, 650th Air Base Wing, Edwards AFB, Calif.; Maj. John Markle, USAFR; and Steven Eaves, USAF-retireOn that May 10th 22 years ago, Maj. Robert d. .....5 for trolley.. 10 IMA conference INSIDE Trial run experience...........! 5 Summer Bash on tap ....17 TAP CV3C From 1970-80- , Hill performed PDM on and others interested to attend. "This historic event brings to a close 3,058 aircraft. In 1972 alone, 532 4 the 4 repair program at Hill AFB aircraft were processed. The development of the F-- 4 Phanthat began in 1965. There are generations of employees who have worked tom II, the world-clas- s fighter and on this aircraft and we would like to reconnaissance aircraft of the '60s and make sure they are all invited to bid early '70s, was undertaken more than 40 years ago by McDonnell Aircraft it a final farewell," Lyles said. Since the first aircraft arrived in Company. The initial configuration attack April 1965, Hill has performed depot studies called for an maintenance on thousands of Please see F4 Page 3. Vietnam-er- a F-- Poiiniil, s. Lodge led "Oyster Flight" into combat. Oyster team of four F-- 4 aircraft Flight was an eight-ma- n taking part in Operation Linebacker, the operation that was the beginning of the end of the Vietnam War. Lodge would be killed, and his weapon system officer, Capt. Roger Locher, would begin a odyssey evading capture deep in enemy territory. Lodge's wingman, "Oyster Two," was Lt. John Markle (currently an Ogden ALC Individual Mobilization Augmentee) and WSO Capt. Steve Eaves (who retired from the Air Force at Hill AFB). Capt. Steve Ritchie, with Capt. Charles DeBellevue as the WSO, flew in the number three position. "Oyster Four" was Lt. Tommy Feezel and WSO Capt. Larry 23-da- y Pettit. Operation Linebacker began with nearly 200 Air Please see Aces, Page 2. Commemoration ceremony for F-- 4 scheduled for Monday, 11 a.m., Bldg. 233.