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Show 6 HILL TOP TIMES Fridoy, Dwtmlxf 20. 1985 ' V ' 7 t .... X 1 y1 - i tev ziJ A ' - " .. i' - 77. lZZvlJ v N-.- f. iw N, 1'. - , i - - r ! v '" " iiiii- ..... S3 f"1. " -- AL A a . . I, :; - I,, ,m,,,,,9mM1m - - I - " - 2k?v V Wf mi ' - . -- : 7 (U.S. Air Force Photo) The ground crew and pilot ready the Fighting Falcon for the Royal Air Force Tactical Bombing Competition held in Scotland in 1981. The Fwing easily won the contest, the first such test for the -l 6. F-- 16 Monday marks anniversary for fighter wing here changes took place in 1978, shortly before the wing was to convert to the Being the first unit in the 6 meant that there was no pool of experienced pilots and maintenance people for the wing to draw on. The 388th TFW had to grow its own. The wing's first operational 6 was delivered in January 1979. Also that month, the wing gained a new squadron the 16th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron. Over the next year and a half, the 388th TFW slowly transferred the s were accepted, first by the 16th as new then TFTS, by the 34th, 4th and 421st TFSs. When the wing gained the new F-- l 6s a new mission was also assigned training pilots and By SSgt. Thomas M. O'Donoghue ' tingent to Scotland for the Royal Air Force Tactical Bombing Competition, the first of its kind The 388th TFW and the 6 for the proved to be the best, easily winning the compe-tition. In 1982, another reorganization of the maintenance work force took place. The 388th AGS had grown to well over 1,000 people and had become too large for one commander, to manage. The 4487th and 4488th AGSs were created, absorbing the resources and V;responsibilities of the ' :':y-388th AGS. y"r'r:r The training mission of the 388th TFW was finally shifted to other locations in 1983 and, on April 1, the 16th TFTS was redesignated the 16th Tactical Fighter Squadron. During the time that the 388th TFW was the primary 6 training unit, hundreds of pilots learned to fly F-1- 6. 388th Tactical Fighter Wing historian the start of the biggest birthday party ever the Bicentennial." New York City had fought off bankruptcy and the last U.S. soldier had left . rated units in the war. When the 388th TFW was assigned here it was made up of the 4th, 34th and 421st Tactical Fighter Squadrons, the 388th Field Maintenance Squadron, the 388th Organizational Maintenance Squadron, the 388th Avionics Maintenance Squadron and a wing headquarters squadron. Several months later the 388th Munitions Maintenance Squadron was also assigned to the wing. At the time, the wing's weapon Phantom II. system was the The wing's first year, here was dedicated to reaching a combat ready status. After achieving combat readiness, the 388th TFW took its place as part of Tactical Air Command's combat ' - ; F-4- maintenance personnel in the use and maintenance of the new aircraft. This training com- mitment was not just for the U.S. Air Force, , but also air forces of our NATO allies participating in the 6 program. The pilot training was carried out by the 16th TFTS and the 34th TFS. At the same time the 4th and 421st TFSs were maintained as combat-read- y units. The two combat-readsquadrons participated in numerous exercises and deployments around the world. In 1981, the 388th TFW sent a con Before the conversion to the 6 was accomplished another major change occurred the switch to the Production Oriented Maintenance Organization. Under this program the wing's maintenance squadrons were redesignated and responsibilities and people were shifted around to better utilize the limited resources available. The 388th Avionics Maintenance Squadron was redesignated the 388th Component Repair Squadron, the 388th Field Maintenance Squadron became the 388th Equipment Maintenance Squadron and the 388th Organizational Maintenance Squadron became the 388th Aircraft Generation Squadron. The 388th Munitions F-1- 6. Maintenance's F-1- ." " F-1- the U.S. F-1- y "' here. The vast majority of these were Air Force pilots, but pilots of other nations F-1- 6 were also trained here. These included Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Israel, Egypt and Pakistan. At the time of the loss of the training mission, all four of the wing's squadrons became ' solely dedicated to mamtaining combat " ' readiness. ' Sq u a drons return fro m d e p loyme nt v ';"' The F4s had a short stay here, when in 1977 it was announced that the 388th TFW would be the first Air Force unit to be equipped with the , F-1- 6s F-4- D fOrCe. . F-1- Vietnam. With the end of the American presence in Vietnam the decision was made to withdraw American troops from Thailand, including the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, stationed at Korat Royal Thai AB. Monday marks the 10th anniversary of the arrival of the 388th TFW at Hill AFB from Thailand. While stationed in Thailand, where it had been since 1966, the wing actively participated in the war in Southeast Asia and earned an enviable combat record, becoming one of the most deco- F-1- F-1- 6. F-1- Ten years ago Americans were anticipating Members of the 34th and 421st Tactical Fighter Squadrons returned today from two Western bases, having completed what 388th Tactical Fighter Wing calls "Fair Weather Deployments." Both squadrons returned approximately 400 pilotsmaintenance and support personnel, as well as 36 6 aircraft from George AFB, Calif., and Holloman AFB, N.M., respectively. Due to expected inclement flying weather at Hill, the 388th commander routinely directs the deployment of each of the wing's four squadrons F-1- to "milder weather locations," to maintain overunit proficiency in the ; all F-1- 6. While at their respective locations, the 34th TFS conducted small composite force operations as it flew training missions in Ft. Irwin, Superior Valley and ELCentron, all in California and also Nellis AFB, Nev., ranges and airspace. The 421st conducted flying training missions into the White Sands Missile Ranges and airspace. Both squadrons maintained their contingency deployment capabilities while deployed, having left Hill Dec. 1. Why fair weather deployment? SNOW! W Hi : |