Show i Y h 1 1 I r sI s jv t r H 5 r r 1 f. f y r. r r- r yf r rl hr I k r l 1 rr p i rii- rii i r PHANTOM EXPERTS Col Walter R. R Waller left and Col E E. E H. H Gordon have a farewell handshake while checking a Phantom aircraft at Hill AF Base Its It's a hard act to follow But replacement of an expert in managing the F F 4 4 Phantom jet program for the Air Force and Navy with another expert a has been announced at Hill COL WALTER R. R Waller former chief of the F F 4 4 Systems Systems Systems Support Management Division Division Division Divi Divi- sion Materiel Management Di Directorate Directorate Directorate Di- Di Is being reassigned to headquarters Air Defense Command at Ent Colo as director of Weapons Systems Systems I terns Division in Nov 1967 In the interim he has been appointed as chief of Logistics Systems Management Di Divi Division vision vi- vi sion lion Materiel Management Di Di- Di i I. I y SUCCEEDING COL Waller in the F F 4 4 Division Is Col E. E H. H Gordon previously vice vice- commander of the Tactical Tactical Tactical Tac Tac- Reconnaissance Win Wing g Air Base Thailand as assigned assigned assigned as- as signed RF RF EB 66 air air- craft Both officers are well versed in the F F 4 4 program and each I has spent some many hours at atthe the controls of the supersonic r. r jet In fact It was Col Wal Waller er I t I I that Hew flew the first F F 4 4 to Hill t for r repair pair In April 1965 COL GORDONS GORDON'S former assignment as assignment assignment as- as was with a wing that Col Gordon is replacing Col Cob Waller as chief of the F 4 division at the Base used RF RF reconnaissance san c e I aircraft extensively Prior to that he was commander of the Combat Crew Training Group at Shaw S S. S C. C The was divided into three combat c crew r e w training squadron which performed op operational operational operational op- op tests and evaluation of Tactical Air Command air re reconnaissance reconnaissance reconnaissance re- re systems 4 RB 66 and RF aircraft A NATIVE OF Hattisburg Miss Col Gordon has 24 years ears service and resides on base baseI with his wife and family One I of the three children is a sec sec- ond and lieutenant in the Air Force F 4 maintenance maintenance maintenance main main- In Germany as an officer Maj Gen T T. T Alan Bennett Ogden Air Materiel Area commander commander commander com com- mander said that during the two and one-half one years that Col Waller was in charge of the F F 4 4 division the Phantom jet has become the backbone of the theU U U. U S. S Air Force in Europe Tactical Air Command and Pacific Air Force tactical forces IN m JANUARY 1965 when Col Waller came to Hill lUll the F 4 system had not passed an initial operational readiness in in- in The program is now in force at 25 U U. U S S. S Air Force locations throughout the world Gen Bennett said that no Air Force unit equipped with F 4 aircraft has failed to pass l its s initial operational readiness inspection in inspection inspection in- in since Col Waller has been at the helm of the program program program pro pro- gram and today is averaging better than 71 per cent op operationally operationally op- op I ready throughout the world THE CO COLONEL LONE L recently re returned returned returned re- re turned from Southeast As Asia i a where he spent 23 days ob observing observing observing ob- ob serving F F in action The F 4 Is the Air Forces Force's workhorse In Southeast Asia Asla Col Waller said The high high calibre of maintenance performed performed performed per per- formed by Ogden AMA technicians technicians technicians tech tech- of the F F 4 4 aircraft when they come to Hill for repairs or modification pays off THE PHANTOMS are flying around th the clock Their maintenance maintenance maintenance main main- Is tremendous and they are are re performing efficiently and effectively The colonel also praised the dedication of Air Force maintenance maintenance maintenance main main- and supply technicians in Southeast Asia as a worthy member of the F 4 team THE F F TEAM which includes In Includes includes in- in Navy cohorts as well as the manufacturer McDonnell- McDonnell Douglas Corp St St. St Louis and Ogden AMAs AMA's weapons systems logistics officers at 25 worldwide worldwide worldwide world world- wide locations have resulted in the program being In its best shape today loday since the Phantoms began entering the Air Force inventory Col Waller veteran of 27 years service and his wife have eight children His career has been in the operations material and maintenance engineering en engin engineering en- en gin ring field of t tactical act i c a 1 fighter aviation Four children t 1 still reside with the Colonel and his wife His IUs three older daughters daughters daughters daugh daugh- are now married and have added five grandchildren to Col and Mrs Wallers Waller's clan HIS OLDEST daughter Patricia Patricia is married to Capt Peter C. C Hoag a test pilot at Edwards and a graduate of the Astronaut School with top honors In his class and winner of the coveted Honts Trophy |