Ceremony acknowledges unit's proud history

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Susan Stout
  • 944th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  In a tearful but proud ceremony, the 944th Fighter Wing paid tribute to the men and women of the 944th Maintenance Group and 302nd Fighter Squadron in a historic ceremony March 10. 

The symbolic deactivation ceremony was a way to recognize the 20-year service and sacrifice of the 944th Maintenance Group and transfer the guidon of the 302nd Fighter Squadron legacy to be carried on at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. 

The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission determined a decreased need for F-16 pilots. Therefore, the 944th Fighter Wing's 17 assigned F-16s were redistributed to various locations to replace their aging fleet. As a result, the 944th Fighter Wing's associated maintenance and operations positions were affected. 

During the ceremony, Col. Derek Rydholm, 944th Fighter Wing commander, tearfully acknowledged the impeccable maintenance records of the 944th. 

"As we deactivate, a final testament to the quality of our people lies in the fact that only one of the five units where we transferred our jets chose to do an acceptance inspection on them," he said. "The reputation of our maintainers was all that was required for those units to know they were getting great aircraft." 

Less than two years after the unit's inception in 1987, the 944th Maintenance Group (logistics group at the time) took first place overall maintenance in the international air-to-air gunnery meet, Gunsmoke 1989, winning not only top maintenance overall, but seven out of nine first place trophies. 

In 1992, the 944th was the first reserve F-16 unit to fly in Operation Provide Comfort at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, volunteering to do so over the November and December holiday season to allow their active-duty counterparts relief to spend time with families. 

In 2005, the 944th was the first maintenance group to not only pass the Maintenance Standardization and Evaluation Inspection, but to do so with an "Outstanding" rating. 

"I want to express my gratitude for the hundreds of Airmen who have been members of this maintenance group, who, out of love of country, contributed so much," said Col. Linda McCourt, 944th Maintenance Group commander, during the ceremony. "And, gratitude to all of those amazing people who volunteer and step forward and proudly wear our nation's uniforms." 

The ceremony also acknowledged the past, present and future contributions of the 302nd Fighter Squadron. 

Activated in 1942, the 302nd Fighter Squadron was originally assigned to the 332nd Fighter Group, better known as the Tuskegee Airmen. In World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen flew 15,533 combat sorties and more than 200 bomber escort missions without ever losing a bomber to an enemy fighter. 

Known today as the 302nd Fighter Squadron "Hellions," the squadron continues to proudly display a red tail painted F-16 in front of the squadron - just as the 302nd FS Tuskegee Airmen of World War II had done. 

Since the first F-16s arrived off the assembly line at Luke almost 20 years ago, the 302nd FS "Hellions" have had numerous accomplishments. Most recently, the 302nd FS deployed in support of the Reserve Air Expeditionary Forces from September 2005 to January 2006. Thirteen pilots seamlessly augmented Reserve units from Florida, Texas, and Utah, and flew more than 340 combat missions employing more than 5,000 pounds of ordnance on insurgent targets throughout Iraq. 

"Today's ceremony marks the beginning of another exciting stage in this great squadron," Colonel Rydholm said. "As we transfer the flag, we do so knowing that will go to Elmendorf, Alaska, as the first only reserve associate F-22 Raptor squadron. 

"The proud tradition first started by the Tuskegee Airmen will live on, kept alive as we fly the world's newest and greatest fighter aircraft," he said. "The Hellions have endured many changes throughout their proud history and I look ahead as they venture forward to many successes in the future."