75th fighter squadron obituary 75th fighter squadron obituary

[7] It became an A-10 training unit and remained at England AFB supporting the deployments of the 74th and 76th TFS. Capt. Taylor Bye safely landed an A-10 with no canopy and inoperable landing gear last year. Active between 1941-1942, the original Flying Tigers comprised volunteer pilots from the United States Army Air Corps, Navy, and Marine Corps. The Air Force logged five A-10 mishaps in fiscal 2020, according to Air Force Safety Center data. Bye was the flight leader for the exercise that day, the release states. On March 5, 1944, 80 gliders were towed by the transports, two attached to each transport, over 8,500-foot mountains. [4] He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2006. The 75th Fighter Squadron departed for Combat Hammer, an air-to-ground exercise hosted at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. One G, zero knots is something Ive heard experienced pilots say, Bye said. (U.S. Air Force photo by Andrea Jenkins), An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. The .25 kills comes from an assist; he and 3 other pilots worked together to shoot down a Japanese Nate fighter. On a basic surface attack ride at Grand Bay Range, Bye's attempts to fire her gun were met with severe failures that prevented her landing gear from deploying, caused panels to fly off and sent . During his career he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Presidential Unit Citation with Oak Leaf Cluster, Chinese Order of the Cloud and Banner 4th, 5th and 6th grades, 2-Star Wing Decorations, Chinese Victory Medal, Legion of Merit, and British Distinguished Flying Cross. Quigley served as a fighter pilot and commanding officer with the Flying Tigers 23rd Fighter Group/75th Fighter Squadron stationed in Hengyang, China, during the war. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. On 3 April 1992, the squadron was again activated, as the 75th Fighter Squadron located at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. A memorial to Army Rangers and Air Force Special Operations airmen killed in an Oct. 29, 1992, helicopter crash in the Great Salt Lake will be dedicated Sunday at 1 p.m. at Antelope Island State Park. Became an A-10 training unit and remained at England AFB supporting the deployments of the 74th and 76th TFS. It consisted of an F-22, an F-15E, an F-16C, and a P-40 like the one Hill flew with the AVG. Some members of the famous American Volunteer Group known as the "Flying Tigers" joined the 75th Fighter Squadron after the AVG was disbanded. In addition to Byes experience, a similar accident occurred in Nevada in July 2020 when an A-10s engine stalled and its gun overheated, causing significant damage but no injuries. Taylor Bye, 75th Fighter Squadron pilot and chief of standardization and evaluation, poses on the flight line at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, May 5, 2021. U.S. Air Force Capt. Taylor Bye, 75th Fighter Squadron standardization and evaluation chief, lands A-10C Thunderbolt II tail-995 at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Nov. 3, 2021. ", "This doesn't happen very often in the history of the A-10," said Lt. Col. Stephen Joca, 75th Fighter Squadron commander. On 19 December 2007, the last three of the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft left for Moody AFB and assumed its current mission. After graduating the Weapons Instructor Course, Paetzhold joined the Airmen who serve as tactical and operational advisors to military leaders at all levels. U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Ray Thompson, 75th Fighter Generation Squadron electrical and environmental specialist, fuels an A-10C Thunderbolt II during exercise Forward Tiger at the Henry. U.S. Air Force Capt. It is assigned to the 23d Fighter Group and stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. They wrote the playbook to do this on the fly, because nobody had ever done this before, said Douglas Birkey, director of government relations for the Air Force Association, which promotes education about air power. Taylor Bye, 75th Fighter Squadron standardization and evaluation chief, prepares to enter the A-10C Thunderbolt II tail-995 cockpit at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Nov. 3, 2021. These depict the 75th Fighter Squadron of the 23rd Fighter Group (succeeding the AVG Flying Tigers), based in China during WW2 Flying shark-mouthed P-40s and P-51s, under Claire Chennault and Col. Robert Scott, they mounted a monumental effort against the Japanese. [5], In 2002, he was conveyed an honorary lifetime membership in the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary (Civil Air Patrol) with a squadron of the CAP named in his honorthe Tex Hill Composite Squadron, of San Marcos, TX (SWR-TX-435). Upon return to Maine in 1959 the squadron converted to the McDonnell F-101B Voodoo supersonic interceptor and the F-101F operational and conversion trainer. Bye successfully landed an A-10C Thunderbolt II with minimal damage, during an in-flight emergency last year, earning her the Air Combat Command Airmanship Award. U.S. Air Force Airman Timmy Gisclair, 75th Maintenance Squadron crew chief, salutes Capt. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Briana Beavers). To reduce her wind exposure without the canopy, Bye lowered her seat, but that made it difficult to see the runway below, she said. And there to be recognized was actually one of the founding members, retired Air Force Col. Dale Hendry. The squadron is equipped with the Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II attack aircraft. The two young officers came to General Arnolds attention for their exploits before and in the early years of the war. Arrangements entrusted to Greenlawn Funeral Home. The squadron moved to Moody AFB, Georgia in 2008 due to the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) panel recommendations. The C-17 is attached to the Reserve 89th Airlift Squadron assigned to the 445th Airlift Wing out of Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. Taylor Bye, 75th Fighter Squadron standardization and evaluation chief, and her wingman fly over the flightline at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Nov. 3, 2021. He was sent to London in the spring of 1941 as a technical adviser to the Royal Air Force. List of battleships of the United States Navy, Articles incorporating text from the Air Force Historical Research Agency, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, Military units and formations of the United States in World War II, Fighter squadrons of the United States Air Force, Military units and formations in Georgia (U.S. state), 23d Tactical Fighter (later, 23d Fighter) Wing, http://www.flyingtigersavg.22web.org/bio-Rodewald.htm, http://www.flyingtigersavg.22web.org/bio-Hill.htm, "History: The Flying Tigers - American Volunteer Group - Chinese Air Force", http://www.flyingtigersavg.22web.org/tiger1.htm, Reduced flying hours forces grounding of 17 USAF combat air squadrons, Combat Squadrons of the Air Force: World War II, "AVG American Volunteer Group - Flying Tigers", House Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces, Senate Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces, Hangchow Airfield, China, 10 Oct 10 Dec 1945, A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. This doesnt happen very often in the history of the A-10, Joca said of Byes incident. It was one of the squadrons that became known as the Flying Tigers. He retired from two careers. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Vincent De Groot U.S. Air National Guard photo: Senior Master Sgt. The 75th Fighter Squadron's first assignment as an active unit was in the China-Burma-India theatre. [1], During World War II, the 75th Fighter Squadron was one of the three original squadrons (74th, 75th, 76th) of the 23rd Fighter Group. On her canopy-less descent back to Moody, Bye tried to shift down in her seat to shield herself from the 350-mph winds whipping the plane but blocked her view of the runway in the process. The 75th Fighter Squadron (75 FS) is a United States Air Force unit. Taylor Bye, 75th Fighter Squadron pilot and chief of standardization and evaluation, pose for a photo during a ceremony at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, May 5, 2021. He separated from active service in the USAAF in 1945. She climbed farther away from the ground to check whether her engines were still functioning. The commander of the 75th Fighter Squadron, Lt. Col. Stephen Joca, said following the incident that "what's most important is preventing total loss of the A-10 or even worse, her life," adding that "there are some steps that were covered in the checklist - the rest was just superb airmanship and decision making." The other incidents involved engine issues: A Warthog suffered an engine fire during flight but safely returned to base in Afghanistan in January 2020. The first operational deployment of a composite wing happened in October 1994, when Iraqi troops began massing near the Kuwaiti Border. An A-10 pilot made an emergency wheels-up landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California during a 2008 training flight, but it still had its cockpit canopy. It is assigned to the 23d Fighter Group, Air Combat Command and stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. Bye, 75th Fighter Squadron chief of standardization and evaluation, safely landed A-10C Thunderbolt II tail-995 after that in-flight emergency. A cann manager is in charge of keeping record of parts taken from a cannibalizing jet. Im excited, Bye said. 75th Fighter Squadron: 391st Bomb Squadron: 75th Troop Carrier Squadron: 391st Fighter Squadron: 760th Bomb Squadron: 392nd Bomb Group: 761st Bomb Squadron: . The 80th Fighter Squadrons executes air combat operations in support of U.S. and ROK interests in the Pacific area of responsibility. Major Donald K. Miller, Ret., 96, went to be with his heavenly family January 6, 2021. From that day on, the Japanese never advanced further than the west bank of the Salween. Within an aircraft forms binder is a record of every discrepancy that has been fixed or needs to be fixed on a particular aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Briana Beavers), An Airman displays the aircraft forms binder for A-10C Thunderbolt II tail-995 at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Nov. 3, 2021. [13], Air Combat Command officials announced a stand down and reallocation of flying hours for the rest of the fiscal year 2013 due to mandatory budget cuts. Bye successfully flew A-10C Thunderbolt II tail-995 after its restorations from a gun-malfunction that caused her canopy to depart and stopped her landing gear from deploying. During the Korean War, he served with the Texas Air National Guard. There the squadron began flying the A-7D Corsair II ground attack aircraft. Bye received the ACC Airmanship Award for successfully recovering an A-10C Thunderbolt II during an in-flight emergency. The Air Force has tried to retire the 1970s-era attack planes but was rebuffed by Congress. Download Images of 75th fighter squadron - Free for commercial use, no attribution required. My first flight back was a step and this will be another. On 18 May 1972, the squadron was redesignated the 75th Tactical Fighter Squadron, and on 1 July 1972 was activated at England Air Force Base, Louisiana. This was the first night interception ever attempted over the China theatre and gave the Japanese quite a shock. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. Col. Michael Ferrario, Commander. Anyone can read what you share. On this date, Major Hill attacked, without hesitation, superior numbers of enemy aircraft that were rising to intercept United States B-24 bombers. The 89th Fighter Squadron "Rogues" will push those who think they are good . To stem this tide, squadron leader Hill led a flight of four new P-40Es bombing and strafing into the mile-deep gorge. 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On November 2, 2008, the Air Force Heritage Flight at the Lackland AFB Air Show in San Antonio was dedicated to Hill. This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/. A typical training flight over Georgia last spring turned nightmarish for A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot Capt. Colonel Brandon Kelly is an A-10C instructor pilot and the Commander of the 476th Fighter Group, Moody AFB, GA which is a Geographically Separated Unit of the 442d Fighter Wing at Whiteman AFB, MO. U.S. Air Force Capt. Sioux City, Iowa --. They eventually settled in San Antonio, Texas, where his father was the minister of the First Presbyterian Church. Performing proper checks before and after flights is crucial to the safety of pilots. There the squadron began flying the A-7D Corsair II ground attack aircraft. AVON PARK AIR FORCE RANGE, Fla. - Members of the 23rd Wing participated in the Brass Tumbler training event recently. Before returning to the states in late 1944, Hill and his P-51 downed another six Japanese aircraft.[2]. Its not the first time an A-10 pilot has encountered such a harrowing experience. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. It was one of the squadrons that became known as the "Flying Tigers." He retired from two careers. On 3 April 1992, the squadron was again activated, as the 75th Fighter Squadron located at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Briana Beavers), U.S. Air Force Gen. Mark Kelly, left, commander of Air Combat Command, and Capt. Mr. Alison, a retired Air Force Reserve major general, was a lieutenant colonel in what was then the Army Air Forces in late 1943 when Gen. Henry Arnold, commander of the Air Forces, assigned him and another lieutenant colonel to organize Operation Thursday, which is credited with having helped protect India from invasion by the Japanese. She and the A-10 may look the same as they did when she took off in 2020, and the resiliency and innovation from the maintainers and operators make it all possible. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. condemned the mid-morning attack. On a basic surface attack in 2020 Capt. Although the events surrounding the flight can be mentally challenging, Bye said she remembers the advice of her mentors. The U.S. Air Force was part of the Army during World War II, and was also called the Army Air Forces or the Air Corps. There the squadron was inactivated on 5 January 1946. There the squadron was inactivated on 5 January 1946.[7]. David Lee "Tex" Hill (July 13, 1915 October 11, 2007) was an American fighter pilot and triple flying ace. Ingber said in the statement that it was his "job to think of everything that (Bye) is not because she has a massive handful of an airplane that is falling apart.". Operating from numerous airfields within China, the 75th Fighter Squadron compiled an impressive record during World War II and received the Presidential Unit Citation. [1] Ryan Foltz, 75th AMU cann manager. Colonel Alison led the mission on its first day, landing a glider bearing 15 soldiers in the glade. Constituted as 75 Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 17 Dec 1941. Previously, (the 75th) was unsure if it would fly again, said Tech. After World War II, the squadron returned to the United States and was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. During the years 1951-1954, the 74th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron flew the F-86 and F-94 at Presque Isle AFB, Maine. Taylor Bye, 75th Fighter Squadron standardization and evaluation chief, prior to her flight at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Nov. 3, 2021. On 2 December 1991, the 75th Fighter Squadron was inactivated as part of the conversion to the Objective Wing and drawdown of the Air Force after the end of the Cold War. The 75th AMU repaired A-10C tail-995s damages from a gun malfunction and failed landing gear. Ryan Callaghan) Photo Details/ [1] He learned to fly the P-40 in the AVG training program in Burma, and did well as a fighter pilot in the 2nd Pursuit Squadron (the "Panda Bears") as a flight leader and then squadron commander, becoming one of the top aces under the tutelage of Claire Chennault. [8] He was buried at nearby Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. The Air National Guard's 190th Fighter Squadron commemorates the unit's 75th anniversary with an A-10 Thunderbolt II painted to resemble the P-47 Thunderbolt the squadron flew during World War II. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. [7], During the early days of its history, the 75th's mission was to attack and destroy the enemy by strafing airfields, troops, and supply depots, while maintaining air superiority so that the Japanese could not locate and bomb targets in China. Find 75th fighter squadron images dated from 2014 to 2020. A second event in Arizona in April 2020 involved an engine that caught fire and shut down in flight, but the pilot was not hurt. Since the A-10 is an increasingly difficult airframe to maintain, there were moments of uncertainty for the aircrafts restoration. This was the first night interception ever attempted over the China theatre and gave the Japanese quite a shock. During the weekend of September 15, 2017, the 4th Fighter Wing celebrated the 75th anniversary with a weekend of heritage events including a dinner, heritage aircraft static displays, a 50-year-old time capsule unveiling, the Battle of Britain ceremony and a unique base tour. General Arnold decided he needed the two lieutenant colonels because the British, under Maj. Gen. Orde C. Wingate, had faced calamitous conditions in 1943 when they first tried to pin down Japanese occupation forces in Burma. "The ACC Airmanship award and Distinguished Flying Cross are not mutually exclusive, and receiving one does not prevent a member from being able to receive the other," she said in an email. After determining what was wrong, Bye had to figure out how to land the plane. The 75th Fighter Squadron (75 FS) is a United States Air Force unit. There's no Thunderbirds or Blue Angels this year, but a new Air Force demonstration team will debut at this weekend's Melbourne Air & Space Show. Whats most important is preventing total loss of the A-10 or even worse, her life, squadron commander Lt. Col. Stephen Joca said. The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Major (Air Corps) David Lee "Tex" Hill, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-40 Fighter Airplane in the 75th Fighter Squadron, 23d Fighter Group, Tenth Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on October 25, 1942, while performing bomber escort duty over enemy-held territory in the China Theatre. The squadron inactivated there on 30 November 1969 as part of the drawdown of ADC interceptor bases, the aircraft being passed along to the Air National Guard. Sgt. Altogether, Hill was credited with destroying 18.25 enemy aircraft. "The decision of what award or decoration a member receives is at the discretion of local leadership, taking into consideration the requirements for the award, the actions of the member, the responsibilities of the member's rank, and the overall circumstances of the event the member is being recognized for. ARTIFACT: Early 1960's United States Air Force 75th Fighter - Interceptor Squadron (FIS) jacket patch from when the Squadron was flying F-101's out of Dow Air Force Base. Vincent De Groot Two years after the war, when President Harry S. Truman appointed him assistant secretary of commerce for aeronautics, The New York Times wrote, As Major Alison, according to dispatches in July 1942, he scored one of the most spectacular individual performances by the Air Forces in China by shooting down two of three Japanese bombers out of a nine-plane squadron that was raiding Hengyang in Hunan Province., John R. Alison, Ace Fighter Pilot in World War II, Dies at 98, https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/10/us/10alison.html. After 22 years in the Air Force, he moved to Fort Wayne and retired from Joselyn Stainless Steel. U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Ray Thompson, 75th Fighter Generation Squadron electrical and environmental specialist, fuels an A-10C Thunderbolt II during exercise Forward Tiger at the Henry. 401 Tactical Fighter Squadron (CF-188 Hornet) 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron (CF-188 Hornet) 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron. The American force returned home with no casualties. The operation ran for six days and nights, bringing in 9,052 troops, 1,282 pack mules and half a million pounds of supplies. Airmen with the 75th Logistics Readiness Squadron unload cargo from a C-17 Globemaster III at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Aug. 9, 2019. Another pilot, identified only as the 75th's director of operations, took off from Moody to act as Bye's "chase" aircraft, closely following her and monitoring the surrounding airspace while on approach. I was holding my breath at that point," she said. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. ", "I guess I was nervous the whole time, but I didn't have time to think about being nervous," Bye said. When anything [unusual] happens, its apparent and very easy to spot it and fix it, Ingber said in the release. From: Airmen assigned to the 23d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron,, to Col. Dan Walls, 23d Wing commander, puts on his helmet. With skillful marksmanship, he destroyed one aircraft and severely damaged three others resulting in their probable destruction. Air Combat Command officials announced a stand down and reallocation of flying hours for the rest of the fiscal year 2013 due to mandatory budget cuts. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Some members of the famous American Volunteer Group known as the "Flying Tigers" joined the 75th Fighter Squadron after the AVG was disbanded. The 14th Army Air Force was created March 10, 1943, and it absorbed the CATF. The ACC Airmanship Award is presented to Airmen in recognition of outstanding performance and dedication to safety. Duffey, Foltz, and Master Sgt. U.S. Air Force Capt. ), the Washington Post, and others. Three fighter squadrons were tasked with defending. A chase aircraft accompanied her back to base, where airmen on the ground hoped she could avoid a fatal crash. .Flags collection; Made with 100% cotton canvas. The US Air Force awarded one of its pilots for skillfully landing a damaged aircraft without a cockpit canopy or working landing gear after what the service described as a "catastrophic" failure. During the next four days, the AVG pilots flew continuous missions into the gorge, effectively neutralizing the Japanese forces. Major Hill's leadership, spirit, and extraordinary heroism in action against enemy forces in carrying the attack to the enemy without thought of the odds against himself were an inspiration to all fighter pilots. Her courage and cool in crisis earned her the Air Combat Commands Airmanship Award in a May 5 ceremony at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, where she serves as a 75th Fighter Squadron pilot and its chief of standardization and evaluation. Juggling a malfunctioning 30mm Gatling gun, a landing gear that wouldnt deploy and a cockpit canopy that fell off in flight, Bye managed to safely land the aircraft with minimal damage to the runway or the plane. Among his many decorations are the Distinguished Service Cross and the Distinguished Service Order presented by King George VI of Britain. The two officers were authorized by General Arnold to acquire as many aircraft and men as needed to insert British forces behind Japanese lines, to set up airfields to supply them and to evacuate the wounded. Capt. (U.S. Air Force photo by Cynthia Griggs) USAF Aerospace Defense Command publication, The Interceptor, January 1979 (Volume 21, Number 1). On 17 Dece [2], Hill made his first kills on January 3, 1942, when he downed two Nates over the Japanese airfield at Tak, Thailand. Capt. Some members of the famous American Volunteer Group known as the "Flying Tigers" joined the 75th Fighter Squadron after the AVG was disbanded. Overall, it was a 584-day project that lingered for a long time, but once we started to make progress you could see everyone getting excited about it.. It is assigned to the 23d Fighter Group and stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. Capt. Austin Duffey, 75th AMU cann manager. It doesnt matter the challenge that the 75th faces, Foltz said. Major Hill's extraordinary heroism and zealous devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 10th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces. In 1944, Hill returned to the U.S. and took command of the 412th Fighter Group, America's first operational jet fighter group flying the P-59 Airacomet and the P-80 Shooting Star. Sign up for service and obituary updates. Her nearby wingman, Maj. Jack Ingber, the squadrons assistant operations director, looked over her jet from his own plane and helped guide Bye back to the runway. [15], 75th Fighter Squadron, 23d Fighter Group, Tenth Air Force, Department of the Army, General Orders No. [3], In 1941, he was recruited with other Navy, Army and Marine Corps pilots to join the 1st American Volunteer Group (AVG), better known by its later nickname of the Flying Tigers. Sgt. The Pentagon has not provided any public updates or said when the formal policy will be issued. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. He was a bombardier in the 571st Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group and his aircraft "Decatur Deb" was shot down on May 28, 1944. It is assigned to the 23d Fighter Group, Air Combat Command and stationed at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia . The 75th Fighter Squadron (75 FS) is a United States Air Force unit. As the Commander, Col Kelly is responsible for the integration of 250 Maintenance, Operations, Logistics and Medical personnel within the 23d Wing .