The 1st Fighter Wing and the F15 Era

Compilation Courtesy of SSgt John DesHetler,

1st Fighter Wing History Office, Langley AFB, VA

Updated by Pete Bartos

Although the designation of the unit moved, the majority of MacDill personnel remained in place, and served under the newly designated 56th Tactical Fighter Wing. First Tactical Fighter Wing personnel, with their commander Col Larry D. Welch (who went on to become the Air Force Chief of Staff), spent the next six months preparing for the arrival of the F-15. By the end of 1975, the Wing was ready for its new air superiority weapon, and on 18 December 1975, Lt Col John Britt, Operations Officer, flew the Wing's first F-15 (a two-seat trainer) into Langley. Official welcoming ceremonies were held on 9 January 1976, when Lt Col Larry Craft, 27th Fighter Squadron Commander, landed with the Wing's first single seat F-15. In recognition of its accomplishment of introducing the F-15 into the Air Force's operational inventory, the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing received its first Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, for the period 1 July 1975-31 October 1976. After achieving operational ready status, the Wing took the experience they had earned and utilized it on a program nicknamed "Ready Eagle." The 1st helped prepare the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing at Bitburg Air Base, Germany, for their reception of the F-15. The 1st assisted in the training of maintenance personnel and pilots. By 23 September 1977, the wing provided Bitburg with 88 operational ready pilots, 522 maintenance specialists, and later trained an additional 1,100 maintenance personnel at Bitburg.

On 15 April 1977, the 1st acquired another mission, as it assumed responsibility over the 6th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, previously assigned under the 4500th Air Base Wing at Langley. The 6th flew EC-135 airborne command posts in support of Atlantic Command missions. After showcasing the new fighter across the United States, the Wing participated in an exercise dubbed "Coronet Condor." The purpose of this exercise was to execute the Wing's first operational deployment of its F-15s overseas. The 94th deployed eight aircraft to Japan, Korea, and the Philippines in the spring of 1978, and the 94th and 71st deployed 18 Eagles to the Netherlands in the fall of the same year.

After returning from Europe in early 1979, the 94th deployed 12 aircraft on a short-notice exercise to Saudi Arabia--Prized Eagle, and the 27th took its turn, deploying in the spring to Korea and Japan. Participation in world-wide deployments and training exercises continued through the 1980s. The Wing served in countries throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Central America.

The Gulf War

The training and experience gained, especially from Prized Eagle, was called upon in the summer of 1990, when Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait. On 7 August 1990, the 27th and 71st Tactical Fghter Squadrons began deploying to Saudi Arabia in support of the defense of Saudi Arabia from further Iraqi aggression entitled Operation Desert Shield. In all, the Wing deployed 48 aircraft to the Persian Gulf. By 16 January 1991, when Desert Shield came to a close, the Wing amassed 4,207 sorties.

During the first night of the operation, Captain Steve Tate of the 71^st Tactical Fighter Squadron, shot down an Iraqi F-1 Mirage, which turned out to be the wing's only kill during the war. It was also the first combat credit awarded to the wing under command of the U.S. Air Force. Upon its return on 8 March 1991, the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing had amassed a total of 2,564 sorties during Operation Desert Storm. The end of the Gulf War did not bring an end to the Wing's support in Southwest Asia. Monitoring the southern no-fly zone, the 1st provided six-month coverage every year under Operation Southern Watch. In October 1994, when Saddam Hussein tested U.S. resolve by placing forces near the Kuwaiti border, the Wing participated in a short-notice deployment, Operation Vigilant Warrior. When Iraqi troop movements began again in September 1996, the Wing was prepared to deploy under Operation Desert Focus.

Setting the Standard

Following the end of the cold war, the Air Force underwent several reorganizations. On 1 October 1991, the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing was redesignated 1st Fighter Wing. On 1 June 1992, Air Combat Command activated, combining forces from TAC and SAC into a new command providing "Global Reach, Global Power for America."

Marking the end of the cold war in July 1992, the Wing hosted the first leg of a Russian-American fighter exchange. Thirty-seven members of the Russian Air Force,two Su-27 fighters and one IL-76 transport deployed to Langley Air Force Base. Two months later, two F-15s and 40 Wing members visited the Russians at their home station at Lipetsk Air Base, Russia.

During the early 1990s, the 1st Fighter Wing assumed responsibility of three new missions--air control, airlift, and search and rescue. On 15 March 1992, the 74th Air Control Squadron was transferred to the 1st Fighter Wing. The 74th provided command and control of air operations for worldwide operations. One year later, on 1 February 1993, the 41st and 71st Rescue Squadrons, and the 741st Maintenance Squadron were assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing. Stationed at Patrick AFB, Florida, the units provided search and rescue for NASA's space shuttle missions, and support of combat search and rescue operations in Southwest Asia. Additionally, C-21 operational support aircraft were assigned to the Wing on 1 April 1993 with the establishment of Detachment 1, 1st Operations Group. On 1 May, the detachment inactivated and the 12th Airlift Flight, with the same mission, activated.

Operation Vigilant Warrior demonstrated the need for the Air Force to provide combat air power anywhere in the world, at a moment’s notice. This need created the concept of the Air Expeditionary Force (AEF.) During AEF II, the 1st Fighter Wing deployed 12 F-15s and over 600 personnel to Shaheed Mwaffaq Air Base, Jordan, from 12 April-28 June 1996. Wing members built and operated from the bare base, and provided support to Operation Southern Watch.

Two realignments ordered by Air Combat Command took effect on the same day, 1 April 1997. The most substantial one had been the 1st Rescue Group's reassignment to the 347th Wing at Moody Air Force Base. This move meant the loss of two types of aircraft, the HC-130P "Hercules" gunship, and the HH-60G "Pave Hawk" helicopter. When the Air Force decided to transfer 12th Airlift Flight to Air Mobility Command, another type of aircraft, the C-21, was removed from the 1st Fighter Wing's possession exactly four years after it had been assigned.

Festivities celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Air Force were plentiful at the Wing's current station at Langley Air Force Base. The largest of these had been the Community Appreciation Day, themed "From Jennies to Jets." the event attracted over 130,000 spectators.

What made the wing's valued participation in this contingency unique is the fact it sent no aircraft in support of it, exemplifying the diversity of the 1st Fighter Wing's comprehensive mission. Over 150 personnel from 11 units within the 1st Fighter Wing deployed to the European theater in direct support of Operation Allied Force and associated operations such as Noble Anvil and Shining Hope.

Responsible for the worldwide mobility commitment to execute command and control operations, the 74th Air Control Squadron provided the largest contingent of 1st Fighter Wing personnel and equipment to Operation Noble Anvil. The 74th set up their equipment outside Budapest, Hungary, to provide joint forces and theater commanders with an accurate air picture for conducting offensive and defensive missions. During Operation Allied Force, the 74th Air Control Squadron deployed to provide critical air control in the European Theater of Operations. The performance of the professionals deployed by the 1st Team contributed to one of the most decisive victories in warfare history…a conflict concluded with zero allied combat casualties.

On Sept 11th, 2001, the 1st Fighter Wing took to the skies to simultaneously defend the east and west coasts of the US against further terrorist attacks. The 1st Wing's F-15s were among the first fighters on scene over the Nation's capitol and remained on station continuously for the next six months, reassuring the American public and the world of our Nation's resolve and vigilance against those who might try to harm us. The 1st Fighter Wing continued to simultaneously:
- participate in the US homeland defense mission in Operation Noble Eagle,
- maintain its lead wing status in the USAF's expeditionary air force (AEF) rotations to Southwest Asia and Turkey, enforcing UN no-fly zone sanctions in Operation Southern Watch Operation Northern Watch until 2003,
- deploy fighters to Keflavik, Iceland to fulfill treaty obligations.

During the second Gulf War in 2003, Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 71st FS deployed to southwest asia and guaranteed total air superiority to the US-led coalition for the duration of the conflict. The 94th FS was deployed to Incirlik AB, Turkey at the time and brought Operation Northern Watch to a successful conclusion after 12 years of US Air Force patrols over the skies of Iraq.

In 2005, the 27th and 94th Fighter Squadrons became the first squadrons in the world to achieve operational status flying the F-22A Raptor. The 1st Fighter Wing, based at Langley AFB, VA, continues to patrol and protect the skies of the US east coast today, day and night.

During ten decades of service, the 1st Fighter Wing decisively carved its niche in U.S. air history.