Photo By Master Sgt. Craig Michael | Story was originally published on Page 18 of the June 2, 2018, issue of "Locked On...... read more read more
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The 138th Fighter Wing recently celebrated 25 years of flying the F-16 during a family day event on September 16, 2017, at Tulsa Air National Base, Oklahoma.
To understand how the F-16 began its home in Tulsa, travel back 40 years to the 138th Tactical Fighter Group, Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the Air National Guard base welcomed the first A-7D Corsair II aircraft over the Oklahoma skies on March 23, 1978. By early July, 1978, the A-7 arrival was two months ahead of schedule, and 14 of the 18 assigned aircraft would begin a new era in Tulsa. The conversion would bring 22 more full-time technicians to the unit in support of the new fighter mission.
In the 15-year tenure of A-7s in Tulsa, 138th Tactical Fighter Group deployed to Royal Air Force Base Wittering, United Kingdom, and to RAF Waddington, UK. The European deployments were part of NATO training missions which allowed Airmen to work and train alongside their British counterparts.
Fast forward to 1993: Bill Clinton, Governor of Arkansas, became the 42nd President of the United States, Space Shuttle Endeavor launched to the fringe of Earth repairing a damaged Hubble Space Telescope, and Jurassic Park was the biggest movie of the year. On Friday, March 26, 1993, almost 15 years to the day, the 138th TFG gave a final farewell salute to the aging A-7 during an F-16 Fighting Falcon arrival ceremony at the Tulsa Air National Guard Base. Two years later the fighter group would be re-designated to a Fighter Wing.
Although a bittersweet goodbye was felt by many who attended the ceremony, it soon became apparent the reason why eager crowds gathered. In formation, flying high above the crowd were two new F-16 aircraft led by an outgoing A-7. The F-16s throttled up with a deafening roar and passed the aging A-7 to signal a new era had begun in Tulsa.
“It’s like a skateboard with rockets,” said Lt. Col. Ronald Turner, former vice commander of the 138th TFG. “The A-7s were wonderful aircraft to us, but the F-16 gives us the air-to-air fighting capability we didn’t have in the other jet.”
For 25 years the Tulsa F-16 Vipers have been an integral part of protecting our Nation and coalition partners from global threats. The Wing has deployed seven times to the Middle East. On September 16, 2017, the 138th Fighter Wing echoed the past and celebrated the 25th anniversary of F-16s in Tulsa at an annual outdoor event for Airmen and their families.
Painting the backdrop of a lectern sits the lethal F-16 Viper. A commemorative tail flash reads “Spirit of Tulsa” high above a silhouette of the Tulsa skyline. The custom tail flash was created as part of a base contest. Numerous Airmen submitted designs and four of those designs were part of the final selection. The four winning Airmen then worked together on a final design that was unveiled at the 25th anniversary celebration.
Col. Tray Siegfried, 138th Fighter Wing commander, welcomed local media, families, friends, city and state representatives to the event. Siegfried also spoke of the positive impacts the F-16s had on the Tulsa community, and officially unveiled the commemorative tail flash, which pays tribute to the 138th’s roots in the City of Tulsa. To expound on the day’s celebration, G.T. Bynum, mayor of the City of Tulsa, was also in attendance and offered his support to the men and women of the 138th FW, who protect America’s freedom.
As the celebration came to a close, the Tulsa F-16 Viper and P-51 Mustang thundered above the crowd in a tight formation as a nod to the proud heritage of Oklahoma National Guard airpower in Tulsa. With each pass, many in attendance may have wondered how much longer the venerable F-16 has before it is passed up by the arrival of the next generation fighter and a new era in Tulsa.
| Date Taken: | 06.02.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 01.23.2019 12:37 |
| Story ID: | 307932 |
| Location: | TULSA, OK, US |
| Web Views: | 95 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Then, Now, Forever, by MSgt Craig Michael, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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