HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNITED STATES AIR FORCE!

[ELB]

Been a busy day, this almost got away from me:

Maj. Cody Wilton, A-10 Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team commander and pilot, flies alongside Capt. Kristin Wolfe, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team pilot, Maj. Garret Schmitz, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team pilot, and a P-51 Mustang as part of a heritage flight formation for the Tri-City Water Follies Drive-In Airshow at Kennewick, Wash., Sept. 4, 2020. The heritage flight was flown as a showcase of past, present and future Air Force aviation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Kip Sumner)

[ELB]

This is a great picture to celebrate with too:

Two B-52 Stratofortress fly over Royal Air Force Station Fairford, United Kingdom, Aug. 22, 2020. Strategic bombers contribute to European theater stability as they are intended to deter conflict and offer a rapid response capability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Eugene Oliver)

[Blackhorse1]

I was in the air force 1971-1974. Wouldn't wanna go back overseas to vietnam for nothing, but I wouldn't trade my time served for nothing either. That's where boy's were made into men in a hurry. Worked on B-52's and KC135's. Crew chief on refuelers. Had lots of good times and lot's of sad times. Unfortunately the sad and bad times stay with us.

[mayor]

I was in the air force 1971-1974. Wouldn't wanna go back overseas to vietnam for nothing, but I wouldn't trade my time served for nothing either. That's where boy's were made into men in a hurry. Worked on B-52's and KC135's. Crew chief on refuelers. Had lots of good times and lot's of sad times. Unfortunately the sad and bad times stay with us.

I signed up in '73 but I was still in high school and they let me graduate. Was in Arkansas for 2 years working on B52 and Kc135 also. Went to Germany for the remainder of my time and worked on F4 phantoms. If I knew then what I know now, I'd made it a career. Don't know if I'd been any better off, but I'd retired a lot sooner. I like airplanes and working on airplanes. I hated the war games.

[johncanfield]

Happy Birthday USAF!

USAF 1968-72, Tan Son Nhut AB 1971-72

[AF-Odin]

Served almost 30 years in the USAF, my Dad did 20 in the AAF and USAF after serving 7 with the Army,(total 27 years service), my Brother-In-Law retired from the AF and my Son-In-Law retired from the USAF. Yep, we are an AF family. happy birthday to us.

Tonight raise a toast to the host of Gallant Airmen who have gone before.

[Paladin]

[oljames3]

Happy Birthday to all of my airdale buddies! Any time y'all want to, all y'all can come back home. All is forgiven.

[AF-Odin]

Thanks Oljames, but think we will pass on the offer. However, spent a good bit of time with you Redlegs, some of it teaching emergency CAS to OBC students. You want high adventure, this was our normal training exercise. Six gun 155 battery firing on target with 2LT students manning every position on he guns; 2LT students manning every position in the FDC; 2LT OBC student on the radio with a pair of F-16s loaded with 500# bombs and briefing them and describing target. Task for that FA OBC student was to bring the F-16s into the target, safely shift 155 fire at appropriate time, fire a mark round at appropriate time, clear F-16s to attack, get them off target and shift 155 fire back. We Airdales had to pray that the student could do math and read a watch. Only got scared one time and that was why we always had another radio to call abort.

[oljames3]

Thanks Oljames, but think we will pass on the offer. However, spent a good bit of time with you Redlegs, some of it teaching emergency CAS to OBC students. You want high adventure, this was our normal training exercise. Six gun 155 battery firing on target with 2LT students manning every position on he guns; 2LT students manning every position in the FDC; 2LT OBC student on the radio with a pair of F-16s loaded with 500# bombs and briefing them and describing target. Task for that FA OBC student was to bring the F-16s into the target, safely shift 155 fire at appropriate time, fire a mark round at appropriate time, clear F-16s to attack, get them off target and shift 155 fire back. We Airdales had to pray that the student could do math and read a watch. Only got scared one time and that was why we always had another radio to call abort.

I really enjoyed the CAS missions in FAOBC and FAOAC. I always trained my FDCs well in setting up air corridors. The A-10 is still my favorite aircraft.

I spent 6 years in Joint Taskforce/JOC. I had always trusted my AF buddies, but learned to admire and appreciate them more. To this day, I can count on the fingers of one hand the colonels I would gladly follow into combat. One of those was a Joint Taskforce commander who flew back-seat in an F4 in Vietnam.

Give 'em The Gun!

[miljet]

1967 to 1989. Spent time in the Philippines, Viet Nam. Thailand and Okinawa. Stateside duty at Barksdale AFB, La and MacDill AFB, FL.