Relative to the F-4 Phantom II, 12 TFW, or Vietnam
It is my sad duty to report that the final operational U.S. Air Force F-4 Phantom mission was completed today (April 20, 1996) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. A flight of four F-4Gs from the Idaho Air National guard arrived at 1445 local (MST) and flew multiple "closed" patterns to the DM runway. The final aircraft (F-4G, S/N 69-7291/WW) touched down at 1509 and, in a change from usual AMARC weekend procedure, the aircraft was taxied directly into the AMARC arrival area. A very small crowd of possibly 20 to 25 people (mostly bluesuiters) were present for the arrival of the final four. With its yellow drag chute trailing behind, 291 rolled to a stop and shut down at 1526. The desert wind again returned to my ears. "Double Ugly," Rhino, Weasel, and a slew of other handles have been bestowed upon her, and the history of aerial victories and the acclaim received in wartime mark the F-4 as a true combat veteran. The F-4 will soldier on for many years to come overseas under foreign colors, and a great many of the F-4s currently resting at AMARC will rise up once again as aerial targets and drones. But for now, the desert wind has grown cold. The whine of those J79s and the sight of a four-ship in the pattern will never come again. Pharewell old Phriend!!
Maj. Wally Van Winkle, USAFR
Tucson, Ariz.
Published in Smoke Trails, Volume 10, Number 3
© 1996 F-4 Phantom II Society, http://www.Mach2Media.com/Phantom