F the 177Th Fighter Wing, After Receiving the Bronze Star Medal at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, N.J., Feb

On the Cover: New Jersey Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Christopher Donohue, right, is congratulated by Col. Kerry M. Gentry, commander of the 177th Fighter Wing, after receiving the Bronze Star Medal at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, N.J., Feb. 8, 2015. ANG/Tech. Sgt. Matt Hecht

FEBRUARY 2015, VOL. 49 NO. 2

THE CONTRAIL STAFF

177TH FW COMMANDER COL . KERRY M. GENTRY PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER 1ST LT. AMANDA BATIZ PUBLIC AFFAIRS MANAGER MASTER SGT. ANDREW J. MOSELEY PHOTOJOURNALIST TECH. SGT. ANDREW J. MERLOCK

PHOTOJOURNALIST SENIOR AIRMAN SHANE S. KARP PHOTOJOURNALIST AIRMAN 1st CLASS AMBER POWELL EDITOR/BROADCAST JOURNALIST TECH. SGT. MATT HECHT

AVIATION HISTORIAN DR. RICHARD PORCELLI

WWW.177FW.ANG.AF.MIL

This funded newspaper is an authorized monthly publication for members of the U.S. Military Services. Contents of The Contrail are not On desktop computers, click For back issues of The Contrail, necessarily the official view of, or endorsed by, the 177th Fighter Wing, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the Depart- Ctrl+L for full screen. On mobile, and other multimedia products ment of the Air Force. The editorial content is edited, prepared, and provided by the Public Affairs Office of the 177th Fighter Wing. All tablet, or touch screen device, from the 177th Fighter Wing, photographs are Air Force photographs unless otherwise indicated. tap or swipe to flip the page. please visit us at DVIDS! Story by Brig. Gen. Michael L. Cuniff, The Adjutant General of New Jersey

New Year’s resolutions Sexual harassment and assault aren’t just a mili- Family support keeps our force strong because it Cyber Operations Squadron to help protect Air probably date back to tary problem, they are a societal problem. But the allows our people to stay in uniform. Ask yourself: Force, Department of Defense and other govern- the invention of the public expects holds us to a higher standard. Every How long could I continue to serve without the ment computer systems. The emerging threats calendar. And as corny parent has the right to expect that when they support of my family? Family support keeps the from around the globe make it a critical mission. as the practice has be- send their sons and daughters to us, no harm will Guard strong. Our National Guard is in the fight. come, there’s probably ever come to them at the hands of their fellow Maintaining the strength of the Guard is more im- All of these priorities have one thing in common, a good reason it began. Soldiers and Airmen. portant now than at any time in our history. We securing the future of the New Jersey National A New Year represents A military organization’s greatest strength is the are in a fiscally turbulent time. States that demon- Guard as a relevant and vital force. Our Soldiers a new beginning and a ability of its people to care for one another. strate good recruiting and retention numbers will and Airmen have proven time and again they have skills, dedication and heart to meet any challenge. good time to focus on That brings me to another of our priorities for the have the advantage. We don’t know how the mili- what’s important, to year: suicide prevention. tary-funding debate in Washington will play out, set priorities for the but from everything we’ve seen, we know we are coming year and to refocus on things from the It starts with individual Airmen and Soldiers look- going to have to make the most out of our re- past that remain undone. ing out for their battle buddies by getting to know sources. If we can maintain our strength, training them well enough to be able to recognize when and maintain our equipment, that’s a home run in For the New Jersey National Guard, the focus for something isn’t right. This is especially important this environment. the coming year needs to be on our greatest as- for us, because unlike our active-duty counter- sets – our Airmen, Soldiers and their families. If we parts, most of our time is spent apart from one That leads me to our final priority for the year: do a good job taking care of them, our other another. We have a great system in place to assist transformation. The New Jersey National Guard greatest priority, safeguarding our state and na- Soldiers and Airmen in crisis, but in order for it to has been given two major opportunities to grow tion, will take care of itself. work, unit leaders must be made aware of prob- and continue to demonstrate its relevance in de- One of the most important ways we can take care lems as soon as they arise. fense of our state and nation. of our troops is to make sure they work in a safe Caring for each other also means caring for our The Army Guard is currently fielding new light- environment. Prevention of sexual harassment weight 155 millimeter Howitzers, giving our troops families. The National Guard has an obligation to and sexual assault make that possible. support the families of our Soldiers and Airmen, a more mobile and lethal weapon for future The Army and Air Force have given us robust pro- and not just during deployments. Every leader in battlefields. With the new equipment comes new positions within the 50th Infantry Brigade Combat grams to stamp out sexual harassment and as- this organization needs to foster an environment th sault. They both begin by taking complaints seri- that allows their Airmen and Soldiers to balance Team. In the coming year, the Air Guard’s 108 ously while protecting the rights of victims and the their military obligations with their family life. Wing will join the front lines of the battlefield of accused. the future. The unit is currently standing up the he 177th Fighter Wing has taken action against as infected or exposed to Ebola. The exercise the threat of disease by conducting an Ebola was of dual use. Those infected would be receiv- Virus Exercise here today. ing their Hepatitis B shot and those who were

OUTBREAK exposed, a flu shot. They were to report to the TThe Air Force instructs each Wing to conduct a Public Health Emergency exercise each year and this year’s on base clinic immediately. emergency was exposure to the Ebola virus while de- Story and photos by Airman 1st Class Amber Powell, 177th Fighter Wing Public Affairs “In the real world this could happen,” said Capt. ployed. Lisa Robinson with the 177th Fighter Wing Medi- cal Group. “There are diseases we could see and As Airmen entered the gates of the wing, those partici- it’s necessary we’re prepared for it, especially pating in the exercise were given cards identifying them the Medical Group.”

Those who were exposed were briefed on the signs and symptoms of the disease. This prepares the Airmen in case symptoms appear later. Infected Airmen were quarantined. “The Disease Containment Plan is put into place to mitigate the effects of the disease while ena- bling mission recovery and sustainment,” said Lt. Col. Jamie Ruffing, the 177th’s Fighter Wing’s Public Health Officer. “It is intended to provide a generalized assessment of the wing-wide under- standing of the importance of disease containment and mitigation of disease impact while en- suring the wing retains a high level of readiness.”

Wing inspections officers were on hand to moni- tor virus control procedures.

“The results of this exercise will influence changes in the Wing’s response to both naturally oc- curring and man-made disease threats to the base and increase our readiness posture should a real world event occur,” said Ruffing. Above: U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jennifer Heller with the New Jersey Air National Guard's 177th Fighter Wing gives a shot during U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jennifer Heller with the New Jersey Air Na- According to the World Health Organization, the the base's Disease Containment Exercise. Below: U.S. Air Force Lt. tional Guard's 177th Fighter Wing Medical Group in Egg Harbor Town- incubation period, that is, the time interval from Col. Eric Erickson and Capt. Lisa Robinson with the 177th Fighter ship, N.J., prepares to give a shot during the base's Disease Contain- Wing Medical Group looks over information on the number of simu- infection with the virus to onset of symptoms is ment Exercise. The base simulated responding to an Ebola outbreak and lated exposures and infections during the base's Disease Contain- 2 to 21 days. paired it with giving flu and Hepatitis B shots Feb. 8, 2015. ment Exercise on Feb. 8, 2015. member of the 177th Fighter Under Donohue’s leadership, his team Wing received the Bronze Star was able to accomplish dozens of flight Story by Senior Airman Shane S. Karp, photos by Tech. Sgt. Matt Hecht, 177th Fighter Wing Public Affairs A Medal here today as recognition missions accumulating hundreds of kilo- of their meritorious service in a combat meters of safe expedited movement zone. throughout the theatre, which directly U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Christopher W. enhanced his team’s ability to contrib- Donohue, a joint ter- ute to the mobile minal attack controller strike force strategy with the 227th Air through Afghanistan. Support Operations Donohue participated Squadron, received as a gunner and scout the Bronze Star Medal in more than 100 out- in connection with a side-the-wire missions deployment to Af- throughout the com- ghanistan in support bat zone, comprising of Operation Enduring of hundreds of kilo- Freedom Jan. 4, 2014 meters of known dan- through Sept. 2, 2014. ger zones, which in- Donohue worked in cluded Donohue per- support of the joint Tech. Sgt. Christopher Donohue communicates with sonally coming under allied forces while on patrol in Afghanistan. Donohue is U.S. and Albanian mis- a joint terminal attack controller with the 227th Air Sup- enemy fire. sion as an advisor for port Operations Squadron. Courtesy photo The ceremony took the Afghan National Army’s 1st Mobile place in front of a standing-room only Strike Force, and was the first U.S. Air- crowd which included U.S. Congressman man to ever complete the Joint Security Frank A. LoBiondo, 177th Fighter Wing Forces Assistance Course and be de- Commander Col. Kerry M. Gentry, ployed with an Army National Guard mil- friends and family of Donohue, and fel- Above: New Jersey Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Christopher Donohue receives the itary advising team. low Airmen. Bronze Star Medal at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, N.J., Feb. 8, 2015. New Jersey Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Christopher Donohue, left, is congratulated by Congressman Frank LoBiondo after receiving the “What we did overseas is important, and Bronze Star Medal at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, N.J., Feb. 8, 2015. Donohue, a Joint Terminal Attack Controller with the 227th it is great to be recognized, but what it’s Air Support Operations Squadron was recognized for his efforts in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was deployed to Afghani- stan with soldiers from the New Jersey Army National Guard and the Albanian military as an advisor for the Afghan National Army's (ANA) all about is being able to come home to 1st Mobile Strike Force (MSF). Donohue participated in over one hundred combat missions in which he directly engaged enemy forces. my loved ones, and a wing and an ASOS that is like my second family,” said Donohue. Donohue stressed the importance of family and the support he receives from his fellow ASOS members. “Chris just sums up the ASOS mentality,” said Chief Master Sgt. Robert Zaniewski, 227th Air Support Operations Squadron superintendent. “His ability to go far above-and-beyond is really what we strive for.” During the ceremony, Gentry recognized the importance of his airmen, and encouraged airmen coming into the Air Force to take note of Donohue’s sacri- fice. “We need performers such as Tech. Sgt. Donohue to get out there and take the fight forward, and understand what it means to make the mission happen,” said Gentry. Tuskegee Airmen digital art by Tech. Sgt. Matt Hecht to World War II, the situation for African Ameri- Despite all the training, the unit did not receive de- Yugoslavia. The 99th received two Distinguished can aviators was grim. ployment orders. After months of delays by the War Unit Citations. Department, the 400-man 99th Fighter Squadron was The Army Air Corps completely barred African deployed to North Africa in April 1943. Eventually, In 2005, Tuskegee Lt. Cols. Lee Archer and Robert P the 99th became part of the 332nd Fighter Group, Ashby, Master Sgt. James Sheppard and Tech. Sgt. Americans from their ranks while the other services assigned African Americans only the most menial of du- which was comprised of the 100th, 301st and 302nd George Watson flew to Balad, Iraq, to speak to ties. The basis of this reasoning was an Army War Col- African-American Fighter Squadrons based in Italy. active duty Airmen serving in the 332nd and lege study, which stated that African Americans, by na- The 332nd moved from Montecorvino Air Base near were made part of the 332nd Air Expeditionary ture, were physically, mentally and psychologically unfit Salerno and Capodichino Air Field to their final base Wing. for combat duty. at Ramitelli Air Field near Ancona, where, under Da- vis’ command flew missions over Sicily, the Mediter- "This group represents the linkage between the Civil rights organizations and the African American ranean and North Africa. Greatest Generation of Airmen and the latest press exerted pressure that, combined with Congres- generation of Airmen," said Lt. Gen. Walter E. Bu- sional legislation, resulted in the formation of the 99th American bomber crews named the 332nd, the Red chanan III, commander, Ninth Air Force and U.S. Fighter Squadron based at Tuskegee Institute in June Tails or Red Tail Angels after the distinctive red tail Central Command Air Forces. 1941. markings on the vertical stabilizers of the unit’s aircraft. The Luftwaffe called the Tuskegee Airmen, Der The Tuskegee Airmen overcame prejudice and History would know them as the Tuskegee Airmen. Schwarze Vogelmenschen, literally the Black Bird- helped pave the way for President Harry S. Tru- men. man's Executive Order 9981, which mandated The first class, Class 42C, which had 12 cadets and one “equality of treatment and opportunity” for all student officer, Capt. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. began train- On March 24, 1945, Lt. Col. Davis led the 332nd on a members of the armed forces in July 1948. ing on July 19, 1941. 1,600-mile mission to Berlin where they escorted B- 17 bombers to level the Daimler-Benz tank works in In 1936, Davis was the first African American to gradu- the Nazi capital. ate from West Point Military Academy in 47 years and only the fourth to ever graduate from the institute. Da- The 332nd was supposed to be relieved by another vis first served as an aide to his father, Brig. Gen. Benja- fighter unit prior to arriving at the target, so when min O. Davis Sr., at Fort Benning, Ga., before transfer- the relieving unit didn’t show up, the 332nd contin- ring to Tuskegee. He would later retire as an Air Force ued the mission and went on to down three ME-262 Lieutenant General and the nation's second African jet fighters. As a result, the 332nd was awarded a American general officer. Distinguished Unit Citation for the mission.

After basic training at nearby Moton Field, the Airmen The 332nd completed 15,553 sorties, 1,578 missions, went to the segregated Tuskegee Army Air Field to destroyed or damaged 409 enemy aircraft, sank one complete their pilot training. enemy destroyer and destroyed numerous enemy installations. Class 42C earned their wings becoming the nation's first African American military pilots in March 1942. By The Tuskegee Airmen received numerous awards, 1945, Tuskegee trained 994 aviators for the war effort, including 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, several 445 would be deployed, 66 were killed in action and 32 Silver Stars, eight Purple Hearts, 14 Bronze Stars, 744 Tueskegee Airmen recruitment posters in were shot down and became prisoners of war. Air Medals, the Croix de Guerre and the Red Star of World War II encouraged American citizens to buy war bonds to support the war effort. Story by Tech. Sgt. Matt Hecht, 177th Fighter Wing Public Affairs STS-102 LAUNCH: U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 177th or some Airmen, being around high- “In my 42 years with the Air National Guard, it was Fighter Wing Fire Department got to watch the launch of the performance jets and cutting-edge technology the neatest thing I got to do,” said Oberman. Space Transportation System-102 mission was to resupply is the highlight of their career. the International Space Station and rotate the expedition Once the Airmen were trained, they would stand by crews as well as deliver the first multi-purpose logistics mod- FFor Airmen from the New Jersey Air National during a 20 minute window at the beginning of a ule, Leonardo, supplies and equipment plus science racks for Guard’s 177th Fighter Wing, getting the chance to Space Shuttle launch. In the event of an emergency, transfer to the U.S. Laboratory Destiny. NASA photo work with the people and aircraft from the National the air traffic control tower could shut down air Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was traffic to allow the Shuttle to land. something extra special. While firefighters were doing their part to assist Atlantic City Airport’s NASA with its space 10,000-foot runway mission, maintenance made it a prime emer- Airmen helped NASA gency landing site for with aviation research NASA’s Space Shuttle. and development and The trajectory of resup- the F-16XL. ply missions to the Inter- national Space Station Created by General Dy- (ISS) carried the Space namics, the F-16XL was Shuttle over the north- based off of the -F 16 eastern United States. Fighting Falcon, with a To prepare for some- cranked-arrow delta thing going wrong, fire- wing shape. After the F- fighters from the 177th 16XL lost out to the F- Fighter Wing were sent 15E in the Enhanced to Cape Canaveral, Fla., MOCK UP: Firefighters from the 177th Fighter Wing, New Jersey Air Tactical Fighter Compe- in March 2001 for a National Guard, enter a space shuttle orbiter mockup during rescue tition, the prototypes week of Space Shuttle training at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., March 6, 2001. The 177th was were turned over to Rescue Training. one of two Air Guard units to be selected as alternative landing sites NASA in 1988 for addi- for the space shuttle incase the orbiter has to abort a mission during tional aviation research “We got a chance to takeoff. ANG courtesy photo and development. The F train in a Space Shuttle -16XL program was simulator,” said retired Chief Master Sgt. Bill Ober- based out of the NASA Dryden Flight Research Cen- man. “They taught us various extraction techniques. ter, Edwards AFB, Calif. In full gear, the astronauts would weigh about 240 lbs. and they could get snagged on all kinds of ob- The 177th Fighter Wing maintenance section’s repu- other maintenance issues that we ended up fixing,” Airmen to receive training that enhanced their skills structions.” tation for experienced, top-notch repair skills helped said Master Sgt. Mike Passeri. “It was quite an air- as Guardsmen, while giving NASA the benefit of the unit reach an agreement with NASA to have craft.” years of experience. The 177th has prided itself not

During their visit, the Airmen also got to watch the work on the F-16XL. only in service to the community, but also to fellow launch of STS-102, one of the Space Shuttle Discov- The historical partnership between the 177th Fighter government agencies. ery’s missions to the ISS. “The XL came in here for Egress work and developed Wing and NASA was mutually beneficial, allowing Story by Dr. Richard V. Porcelli

hen the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 119th Fighter Squadron moved from McGuire Air Force Base to Atlantic W City in August 1958, it brought its 24 Republic F-84F Thunderstreaks. The F-84F was a direct descendent of the famous World War II P-47 Thunder- bolt and the direct antecedent of the F-105B Thunder- chief – both of which were flown by the squadron. All of them were products of Republic Aviation’s Farming- dale, Long Island factory, often referred to as the “Thunder Works.” (Incidentally, the Grumman factory just down the road was known as the “Iron Works.”) The story of the Thunderstreak’s development and history with the Air Force and then the New Jersey Air National Guard is interesting and is told beginning with this month’s Contrail. The origins of the F-84F date back to the summer of 1944 when the Army Air Corps was anxious to get a jet fighter into service to combat the Luftwaffe jets. They proposed inserting a single General Electric RTG-180 (later designated J-35) jet engine into the aft section of a modified -P 47 Thunderbolt. Analysis quickly pointed out the folly of the idea and a totally new design by famed designer Alexander Kartveli was drawn. It emerged as the straight-wing P-84 (later F-84) Thunder- jet. First flight from Republic’s Farmingdale runway took place on February 28, 1946. Within a year, Kartveli having witnessed the success of North Ameri- can’s swept-wing transonic F-86A Sabre, started de- signing a swept-wing version of the Thunderjet. Pro- posals submitted to the Air Force’s Air Material Com- mand in March 1947 and again in early 1949 fell on deaf ears and no funding was made available by the Air Force. Fearing that they would be left behind in the rapidly changing world of jet combat aircraft, Republic decided to initiate development of the swept-wing version using their own funds. With a more detailed and refined design based on modifications of the straight-wing F-84 in hand, includ- A New Jersey National Guard F-84 Thunderstreak sits ing an estimated top speed of 733 mph and capability on the flight line in this undated photo. ANG photo of hauling 8000 pounds of ordinance, while using 55% changes were made that there was only 15% common- solved engine issues, were assigned to the Strategic Air (from converted KB-29 tankers). SAC’s escort fighter of the existing - F 84 Thunderjet tooling, the Air Force ality with the F-84E, instead of the claimed 55%. First Command’s 506th Strategic Fighter Wing at Dow AFB, era ended in 1957 when the remaining aircraft were finally showed interest. Now under pressure to pro- examples of a production version of the F-84F were Maine. Their role was escorting SAC’s -B 36 Peacemak- transferred to TAC (and ANG) units. Ultimately the duce the new variant, Republic took an F-84E off the flown in November 1952 and deliveries to Air Force er bombers. They were part of 400 aircraft conditional- Tactical Air Command operated six full wings (18 production line and incorporated the necessary chang- units started, but ongoing testing at Edwards AFB ly accepted by the Air Force while remedial measures squadron) of F-84Fs. In addition, the US Air Force Eu- es; the version was designated as the YF-96A. Although showed even more serious power plant problems. were being taken. F-84Fs with improved J-65s were rope (USAFE) operated Thunderstreaks between 1954 taxi tests were done at the Long Island factory, the pro- During mid-1953 the problems were so great that Re- finally accepted by the Tactical Air Command’s 405th and 1963, and the Air Training Command operated two totype was disassembled and flown to Edwards Air public was forced to store completed aircraft awaiting Fighter Bomber Wing at Langley AFB on May 12, 1954. squadrons as well. Force Base for its maiden flight on June 3, 1950. It was an engine fix. In May 1953, there were 18 undelivera- Further deliveries were split among TAC and SAC units. The Thunderstreak was also one of the aircraft types powered by a 5,300 pound thrust Allison XJ35-A-25 ble Thunderstreaks parked on the ramp. By January In August 1954 Air National Guard units began receiv- operated by the Air Force’s Flight Demonstration Team, engine while awaiting the intended higher thrust 1954 there were 350 and by May nearly 450 aircraft ing early model F-84Fs from SAC and TAC units as latter the Thunderbirds. The decision was made in April 1955 Curtiss-Wright J-65 were parked around production blocks were available. to supply factory fresh F-84Fs to Luke AFB to replace (license built version the airfield! (Some The reader may question why the Strategic Air Com- the team’s existing -F 84Gs. The first show took place of the British Sap- wags commented mand received the first production Thunderstreaks. on May 6, 1955 and a little over a year later the team phire engine) which that Republic’s man- Actually SAC input and support was a major factor in flew its ninety-first and last demonstration with the was still under devel- agement even con- the initial design and at its peak, it was equipped with Thunderstreak; it was replaced by the North American opment. Tests quick- sidered asking em- no less than six F-84F strategic fighter wings – its entire F-100C Super Sabre. In Thunderbirds service, the F- ly showed that the ployees to take a fighter force. Republic had elicited the help of SAC in 84Fs had a repositioned radio antenna, added oil tanks higher output jet Thunderstreak 1949 when trying to get the Air Force interested in a (for the colored smoke), a liquid oxygen unit and red, engine was sorely home with them, swept-wing version of the Thunderjet since SAC al- white and blue colored drag chutes. Seven F-84Fs needed. At the same and park it in their ready was using the Thunderjet as an escort fighter due were assigned and painted in their distinctive team time, in a ploy to fool backyards until the to its long range and air-to-air refueling capability colors (52-6732, -6735, -6751, -6770, -6771, -6779 and Congress that the Air modified engines Force was not buying were available.) a new airplane, the Because of the en- Air Force insisted gine problem (an Air that the designation Force responsibility be changed to F-84F, since it was part of implying a modifica- government sup- tion of an existing plied equipment) jet. A contest among and a perceived lack Republic employees A USAF F-84E of 9th Fighter-Bomber Squadron in Korea takes off for a training of Republic quality came up with the control (some say it name Thunder- mission. USAF photo was a face-saving streak. excuse) the Air Force ordered a production stop in Au- A second prototype equipped with the originally in- gust 1954; it was not resumed until February 1955. tended J-65 engine, first flown in February 1951, Despite these problems, lessons learned in the Korean showed higher performance but with very serious fail- War, where the straight-wing F-84E proved to be an ings. Compressor stalls and material failures, starter excellent ground attack aircraft but totally outclassed in problems, leaks, and seal anomalies needed to be air-to-air combat with the MiG-15s, the Air Force per- solved. These and other problems led to a major re- sisted with the F-84F and in fact contracted with the design. Instead of using the earlier F-84E fuselage, Buick division of General Motors as a second source of which had a round cross-section, a new oval profiled the J-65 turbojet. fuselage was designed to allow for a larger inlet area A USAF 12th SFW Republic F-84F-40-RE Thunderstreak 52- Early production Thunderstreaks, still plagued by unre- and greater airflow. Ultimately so many airframe 6578 on the flight line in an undated photo. USAF photo were formed in the US and Japan. But following a se- -6853). Other F-84Fs were also assigned for team prac- A Republic F-04K Thunderflash hooks up to a GRB-36. USAF photo tice sessions. ries of near disastrous incidents, the concept was qui- etly abandoned. The secret development and fielding Still additional- F 84Fs were painted in fictitious com- of the Lockheed U-2 spy plane by the CIA and later the munist markings and ‘acted’ as MiG-15s for the 1958 Air Force may have also contributed to this decision. Korean War movie “The Hunters”, staring Robert Mitch- um and Robert Wagner. The movie was based on a Despite all the development and operational challeng- great book by Korean War veteran pilot James Salter es related above, Republic Aviation eventually pro- that this author highly recommends reading. In the duced 1,500 F-84Fs and 389 RF-84Fs for the Air Force movie the main communist adversary was called “Casey (and Air National Guard); they served well until retired Jones” because he led long “trains” of MiG-15s flying from the Air Force in 1964 and the ANG in 1972. In above the F-86 Sabres – that part was certainly true. addition, a further 852- F 84Fs and 327 RF-84Fs were produced for our NATO allies and supplied under the Speaking of the Korean War, the serious implications of Military Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP). Turkey the lack of post-World War II Air Force funding for high and Greece kept their F-84Fs and RF-84Fs in service speed aerial reconnaissance was sorely felt in combat. until the early 1990s. This is not a bad record fora As an interim solution, -F 80 Shooting Stars and -F 86 Sa- plane conceived in 1944! bres were crudely modified to carry cameras. Republic also recognize this lack of capability and proposed a In the next issue of the Contrail, the F-84F story will be photo-recon version of the Thunderstreak, ultimately continued, focusing on Air National Guard service and emerging in 1951 as the RF-84F Thunderflash. Its layout its time with the New Jersey Air National Guard. differed by having a solid nose (for the cameras) and a bifurcated inlet duct, with air intakes mounted in the wing roots. This configuration was actually tested early as part of the original F-84F development program, and the design “dusted off” for the recon version. (It was again utilized in the design of the -F 105 Thunderchief – the subject of a latter edition of the Contrail.) The first YRF-84F flew in February 1952 but testing showed the same engine problems that plagued the F-84F. Opera- tional squadrons eventually were operated by TAC, USAFE, and Pacific Air Forces PACAF. Each of these commands operated two reconnaissance wings equipped with RF-84Fs. The RF-84F was also the subject of a program to develop a reconnaissance aircraft capable of being carried by a RB-36 recon version of the strategic bomber. The concept was to give the tactical reconnaissance aircraft tru- ly global range, thus becoming a strategic reconnaissance asset. Twenty-five RF-84Fs were modified to the RF-84K configuration, mainly incorporating a hook system that could be linked to a trapeze in the bomb bay of Air Force F-84E’s line the flight line in this undated photo. ANG photo A 405th Fighter Bomber Wing F-84 Thunderstreak flies on a training mission in this undated photo. USAF photo the mother plane, fittings for direct connection with the fuel and communications systems and down-sloping horizontal stabilizers (so that the RF-84K’s tail would better fit into the belly of the -RB 36). Operational units Final Photo ARMY TOUR

US Army instructors from the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB M-D-L) Drivers Training Course toured the 177th Fighter Wing of the New Jersey Air National Guard at the base in Egg Harbor Township, on Jan. 14, 2015. Soldiers of 3rd Training Support Battalion, 312th Regiment, 174th Infantry Brigade conducted driver's training focused on the High Mobility Multi Wheeled Vehicle or Humvee during their annual training held during the summer of 2014 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. ANG photo/Master Sgt. Andrew J. Moseley