The following photographs were taken at Davis-Monthan AFB and kindly submitted by Eric Johnson. Eric was a member of the 4453rd at Davis-Monthan. The pictures were taken at Bldg 1334 which was one of the old WWII barracks left at the base. When I arrived at DM in 1964 there were several of these old barracks that were not occupied. Most of the troops had been put in the new barracks near the Chow Hall. The old barracks had signs on them that they were to be demolished. Since there was no more room in the new barracks, we were put in the old barracks. I was in 1334 for a short time before moving into Bldg 1333 which was next door. We were right across the street from the Engine Shop so it was handy. It appears they were having a "GI Party" prior to and inspection. The second picture shows an airman wearing the old 505/1505 summer uniform.
This next picture is of Cloyd Meyer of the Engine Shop.
I don't have the slightest clue as to who gets the credit for these pictures. If they are your's and you would like credit for them I would be glad to add your name. The picture of the crew with FJ170 and an APU was a news clipping I saved.
62-12172 62-12176 62-12185
BuNos USAF S/N BuNos USAF S/N 150480 62-12170 150486 62-12171 150493 62-12172 150630 62-12173 150634 62-12174 150643 62-12175 150649 62-12176 150651 62-12177 150652 62-12178 150653 62-12179 150994 62-12180 150995 62-12181 150997 62-12182 150999 62-12183 00000 62-12184 151000 62-12185 151003 62-12186 151004 62-12187 151006 62-12188 151007 62-12189 151009 62-12190 151011 62-12191 151014 62-12192 151016 62-12193 151017 62-12194 151020 62-12195 151021 62-12196
The F4Bs were painted grey and white and had Air Force tail numbers and the identifier FJ-170, FJ-171 etc. on the fuselage. Later, when we were fully equipped with "C's", these aircraft were returned to the Navy. At least some of them saw service in Southeast Asia, one was a Mig Killer and several were lost there.
BuNos USAF S/N REASON FOR LOSS 150653 62-12178 landing accident June 19,1970 in SVN. 150994 62-12180 crashed Jun 7,1968 after launch. 150995 62-12181 shot down Oct 24,1967 over NVN. 150997 62-12182 hit Nov 19,1967 over NVN, crashed at sea. 151009 62-12190 hit Oct 22,1966 over NVN, crashed at sea. 151014 62-12192 shot down Dec 2,1966 over NVN. 151017 62-12194 stricken from record Sep 17,1964 151020 62-12195 crashed Sep 30,1967 on take off in SVN. 151021 62-12196 stricken from record Oct 13,1971
BuNO 150634, Air Force S/N 62-12174 (FJ-174) shot down a Mig-17 on 06 Oct 1965. It was then assigned to VF-151 of CVA-43 USS Coral Sea. Aircrew was LCDR Dan MacIntyre and LTJG Alan Johnson. Call Sign was "Switch Box" and the weapon used was an AIM-7D.
USAF S/N REMARKS 63-7410 This aircraft was not assigned to the 4453rd. The records indicate this aircraft was assigned to Eglin AFB. It crashed in Tulsa, Ok on Jan 24,1981. 63-7411 This F4C flew longer than any other. Its last flight was on May 15, 1988. At that time, it had 6,530 flight hours. It was then being flown by the 188th TFG of the Arkansas ANG. It is on static display at Ft. Smith, Arkansas. Ray Ritchott aka Ricochet Rabbit crewed this bird for the 4453rd. 63-7412 Last flown by MI-ANG till 1986. 63-7413 Was at Sheppard TTC by May 1986. 63-7414 On display Midland Air Museum (UK) 63-7415 Last flown by HI-ANG till April 1984. 63-7416 Crashed at Avon Park, Florida on May 22, 1964 63-7417 On display at Casselton ND 63-7418 This aircraft flew an accelerated schedule called 'lead the force'. It was the first F4C to fly 1,000 hours. In December 1967, it reached 2,000 hours. On this flight, it was crewed by LCol John C. Holley the 4455th CCTS Commander and Sgt Herbert Bencosky. It was last flown by the Indiana ANG and retired in 1986. 63-7419 On display Lakenheath (UK) 63-7420 Last flown by 111FIS till Jan 1986. 63-7421 On display Hermeskeil Museum (D) 63-7423 "Jail Bait" on display Speyer Museum. Modified to EF-4C Wild Weasel 63-7426 On display Sheppard AFB 63-7430 Last flown by 58TFTW, crashed Aug 19, 1976. 63-7431 On display Kelly AFB 63-7434 Last flown by 401TFW Torrejon, Spain. 63-7435 Crashed Aug 24, 1968. 63-7436 Last flown by MI-ANG in 1984. 63-7437 Last flown by 113TFS Hill AFB 1986. Modified to EF-4C Wild Weasel 63-7439 Last flown by 182 TFS TX-ANG. 1984. 63-7440 On display Enid, OK. Modified to EF4-C Wild Weasel 63-7453 63-7457 Battle Damage Repair Vehicle...Soesterberg 63-7458 Crashed Jun 24,1966 after a spin. Crew ejected safely. 63-7480 63-7505 Being used as a battle repair vehicle. Now sitting in a field at Mountain Home AFB 63-7507 On display Marshalltown (IO) 63-7519 On display George AFB 63-7520 63-7530 63-7534 This aircraft was delivered to the 15thTFW at MacDill in Aug 1964, she was transferred to the 4453rd at DM in April 1968. She was at Da Nang with the 366th, then at Cam Rahn Bay with the 12TFW. She then joined the 347th at Yakota and then returned to DM and the 4453rd in Feb 1971. She was transferred to the 58th TFTW at Luke in July of 71 and in 1973 she was sent to Keflavik, Iceland and the 57th FIS. In June 78 she joined the Michigan ANG and the 191th FIG where she was known as "Defiance II". She now rests at the Selfridge Museum.
63-7536 63-7617 63-7627 Crashed near Gila Bend,AZ probably on 9/16/66 63-7632 Scrapped Sept 1, 1987 63-7635 63-7646 Last seen in pieces at Yanks Air Museum after going to AMARC Jul 21,1988 63-7655 63-7662 To AMARC Aug 16,1989. Then to Fritz Entr. Taylor MI. Jun 1, 1999 63-7665 63-7702 Converted to GF4-C at Pratt County Historical Museum, KS in 2003 63-7707 63-7708 63-7711 To AMARC Apr 27,1987 63-7737 64-0655 64-0659 64-0747 64-0753 64-0766 64-0792 On display Hickam AFB 64-0793 Last seen on trailer at Hickam AFB for transfer to Korea for display 64-0794 64-0799 On display Peterson AFB Museum (CO) 64-0801 64-0805 64-0809 RECORDS SHOW THIS AIRCRAFT ALSO ASSIGNED TO THE 4080TH SRW AT DM ??? Crashed on or near DMAFB on 5/21/66 I have been told that this was a transient aircraft. Policy was to assign a crashed aircraft to the primary unit of the base where the crash occurred. Originally it was assigned as a 4080th aircraft. The next day it was changed to a 4453rd. 64-0814 64-0825 Stored at NAS Fort Worth JRB, TX as of 2004 64-0834 64-0836 64-0839 Crashed in Northeast Laos Mar 10,1967 64-0883 Crashed near Gila Bend, Az on July 14, 1977 while assigned to the 426th TFTS of the 58th TFW at Luke AFB. see Smoke Trails vol 6 no.2 F4D 66-7744 Crashed in Tucson 12/19/67 on takeoff
On May 22, 1964, the first F4C was lost.
The aircraft was S/N 637416 and it crashed at the Avon Park bombing range in central Florida. Killed in the
crash were Capt. Joseph J. Onate and Capt. William F. Buhrman. I assisted
in the accident investigation helping to disassemble and inspect the engines
from the aircraft.
In Sept. 2001 I had a very interesting phone conversation
with the son of Capt. Onate. Joe Jr. was only 3 1/2 when his father was killed
and was interested in all I could remember of the incident. Joe, God bless your
father for giving his life for our country and thank you for your own service to
our country.
I believe it was sometime in 1963 that GE recognized the 4453rd for our program to prevent FOD (foreign object damage). We spent many hours walking the ramp and taxi ways looking for objects that could be injested into the intakes. The GE Tech Reps threw us a party and took a picture that was later published on the cover of GE's Jet Service News. I could remember seeing the magazine but don't know if I kept a copy or not. As luck would have it, I took a job as a Tech Writer at GE Aircraft Engines in 1982. While there, I learned that the Jet Service News was published out of that office and they had a photograph file of all the pictures used over the years. I located the editor of the magazine and asked if the picture of the 4453rd engine shop was in the files. I gave him the approximate time period and he said he would check. A while later he showed up at my desk with the original photograph that was taken in 1963. He gave it to me and here it is. All of the faces are familiar to me. Many of the names are not. If you recognize anyone please let me know. The civilians were GE Tech Reps. The officers on the left are Lt. Col Menaker the Chief of Maintenance and Captain Petzen the maintenance officer. That is me again, sitting in the second row, 3rd from the left. Next to me are Staff Sergeant Carpenter and Airman Dever.
Later in 1964, the unit moved to Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona.
I spent several months at DM in the J33 Section of the engine shop.
This photograph was taken sometime in 1965. I am standing 3rd
from the left between TSgt Bossler and Airman Starlin T. Washington.
It was with
great regret that I learned of the passing of TSGT Harvey Bossler early in 2002.
Everyone that worked for and with TSGT Bossler respected him and
will miss him greatly. Some of us called him "Daddy B" because he and his wife
took care
of us like we were their own.
This is the General Electric J79. Two of which powered the F4's. It was a tough engine and had lots
of power and versatility. It also powered the F104 and the B58 among others.
For 33 years
I worked for GE Aircraft Engines where I worked as a Test Operations Specialist,
a Technical Writer and an Evaluation Engineering Specialist. I am now
retired.
If you are
interested in the F4, consider a membership in: The F4 Phantom Society
Copyright © 1998 Buck Seibert. All rights reserved.
