Members of legendary squadron visit Kirtland

  • Published
  • By Ryan Stark
  • Nucleus staff writer
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  The 339th Fighter Squadron Association -- made up of retired members of a legendary Air Force squadron -- visited Kirtland Sept. 24 as part of its 33rd reunion at a hangar near the 58th Special Operations Wing Headquarters at Kirtland.

The reunion, which was Sept. 23 to 25, included an up-close introduction to the 58th SOW's helicopters and an opportunity to talk with the wing's vice commander, Col. Stephen Andreasen.

The 339th had its start in World War II, and members of the squadron who served then and during the Korean and Vietnam wars, toured aircraft of Kirtland's 58th Special Operations Wing, said Tech. Sgt. Sean Costello.

A well-known 339th mission happened in 1943 when squadron members flying P-38 Lightning fighters successfully shot down a plane carrying Japanese Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto, the architect of the December 1941 attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. At that time, Yamamoto was commander-in- chief of the Japanese fleet.

The squadron flew many other missions in the Pacific during World War II and the Korean War. It was deactivated in 1958, then re-activated as a tactical fighter squadron in the 1970s, flying the F-4 Phantom. In the 1980s, it became a flight test squadron. The 339th flew F-86s, F-82s and F-94s, among other aircraft.

Alvin Bailey, who flew the F-86 with the 339th in the 1950s, said the Air Force is as formidable as it was when he served.

"It's the same, but it's different," Bailey said. "These (UH-1 helicopters) could have been built in the '60s. But the (CV-22) Osprey ... wow. I've been fascinated with it since it came off the drawing board."

Every opportunity for squadron members to reunite is precious, Bailey said, because about a dozen members pass away every year. Jim Scholten and his wife, Alta, came to the reunion from Montana.

A former F-94 crew chief, he said modern Air Force fighters have greatly increased capabilities. The F-94, for example, needed a lot more runway, he said.

"We took 7,000 feet of runway just to get off the ground," Scholten said. "Now we have air shows back in Montana with F-15s and F-16s, and they get right off the runway and go straight up. I can't imagine that experience."

Costello said active-duty Airmen are standing on these men's shoulders.

"For me, them coming here is refreshing," Costello said. "They laid the groundwork and paved the way for what we do now."

For more about the 339th, go to www.freewebs.com/339th.