Page 9 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt - Luke AFB History and Heritage, March 18 2022

8 Thunderbolt Photo Feature March 18, 2022 9
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http://www.luke.af.mil 1944

LUKE OVER THE YEARS Luke’s one millionth

flying hour

1940s 1964 On Feb. 7, 1944, Luke Field completed 1,000,000
hours of flying, a milestone in its progress and
development. As the hour of expectancy ap-
proached, Col. John C. Nissley, commanding
The majority of heavy maintenance for Luke Field’s aircraft was performed by civilians during WWII. officer, climbed into ship X-1 and logged the
Maj. Gen. John Meyer,
12th Air Force commander, remaining minutes. On the flightline to greet
accepted the first F-5A Col. Nissley were Col. Lester S. Harris, director
Freedom Fighter on April of training, under whose supervision the total
In 1940, the U.S. Army sent a representative flying time was amassed, Maj. Hugh A. Griffith,
to Arizona to choose a site for an Army Air Corps 30, 1964, for Luke’s F-5 In- Jr., base operations officer, and Capt. William A.
training field for advanced training in conventional ternational Fighter Training Payton, assistant operations officer.
fighter aircraft. The city of Phoenix bought 1,440 Program.
acres of land, which they leased to the government
at $1 a year effective March 24, 1941. On March
29, 1941, the Del. E. Webb Construction Co. began 1974
excavation for the first building at what would later
become Luke Field.
The first class of 45 students, Class 41 F, arrived
June 6, 1941, to begin advanced flight training in the
AT-6, although only a few essential buildings had
been completed. Flying out of Sky Harbor Airport
until the Luke runways were ready, pilots received
10 weeks of instruction and the first class gradu-
ated Aug. 15, 1941. Capt. Barry Goldwater served
as director of ground training the following year.
During World War II, Luke was the largest fighter
training base in the Air Corps, graduating more than
12,000 fighter pilots from advanced and operational
courses in the AT-6, P-40, P-51 and P-38, earning A new hospital opened at Luke Air Force Base on Nov. 8, 1974, and replaced the temporary
the nickname, “Home of the Fighter Pilot.” structure built in 1942.

1987 1996 On Oct. 23, 1996, the 56th Fighter Wing formed the 56th Range Manage- 2005 2013

ment Office by merging three functions. Today, the 56th Range Manage-
In July 1987, the Reserve function at Luke ment Office is responsible for more than 200 military, civilian and contract personnel
changed when the 302nd Special Opera- who operate the 1.7 million-acre Barry M. Goldwater Range and Gila Bend Air Force On March 13,
tions Squadron deactivated its helicopter Auxiliary Field. They direct all operational environmental stewardship activities to en- 2013, 1st Lt
function, and the 944th Tactical Fighter sure sustained range operations. They are also responsible for the 11 million acres of Matthew J.
Group was activated to fly the F-16C/D at airspace assigned to Luke AFB. In resolving airspace and land management issues, they Wetherbee, a
Luke Air Force Base. liaise directly with 15 separate Federal and State of Arizona agencies, as well as 26 Na- 309th Fighter
tive American tribes Squadron
student pilot,
flew Luke Air
1994 1994 Force Base’s
1,000,000 U.S.

F-16 flying hour
in Tail No. 89-
On Sept. 21, 1994, Capt. Sharon Preszler 2157.
graduated from 61st Fighter Squadron at
Luke Air Force Base, becoming the first
female Air Force F-16 pilot.

In 2005, the 56th Fighter Wing was the world’s largest fighter unit with
eight fighter squadrons assigned that boasted an aerial fleet made up
of 189 F-16 Fighting Falcons. As of today, the 56th Fighter Wing has two
F-16 squadrons assigned to Luke, with additional FMS squadrons train-
ing on station, and several F-35A squadrons as well, making it the larg-
est fighter wing in the world.

2014

The F-35A Lightning II makes its first appearance March 10, 2014, at Luke
The 56th Fighter Wing flag with its many campaigns and awards Air Force Base, Arizona. The aircraft was flown in directly from the Lock-
streamers was unfurled for the first time April 1, 1994, when the wing heed Martin factory at Fort Worth, Texas, and is the first of 144 F-35s that
took over host unit duties. will eventually be assigned to the base. Courtesy photos