#354th Squadron

[soldierporn]

Final Flight of the Bulldogs.

DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. 21 JUN 2024.

Photos by Senior Airman Vaughn Weber.

Story by Airman 1st Class Jhade Herrera and Senior Airman Vaughn Weber. Edited by R. Etzweiler.

The 354th Fighter Squadron and 354th Fighter Generation Squadron have flown their last A-10C Thunderbolt II sortie.

The fini flight was flown by Lt. Col. Patrick "Meat" Chapman, commander of the 354th Fighter Squadron.

The inactivations of the 354th FS and 354th FGS come as their assigned A-10s are sent to The Boneyard. The base makes way for the planned arrival of the 492nd Special Operations Wing.

The Bulldogs last deployed to Al Dhafra Air Base from October 2023 to April 2024 in support of the first AFFORGEN cycle and were instrumental in developing attack leaders and deploying combat AirPower.

“Our most recent deployment was an operationally challenging one,” said Chapman. “I'm proud of the ops and the maintenance team for stepping up to meet those challenges, which ultimately protected coalition lives during a very turbulent time in the Middle East.”

As part of the inactivation, assignment teams will work with pilots and maintainers to determine new assignments based on what is best for each member’s career development, to include transitioning to different weapons systems.

[Note from the Curator: The mustache decal on the nose of this Warthawg is a Pedros (pararescue jumpers) designation. That means during its deployments it worked with ground forces during CSAR missions.]

[captain-price-unofficially]

"The Iowa Beaut," a P-51B of the 354th Fighter Squadron flown over the English countryside by Lt Robert E Hulderman, mid-1944. A different pilot in this plane was lost near Rechtenbach, Germany, 11 Sep 1944

[aviationgeek71]

Captain Robert E Woody with his P-51B Mustang, 355th Fighter Group , 354th Fighter Squadron.

[dangerousthingobservation]

A-10 of the 354th TFW from Myrtle Beach, before 1980 The A-10 is put into operation in 1975, in the 355th Tactical Training Wing (Davis-Monthan AFB) and the 354th TFW from Myrtle Beach, followed by the 23rd TFW (England AFB) and the 81st TFW Bentwaters and squadrons deployed in Alaska and Korea.

[lostdreamr-blog1]

Outrun the Future - G.Cleven Ch 2

Ch 1 Ch 3 Ch 4 Ch 5

Next chapter is here! Thanks for reading :)

CH 2

The 354th fighter squadron had settled into their new base with instructions to act civilly. The men were split up into different houses that had extra bunks while Marley was housed with the nurses. They were welcoming of the pilot and excited to have another Egan on base. Bucky had always been good to the nurses, trying to accommodate them as best as he could. Which helped Marley make friends easily.

One of the girls stood out the most to her though. Betty was from a farm down in Texas who joined the war efforts as a nurse to get away from the small-town life. Even though life on a military base wasn’t glamorous, she loved every minute of it spreading a sort of joy throughout the girls. Which is why Marley seemed to gravitate towards her. It was clear to them both that they were meant to become friends.

Word spread fast that the female pilot was Major Egan’s sister. She was now untouchable as Bucky had zero issues putting his men in place. Buck on the other hand was intrigued by the girl. It wasn’t every day they found a woman who could out fly them in a smaller and faster plane. But she was just as loud and outgoing as the other Egan. Something he learned quickly when she joined them that evening at the Officer’s Mess.

Marley walked into the crowded building, immediately finding her brother and his blonde friend by the bar. “So, this is what the bombers do for fun?” Bucky threw his arm around his sisters’ shoulders. “You fighter pilots only wish you had this much fun. Lucky for you, you now get to experience the true perks of war.” Marley rolled her eyes, “Yeah, lucky our base was bombed.” Buck had a small smile on his face as he listed to the two go back and forth.

“What made you pick P-51’s?” Marley turned her attention to the other man that was with them. “I was never one for team sports. Plus having nine other lives on my hands isn’t something that interested me. If I go down, the only person I have to blame is myself.” Bucky scoffed at the answer. “You and Buck will get along great. He doesn’t do sports in general.”

Before Marley could ask why, a new song started up. Her eyes lit up as she turned to her brother nearly bouncing with joy. “You know what this song is missing?” The matching smile made Buck shake his head. “Dear god.” He watched as the siblings danced their way up to the stage, taking the one mic and singing the worst possible version of the song. Neither of them was on tune, but something about the enthusiasm they sang with had everyone in the room laughing.

As the song ended, the two of them took a bow and made their way back to the bar. “See! I told you that song was missing vocals.” Bucky clapped his friend on the back and took a long swig of his beer. All Buck could do was shake his head.

***

The night went on and Marley found herself a little too sober for the men around her. It was one of the few traits she didn’t share with her brother and that was her dislike of alcohol. She would drink a beer maybe two, but the appeal wasn’t there. So, she slipped out the door as her brother was distracted with retelling some story about a unicorn.

The base outside was quiet with the higher ups planning or sleeping while the rest of the men and some women drank as if they wouldn’t make it through tomorrow. For some of them, it might very well be their last.

Not wanting to head to bed yet, Marley climbed up on one of the B-17’s and sat with her legs hanging over the edge. The sky was dark for once. Back at her base, flak could be seen littering the sky at all hours of the night. The Brits always ran their missions during the dark hours, making clear skies like this few and far between. She took advantage while she could and leaned her head back, taking in the cluster of stars.

It didn’t take long before footsteps could be heard and then the sound of metal groaning as weight was put against the plane. “This seat taken?” The gruff voice of Buck Cleven filled the air, surprising her a bit.

She motioned to the spot next to her and watched as he gracefully sat down. “What brings you out here, Major?”

The blonde-haired pilot leaned back on his hands and replied, “Thought I would turn in early but saw someone sitting on my plane. Wanted to make sure no funny business was going on.” Her laugh in turn made him smile. It was a sound he could see himself getting used to.

“Well, Major. I am happy to report that there is indeed no funny business going on here. Although I had no idea this was your plane. I can get down if that makes you more comfortable.” When he shook his head at her, she mirrored his position and leaned back on her hands, resuming her star gazing.

“Do you know any constellations?” It was her turn to shake her head. “Can’t say I do. But I do enjoy making some up. Like that one over there kinda looks like an angry cat.” Buck chuckled at the response and decided not to show her the ones he knew. Her version of constellations seemed more entertaining.

The two sat in a comfortable silence for a while until Marley asked, “Have you been up yet?” There was an underlying meaning to her question and Buck picked up on it. The words themselves were simple but what she really wanted to know is if he knew what was waiting for them up there.

So, he let out a breath and nodded his head. “Last week was my first mission. Was more of a wakeup call than anything.”

Marley tore her gaze from the stars and looked at him. She saw the way his jaw was clenching, muscles not as relaxed as before. It was clear the mission didn’t go as planned and the harsh realities met him head on. “I’m sorry to hear that. Seems like it’s the same no matter what kind of plane you fly.”

He sighed, “Bucky was here a few weeks before the rest of us. I was angry at first when he didn’t clue us into what it was really like. But the more I thought about it, the more I knew there was no words to even describe what it’s like flyin’ those skies. We lost too many good men that day.”

All Marley could do was nod her head. She wasn’t lying when she said it was the same for them as well. “I didn’t tell John what was really going on for that exact reason. Once I got my wings, I had plans to write him. Tell him how hard I worked to get the position I did. But the first mission went by, and I knew if I told him I was a pilot, he would lose it. Our first mission we lost 14 fighter pilots. 14 planes went down in the matter of seconds, and it felt like a slap in the face. So, I kept the secret to myself and prayed for both of us that nothing would happen. Damn air raid screwed that up for me though.”

 Buck had turned his full attention to the girl, noticing for the first time the scars that peppered the side of her face. How her brother had missed that earlier, he didn’t know. But it was clear she had seen more than what any of them would’ve wished.

“How many missions have you been on?” He watched as she bit her lip, making him almost nervous to hear the answer.

“Would you accept ‘too many’?” Marley had a small smile on her face, trying to lessen the tension in the air. Another trait her and Bucky shared. The day Bucky was in full serious mode was the day he knew things had gone to shit. Marley seemed to be the same.

“I’ll accept whatever you want to tell me. I know that question is personal.” The girl saw a sliver into how good of a man Gale Cleven was. A gem that needed to be locked away for safe keeping.

“Eight so far. Our group started a little bit before yours and can fly more often. Not having to replace an entire crew when we go down, unlike the 100th.”  There was a short pause, “I hate to ask this of you, but can you keep that last bit of information from my brother? I’d like to keep him naïve as long as possible.”

Buck nodded his head without hesitation. “Bucky doesn’t need to know we talked at all. I know there must be some added stress to your days now with sharing a base.”

The snort that came from Marley had him chuckling. “That’s putting it lightly.” She sighed, “Bucky spent his whole life looking out for me. Just this once I want to be able to look out for him. Even if that means keeping him in the dark for as long as possible.”

And just as Marley learned how good of a man Gale Cleven was, he saw the same of her.  

A/N: Thoughts? Likes or dislikes? Thank you for reading!

-C

[usafphantom2]

End Of An Era: A-10C Thunderbolt II Demo Team Announces Final Airshow Season

The A-10 Demo Team has just announced their farewell tour 2024.

David Cenciotti

A-10 Demo Team Farewell Tour 2024

The U.S. Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II demonstration team is the unit in charge of highlighting the A-10C’s capabilities during airshows across the United States and to recruit, retain and inspire the next generation of Airmen. The team will perform its duty for one last season this year: in fact, as announced on social media, 2024 is going to mark the final airshow season for the Warthog demo.

The farewell tour does not come unexpected though: last month, the 355th Wing at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, where the Demo team is based, begun divesting its fleet of A-10 aircraft after nearly 50 years.

The first model of the aircraft to arrive at Davis-Monthan was an A-10A on March 2, 1976. This model was assigned to the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing that arrived here in 1971 and replaced the Vought A-7D Corsair flown by the 355th TFW. The 355th TFW was later reclassified as the 355th Tactical Fighter Training Wing, prompting the 354th, 357th, and 358th Fighter squadrons to train U.S. Air Force Pilots on the A-10A aircraft.

A-10 Demo Team

The heritage paint scheme of the A-10C Demo Team, introduced for 2023 season.

The U.S. Air Force has plans to divest the entire fleet of A-10 aircraft within the next 3-5 years, when the iconic jet will be replaced by the F-35.

“The A-10 has been the symbol of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base for many years, and it will continue to be a symbol for the Airmen of DM, a symbol of their commitment, excellence and service,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Scott Mills, 355th Wing commander and A-10 pilot in a public statement. “For now, we’re divesting a single squadron during the summer-fall timeframe of 2024.”

Coinciding with the divestment, Davis-Monthan plans to expand its Rescue Footprint, which may lead to additional utility of the HC-130 aircraft and the HH-60W helicopter. Airframes expected to arrive from the Air Force Special Operations Command include the MC-130 and OA-1K.

A-10 Demo pilot

Capt Lindsay “MAD” Johnson, Demo Team Commander, poses in front of her aircraft.

“From an Ops personnel standpoint, this divestment arguably allows a more expeditious stand-up of the F-35, even as that program continues to struggle with a variety of delays,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Razvan Radoescu, 355th Operations Group commander.

The aircraft 82-648 was the first to be retired from service at Davis-Monthan on Feb. 6, 2024, and transited from the 354th Fighter Squadron to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group for final maintenance procedures and display preparation for the Davis-Monthan where hundreds of retired Aircraft are stored.

“There will always be a job for maintainers; it may not be on the A-10, but the Air Force needs maintainers to sustain airpower,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Clarence McRae, 355th Maintenance Group commander, “Perhaps the biggest draw of future maintainers will be in the F-35 community. Airplanes are still going to break, and we are still going to fix them.”

One of the memes that you could find online during the early days of the Ukrainian invasion by Russia.

Anyway, there’s still time to attend an airshow and watch the A-10 Demo Team, commanded by Capt Johnson, an Instructor Pilot and Flight Commander assigned to the 357th Fighter Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona and previously served also in Texas and Korea, at her second season as the commander of the team.

Here’s the schedule.

About David Cenciotti

David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.

@Aviationist via X

[vera-keller]

olivia mariner | masters of the air

finally did my homework! here's my long overdue oc infosheet for liv <3

Full name: Olivia Kate Mariner Age: 24 (as of May 1943) Date of birth: 22 March 1919 Hometown: Oakland, California, United States Occupation: Fighter pilot (1940–1943); B-17 bomber pilot Affiliation: No. 71 Eagle Squadron, RAF (1940–1942); 353rd Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, USAAF Ninth Air Force (1942–1943); 100th Bomb Group Rank: 1st Lieutenant Service number: 0-410609 Aircraft: Hawker Hurricane Mk.XIIb; Curtiss P-40 Warhawk; P-51 Mustang; B-17 Flying Fortress Personality: ESTP 8w7 Premise: Mariner is the best pilot in the entire United States Army Air Force. At least that’s what she might tell you, and in a P-51 that may very well have been true. But she’s in a B-17 now, having been bumped out of her previous fighter squadron for reckless flying despite being a gifted hotshot and the fourth and youngest leading ace in the 354th credited with 14 aerial victories, and it turns out that piloting a heavy bomber requires an entirely different skill set than piloting a single-engine high-speed fighter. And that is precisely the lesson that her squadron leader expects her to learn before he’s willing to accept her back into his unit again: if she wants to keep her aviator badge, she needs to learn that it’s not all about her. Exiled from the A-team and finding herself as a foreigner on the 100th’s shores, Mariner – still an operational pilot, at least – is hot-blooded in her determination to prove that she can fly a B-17 in her sleep. Except the B-17 presents a few formidable challenges of its own, one of which being the fact that she must now navigate flying with a bomber crew. And if her tumultuous childhood taught her anything before she walked out on her family for good, it’s that she can’t rely on anyone else to get the job done but herself. Something she’ll have to unlearn if she hopes to become the pilot she’s dedicated everything she is to becoming. She’s here for a good time, not a long one. She’s let go of that illusion a long time ago. But deep down, Mariner is lost without the validation that comes with being a prodigy, and she’s willing to do anything to get it back.

meet her in switchblade!

[aresdifesa]

Un futuro in Giordania per gli A-10 Thunderbolt II? Negli Stati Uniti il 354th Fighter Squadron ed il 354th Fighter Generation Squadron hanno effettuato le loro ultima sortite con l’A-10C Thunderbolt II con contestuale disattivazione dei due reparti. La disattivazione del 354th FS e del 354th FGS avviene mentre gli A-10 loro assegnati sono dismessi nell’ambito degli sforzi di modernizzazione della USAF e contestualmente la base aerea di Davis-Monthan lascia spazio all’arrivo pianificato del 492nd Special Operations Wing. Già nel corso del 2023 sono stati ritirati 21 A-10, mentre nel 2024 altri 42 saranno ritirati dal servizio attivo ed immagazzinati presso la Davis-Monthan AFB. In tal modo nel 2025 la

[bob-stahl]

A-10 from the 354th Fighter Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., have arrived in the Middle East, as the U.S. has rushed airpower to the region

[defensenow]

Meet the Brave Warriors of the 354th Fighter Squadron

[usaac-official]

A 354th Aero Squadron DH-4 in flight over France, November 1918

[j-r-macready]

MIGHTY BULLDOG by Jonathan Navarro Via Flickr: An A-10C Thunderbolt II from the 354th Fighter Squadron "Bulldogs" on final for RWY 12 at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

[aviationgeek71]

Lt Col Everett W Stewart with his P-51B Mustang, 355th Fighter Group, 354th Fighter Squadron.

[lifejoy-co]

Class photo of the 354th squadron

[airmanisr]

North American P-51D-30-NA Mustang ‘463747 / FT- π’ “Charlotte’s Chariot II’ (N251CS) by Alan Wilson Via Flickr: c/n 122-41517 Built in 1944 with the US military serial 44-74977 Civil registered as N5448V in 1958 and used to support fire-tanker operations in Alaska until a ‘gear-up’ landing in 1966. She was part of the Museum of American Aircraft in Hayward, California from 1969 to 1993 but in May 1984 she was stolen from Tonopah, Nevada, and was not recovered until September that year when she was found in Merced, California. She is now operated by the Southern Heritage Air Foundation and represents ’44-63747’ which was operated by the 353rd Fighter Squadron, part of the 354th Fighter Group based at Toul in France during 1944-45. She is seen on the morning of the Commemorative Air Force’s ‘Wings Over Dallas’ WWII Airshow. Dallas Executive Airport, Redbird, Dallas, Texas. 27th October 2019