4453 th COMBAT CREW TRAINING WING

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1 4453 th COMBAT CREW TRAINING WING 4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing Davis-Monthan AFB TAC 1 Jul Sep 1971 [3] LINEAGE STATIONS MacDill AFB, FL, ASSIGNMENTS COMMANDERS HONORS Service Streamers Campaign Streamers Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers Decorations EMBLEM EMBLEM SIGNIFICANCE MOTTO NICKNAME OPERATIONS 4453 COMBAT CREW TRAINING WING LOCATED MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, TAMPA, FL. COMMANDER: COL FRANK K. EVEREST, JR COMBAT CREW TRAINING WING TRAINED TACTICAL AIR COMMAND CREWS FOR F4C PHANTOM II AIRCRAFT DURING PERIOD COMBAT CREW TRAINING SQUADRON DESIGNATED GROUP 1 JAN 64; ELEVATED TO WING 1 APR 64. PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING MOVE OF 4453 COMBAT CREW TRAINING WING TO DAVIS

2 MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, TUCSON, AZ. DISCUSSES OPERATIONS AND TRAINING OF WING USING F4C AIRCRAFT AND F4B AIRCRAFT The 4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing (CCTW), a unit of the Tactical Air Command, moved from MacDill AFB, Florida, to Davis-Monthan. The mission of the 4453rd CCTW was to train TAC crews for operations with F-4C Phantom II aircraft. 1 Jul 1964 The 4080th Strategic Wing was inactivated. Concurrently, the 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing was activated and the personnel and equipment of the 4080 th were transferred to the 100th. 25 Jun 1966 The 4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing was inactivated. 30 Sep 1971 On 1 July 1964, when Davis-Monthan became the home of the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing (CCTW). The 4453rd, a unit of the Tactical Air Command, had moved from MacDill AFB, Florida. With approximately 50 Phantom II jet fighter-bomber aircraft, the 4453 rd offered an intensive flying training program. Over the forthcoming years, that program would go on to produce the majority of the F-4 crews required during the Southeast Asia conflict. As the 303rd was departing, components of the newly assigned 4453rd began to occupy its vacated facilities. The primary mission of Davis-Monthan s newest unit was to train the aircrews required for the complete conversions of 12 tactical wings to the F-4C aircraft. To accomplish that mission, the 4453rd conducted flying and radar training courses designed to prepare the twoman crews to fully utilize the exceptional capabilities of the new fighter-bomber. Following training, each crew returned to its parent organization as a fully qualified team. In addition, the 4453rd began a program in July 1966 to train replacement unit crews in the F-4 for direct assignment to Southeast Asia. The 4453rd activated on Oct 22, 1962 at MacDill AFB in Tampa, Florida. It was called the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Squadron. On Jan 1, 1964, we became the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Group. Finally, on April, 1, 1964, we were large enough to become the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing. We were part of the 836th Air Division. On July 1, 1994, we became part of the 12th Air Force. Our mission was to train aircrews for the F4. We received 27 Navy F4B's, the first aircraft was delivered on February 11,1963. It was crewed by Col Stanton T. Smith, then Commander of the 836th Air Division and Major Jerry F. Hogue. These aircraft had Navy serial numbers as well as Air Force serial numbers. The Air Force received 29 F4B's from the Navy. The additional 2 aircraft were sent to Langley AFB. Although they received the Air Force paint scheme and had F110A painted on the forward fuselage, they were not F110s. They displayed the Navy serial numbers on their rudders. The BuNos on these aircraft were and and the identifiers FJ-405 and FJ-406 were used. Later, they were given Air Force serial numbers and respectively

3 Organizational Dates 4453rd Combat Crew Training Squadron (CCTS) 22 Oct Jan rd Combat Crew Training Group (CCTG) 1 Jan Apr th CCTS [original squadron] 4458th CCTS [original squadron] Reorganized with the following squadrons on 17 Dec th CCTS [operational squadron] 1 Jan Aug th CCTS [operational squadron] 1 Jan Sep th CCTS [operational squadron] 1 Jan Jul th CCTS [academic squadron] 1 Jan xx xxx rd Combat Crew Training Wing (CCTW) 1 Apr Sep 1971 Retained the above 4 squadrons The 4472nd CCTS [DC-130A drone carrier] operated 10 Jul Jul Redesignated the 4472nd Support Squadron [special projects activity] and coded within the 4453rd CCTW 1 Jul Jul 1971 Bases MacDill AFB Tampa, Florida 1 Jan Jan 1964 Davis-Monthan AFB Tucson, Arizona 8 Jan Sep 1971 Commands 836th Air Division, 9th Air Force 1 Jan Jul th Air Force 1 Jul Sep 1971 Aircraft Models F-4B F-4C F-4D The Airman - April 1964 "Burn up the Sky" 4453rd CCTW and 12th TFW While McDonnell was tooling up for modifications to the TAC version of the Phantom, the Air Force "borrowed" 27 F4B's from the Navy and began training. Colonel Hogue delivered the first F4B to MacDill AFB, Fla., February 11, In the meantime, 13 instructor pilots had been trained by the Navy at Oceana NAS. These returned to MacDill to train other instructors in the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Squadron, which had been set up to conduct F4 training. One of the first 4453rd pilots to be checked out by Colonel Hogue was its commander, Col. Frank K.

4 Everest, Jr. Colonel Everest called the F4 a fighter pilot's dream. "Our pilots should take to the F4C with pleasure," he said. "It's an easier plane to fly than some fighters and its equipment is less complicated." The first organization in the Air Force to phase into the F4 is the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing, commanded by Col. Harold M. McClelland. The first F4 class was composed of 24 pilots assigned or attached to the 557th Tactical Fighter Squadron, commanded by Lt. Col. Mark V. Wilson. It is one of the four squadrons in the 12th. During the 11 week course, pilots compiled 30 flying hours in the Phantom. After two familiarization rides, the class was divided into 12 two man crews who practiced instruments, low-level and high-level navigation, radio and radar navigation, air to air intercepts, dive-bombing, rocketry, low-level bombing, close ground support, nuclear delivery, in-flight refueling, and formation. The fighter pilots learned to work as part of a two man team. The front seat pilot is the aircraft commander, who makes the landings and takeoffs, flies the aircraft, and handles the armament. The rear seat pilot, the pilot systems operator, also flies the aircraft but he must also operate the Phantom's sophisticated radar and navigation equipment. Besides the ground school attended in conjunction with the 11 week, 30 flying hour course, pilot systems operators got an additional 250 hours of classroom work in radar and navigation. The first class graduated December 5, 1963, and the second one January 10, this year. (1964) All flying was done in the F4B the Navy training version of the Phantom. The 4453rd Combat Training Wing operated as the main F-4C training unit at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, after moving from MacDill AFB, Florida, where both F-4Bs and F-4Cs were operated. It incorporated the 4454th CCTS, 4455th CCTS and 4456th CCTS and used the 'DM' tailcode long before common wing tailcodes became standard. The wing also controlled DC-130 drone operations. The F-4 operations were reassigned to the 58th TFTW at Luke AFB, Arizona, the switch bringing A-7D Corsairs to Davis-Monthan AFB. The 4453rd CCTW's F-4Cs were used to form the 310th TFTS, 426th TFTS and 550th TFTS at Luke AFB, forming the 355th TFW (with the same personnel), which activated on 1 July The 4453rd CCTW formally inactivated on 30 September 1971.

5 4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing The 4453rd Combat Training Wing operated as the main F-4C training unit at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, after moving from MacDill AFB, Florida, where both F-4Bs and F-4Cs were operated. It incorporated the 4454th CCTS, 4455th CCTS and 4456th CCTS and used the 'DM' tailcode long before common wing tailcodes became standard. The wing also controlled DC-130 drone operations. The F-4 operations were reassigned to the 58th TFTW at Luke AFB, Arizona, the switch bringing A-7D Corsairs to Davis-Monthan AFB. The 4453rd CCTW's F-4Cs were used to form the 310th TFTS, 426th TFTS and 550th TFTS at Luke AFB, forming the 355th TFW (with the same personnel), which activated on 1 July The 4453rd CCTW formally inactivated on 30 September Air Force Order of Battle Created: 30 Jul 2011 Updated: Sources