Luke Field/Air Force Base and 56th Fighter Wing Heritage Pamphlet ...
Luke Field/Air Force Base and 56th Fighter Wing Heritage Pamphlet ...
Luke Field/Air Force Base and 56th Fighter Wing Heritage Pamphlet ...
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207<br />
2 May 1952 Federal government took possession of 600,000 acres of public<br />
domain l<strong>and</strong> to exp<strong>and</strong> range at Gila Bend.<br />
1 November 1952 127th Pilot Training <strong>Wing</strong> defederalized. The 3600th Flying<br />
Training <strong>Wing</strong> (<strong>Fighter</strong>) activated as <strong>Luke</strong> host unit <strong>and</strong> was<br />
assigned to the Crew Training <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong>-<strong>Air</strong> Training Comm<strong>and</strong>.<br />
The 3600th Flying Training Group, 3600th <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Base</strong> Group,<br />
3600th Maintenance & Supply Group, <strong>and</strong> 3600th Medical<br />
Group activated as subordinates of the new wing.<br />
21 April 1953 F-51 program ended after producing 624 graduates.<br />
1 June 1953 3600th USAF <strong>Air</strong> Demonstration Team, the Thunderbirds,<br />
formed at <strong>Luke</strong> flying the Republic F-84G Thunderjet.<br />
Left to Right: Aubrey D. "Brownie" Brown, Robert S. "Mac" McCormick,<br />
Cuthbert A. "Bill" Pattillo, Maj Richard C. "Dick" Catledge, Comm<strong>and</strong>er,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Charles C. "Buck" Pattillo<br />
24 June 1953 The 3600th USAF <strong>Air</strong> Demonstration Flight (Arco-Jet) formally<br />
assigned to the wing<br />
1 October 1953 The 3600th Medical Group redesignated the 3600th USAF<br />
Hospital<br />
December 1953<br />
Range at Gila Bend included over 2 million acres of public l<strong>and</strong>s<br />
<strong>and</strong> over 600,000 acres leased from state or private l<strong>and</strong>owners.
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