The Phinal Bow

.Good Bye Old Girl

Story by Robert F. Clinton, MSgt. USAF
Story appeared in "Smoke Trails" Vol. 10, Num.3

"Good bye old girl, thank you, and God bless you." These were the sentiments expressed by Brigadier General Robin Olds at the retirement ceremony for the last operation F-4 Phantom jet fighters in the Air Force inventory, held at Gowin Field, Boise Idaho on Saturday the 20th of April 1996. General Olds was the commander of the famous 8th Tactical Fighter Wing’s Wolf Pack during the Vietnam War. He is credited with four MiG kills while flying the Phantom in air to air combat over Vietnam.
An exciting era of aviation history had just come to an end. Teary eyed spectators lined the runway at Gowin Field, home of the Idaho Air National Guard’s 124th Fighter Group, braving the cold and windy Idaho weather to watch their beloved Phantom reach for the sky on its last operational flight.
One by one the last four Phantoms roared down the runway lifting their noses proudly skyward in a spectacular take-off as only an F-4 can do. They then formed up in a formation of four and made a final slow pass over the base. Off they flew, the hushed crowd watching quietly until they were mere specks on the horizon. Off into history, off to the "bone-yard," off to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in the vast desert of Arizona, where their final fate would most likely come as drones, to be shot from the skies in some future test program.
The Phantom first took to the air on May 27, 1958, the genius of then McDonnell Aircraft Company, now known as Boeing Aircraft. The Phantom was destined to become a legend in its own time. Over 5000 F-4’s were built, 2000 for the USAF. The F-4 entered service with the Air Force in 1963, then known as the F-110A, it soon was redesignated the F-4C. Known to those who loved her as "Double Ugly," or "the Rhino," the venerable Phantom served faithfully for more than 33 years. No task was to difficult, no mission to hard, the F-4 was a genuine do-all aircraft. Different variations of Air Force Phantoms were the F-4C, D, E, with an added nose gun, the RF, for reconnaissance, and finally the G, better know as the Wild Weasel.
Because of the 280 confirmed air-to-air kills to its credit, Bob Hope once called the Phantom, "The largest distributor of MiG parts in the world." The Vietnam War made the Phantom a legend, its ability to handle any task asked of it proved its versatility above and beyond the Navy’s original role of fleet defense. In the recent Persian Gulf War, the Phantom was tasked both as reconnaissance, RF-4C, and suppression of enemy ground to air defenses, F-4G Wild Weasel. Two extremely hazardous missions. The wrath of the Wild Weasels became so feared by Saddam’s forces that they would not even provoke her as she flew over Iraq escorting coalition fighters and bombers to their targets.
The Phantom was loved and revered by both those who flew her and those who maintained her. Ask any "grunt" who owed his life to the close air support that rained bombs, rockets, napalm and cannon fire on the enemy in Vietnam. No aircraft in aviation history has ever had such a devoted following as the Phantom. Tony Wong, an artist from McDonnell Douglas, drew a cartoon character, named "Spook" which quickly became the official mascot of the F-4. Even a new "language" called Phantomese was invented. There is even a world wide F-4 Phantom II Society of Phantom Phanatics.
So farewell my old friend, I have given almost 30 years of my life to your well being. I will remember for as long as I may live those spectacular night takeoffs in Vietnam and Saudi Arabia, the deafening roar of your afterburners as you raced for the sky. I will remember those times when the sweat from my brow dripped upon your skin while I tried to fix what ailed you. I will remember the times I cursed you and the times I cried, when you didn’t return. I will remember those brave men that flew you into combat, and trusted you to bring them safely home again. Yes, I will always remember you, in my heart and in my soul.
To borrow a phrase from "Grandpa Flew Phantoms ," a story written by Major Tom Tolman, "I suppose we’ll launch missiles at her someday at Tyndall….from some new magic jet. They’ll miss; too bad. Or, Big Ugly will drag them back, stuck in her sides like porcupine quills."


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