01062881 SECRET 2445792 04-01-1984 2445974 09-30-1984

WING/0343/TACTICAL FIGHTER

HISTORY K-WG-343-HI V.1 VOL I OF IV 38888 662 56 2448968 12-11-1992 ON 8 JUN 343 COMPOSITE WING REDESIGNATED 343 TACTICAL FIGHTER WING. COL JAMES G. ANDRUS ASSUMED COMMAND OF WING ON 27 JUN. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS TO EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE AK, INCLUDED GEN JOHN W. VESSEY, JR., CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF; DR RICHARD H. KOHN, CHIEF, OFFICE OF AIR FORCE HISTORY; CMSGT OF THE AIR FORCE SAM E. PARISH; AND WILLIAM J. SHEFFIELD, GOVERNOR, STATE OF ALASKA. WING PROVIDED PROTOCOL, AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE, AND SECURITY POLICE AUGMENTATION SERVICES FOR 2 MAY CEREMONY AT FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AK, IN CONJUNCTION WITH MEETING BETWEEN PRESIDENT RONALD W. REAGAN AND POPE JOHN PAUL II. A SPACE SHUTTLE SUPPORT TEAM FROM NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) TOURED BASE ON 25 APR TO EVALUATE FACILITY AS POTENTIAL EMERGENCY ALTERNATE RUNWAY SITE FOR FUTURE FLIGHTS PLANNED FROM VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE CA. BASE SELECTED ON 12 JUN (BY SPACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM CONTINGENCY SUPPORT OPERATIONS, PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE FL) AS EMERGENCY LANDING SITE FOR ALL NASA SPACE TRANSPORTATION (STS) VEHICLES LAUNCHED FROM WEST COAST. IN ADDITION TO TRAINING EXERCISES IN ALASKA (PRIMARILY OVER YUKON RANGE), WING A-10A AIRCRAFT PARTICIPATED IN MAJOR DEPLOYMENT EXERCISE (OPPORTUNE JOURNEY) TO NAVAL AIR STATION (NAS), BARBERS POINT, HI, WHICH REPRESENTED FIRST WING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT OF A-10A. NON/STOP FLIGHT REQUIRED AERIAL REFUELING AT THREE POINTS EN ROUTE (PROVIDED BY KC-135 AND KC-10 TANKER AIRCRAFT FROM STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND). SUPPORT PERSONNEL ADN EQUIPMENT FOR OPERATIONS FLOWN TO HAWAII BY MILITARY AIRLIFT COMMAND C-141B AIRCRAFT. DURING DEPLOYMENT, PILOTS FLEW CLOSE AIR SUPPORT SORTIES OVER HILO, HI, RANGE. NOFORN ORCON/OTHER PRIVILEGED WING/0343/COMPOSITE REVIEW OF ALASKAN AIR COMMAND REGULATION 23-8, MISSION OF 343 TACTICAL FIGHTER WING, 22 JUN 84 END OF YEAR SUMMARY REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL REVIEWS, 19 SEP 84 CONTAINS NARRATIVE, PHOTOGRAPHS, APPEDICES, AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS 1 THROUGH 30.