Mighty Gorillas meet, say good-bye to Eagle

  • Published
  • By Chrissy Cuttita
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  During a week-long 58th Fighter Squadron reunion June 14-20, past and present pilots recounted stories of the good 'ol days and shared the disheartening but mission essential fact that 30 years of F-15 Eagle driving will become history this year. 

"This reunion is important to the 58th FS because we close our door to the operational world and become a training squadron," said Capt. Brent Curtis, pilot and reunion event coordinator. "We have some of the greatest heritage of any fighter squadron post World War II, and arguably the greatest successes as an air to air squadron in the Gulf War."

There to reminisce on the successful aerial victories were some of the squadron's infamous "MiG killers." One pilot in particular, retired Col. Cesar Rodriquez, a 26 year veteran, is well known for three air-to-air kills (two over Iraq in 1991 and one over Kosovo) were the most of any American fighter pilot on active duty.

"There's a unique relationship with young fighter pilots to be the best and to live up to tradition," the retired colonel said. "We knew the squadron history and knew of those who gave blood to make (squadron) colors stand high and proud."

Activated as the 58th Pursuit Squadron as part of the 33rd Pursuit Group stationed at Mitchel Field, N.Y., the squadron was charged with the ongoing mission of aerial defense of the United States. When the United States entered World War II, the 58th took an active role in the war effort by participating in several operations during a three year overseas tour. During combat operations in the Mediterranean from November 1942 to February 1944, the squadron earned the nickname "Gorillas" for the guerrilla warfare-like techniques it utilized.

That name is still on their patch today and on the 58th Aircraft Maintenance unit banner "When Gorillas fly, MiGs die." The first aerial shot at a MiG happened in the 1970s when the squadron was part of the then named 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Eglin. At that time three operational flying squadrons were a part of the wing and they flew and maintained F-4 Phantoms until transitioning to the F-15 by 1979.

"It was a special time. I'm really proud all our weapons officers ended up as MiG killers, as it should be, and three of four flight commanders ended up as MiG killers, as it should be," said retired Col. Rich Hardy, 33rd FW vice wing commander 1988-1991 and Gorilla F-4 pilot 1979-1981. "We did it all with one squadron and never took a scratch."

Even though he witnessed the first transition from Phantom to Eagle, the colonel said "the F-15 was the biggest and baddest of them all and to see it go doesn't seem possible."

Green stars circled around the squadron patch on their building and MiG killing aircraft mark the aerial victories achieved by the squadron.

"We had 16 kills in Desert Storm, the most of any fighter squadron in the Air Force. Gorillas lead the way in air superiority," said Lt. Col. Mark O'Laughlin, 58th FS commander.

Retired Colonel Rodriquez remembers the 58th FS as 38 type-A bulls in a pen.

"The alpha male had to be the mission," he said was the thing that bonded the competitive pilots into the family they became and the camaraderie they shared. "The focus 'don't be here for yourself but for the mission' is what I learned here."

Gorilla family, retired, active, spouse and children, were welcomed to an open house June 18 where they reunited and toured the facilities that will soon transition into a new Joint Strike Fighter training facility at the 33rd Fighter Wing. Past and present wing personnel, known as Nomads, had the same opportunity recently at a May wing reunion.

While the gathering last month was unique with the last F-15 West Coast Demo Team flight, the 58th FS was unique with its retirement ceremony for a well known Nomad warrior, Col. Scott Maw, who served at the wing first as a young lieutenant 1989-1992 and returned in 2006 to command the 33rd Operations Group. In 2008 he began a year-long tour in Iraq as a U.S. director of strategic communication, making him a key spokesperson for the military for worldwide media outlets.

Appropriately said at the ceremony was that the first assignment in the pilot community will always have significant impact on their career. Even retired Colonel Rodriquez echoed this - although his career started with A-10s, he remembers his first F-15 assignment at the 58th FS being especially memorable in becoming an Air Force leader and now civilian contractor.

"I feel like my fingerprint is on the past and present," he said. "The F-35 will have its place in tomorrow's battle space."

To the fighter pilots who shared "there I was" stories of day to day sorties and combat missions, real and exercised, over the years, the reunion signified an end to the combat readiness of the 58th Fighter Squadron. There are only 10 aircraft left at the wing and the only flying opportunities left will mainly consist of moving them to other bases before October. Additionally they'll keep up approximately eight daily sorties a day while they can to prepare pilots headed to the Air Force fighter weapons school at Nellis AFB, Nev.

"This reunion is a great time to celebrate, though it's sad to go," said Colonel O'Laughlin who will be the deputy of the 46th Operations Group here in his next assignment.

None of the people involved with this farewell will remain as personnel at the new Air Force F-35 training center this fall but they may be invited back for a future reunion as the wing and squadron names are planned to remain the same, continuing the Nomad legacy into the future.