Fifty years of heritage (edition 3) Published Feb. 4, 2011 By Eric M. White 910 AW/PA YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- Each Thursday in 2011, the 910th AW/PA office will republish a historic article or highlight from the archive along with a brief commentary. In the case of articles, we will publish exact copies of the originals, so any grammatical or typographical errors are intentional reproductions. Each week will feature a different year in Youngstown Air Reserve Station (YARS) history, beginning with 1957 and ending with 2007. Article Three: First fighters bid farewell Youngstown residents are familiar with the powerful hum of the C-130H's four Allison* T56-A-15 turboprop engines pumping out 4,591 horsepower of cargo-hauling force. Several decades ago, the sound of freedom echoing above the Mahoning Valley came from the Pratt and Whitney* J57-P-25 afterburning turbojet. The power plant of the F-102 Delta Dagger propelled the fighter jet with 17,200 pounds of force at a top speed of 825mph. The 79th Fighter Group was assigned to the Air Defense Command 30th Air Division at Youngstown Air Force Base, Ohio, flying the F-102 Delta Dagger. The week's article, republished from the November 1959 edition of Buckstone Carrier, is a letter from Col. Sweat announcing the deactivation of the 79th Fighter Group. Sweat begins by noting the excellent public support for the development of the base into permanency. Fifty years later, the Youngstown Air Reserve Station enjoys the same public support. The mission of the 79th Fighter Group was twofold. Primarily, the group existed to provide combat-ready interceptor aircraft and crews to contribute to North American air defense. The group also existed to provide tactical and logistical aid to other military establishments in the area, whenever possible. A few notes on our 1959 archive The June 1959 Buckstone Carrier introduces another redesigned cover, this time with significant changes. The hand-sketched C-119 Flying Boxcar, once prominently displayed as the cover centerpiece, has been replaced with a hand-drawn copy of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) crest. Frontal views of three C-119 Flying Boxcars fly in formation in the cover's upper right hand. Other cover elements remain similar to previous years. Humor sections still fill many issues, though no longer with the catchy "LAFFS" or "CHUCKLES" taglines. Under the title "CAN YOU TOP THIS?," the November issue has an entire page devoted to jokes and military cartoons. The jokes have veered from religious themes and less frequently make slights toward women, but several cartoons show witty captions beneath line-drawings of male Airmen ogling at women in cocktail gowns. Several 1959 newsletters have births sections listing the names of Airmen who recently had a child. Calendar girl sections are still common. Promotion lists feature several troops at Airman Third Class or Airman Second class rank, neither of which still exist. A few subsequent issues describe the 757th Troop Carrier Squadron's preparations for and competition in the Troop Carrier Rodeo at Pope Air Force Base. 79th FIGHTER GROUP TO BE DEACTIVATED On 29 Oct 59, Col. Sweat released a statement on the status of the 79th Fighter Group: Gentlemen: It is with deep personal regret that I have announced the decision of the Air Force to deactivate the 79th Fighter Group in March, 1960. We remember very well that soon after Youngstown Air Force Base was activated, considerable interest and active community support for development of the base as a permanent installation was expressed. In order to realize this objective it was determined that certain conditions would have to be met, namely: (1) procurement of additional land, (2) the improvement of the drainage system, (3) the development of adequate housing, (4) and the relocation of art of Kind Graves Road. The municipal and civic organizations and leaders gave their full support to the Air Force in meeting these requirements. These things were done and a high level of combat-readiness has been maintained at Youngstown Air Force Base. The Base has served as a part of a strong deterrent force of the Air Defense Command. A great deal of money has been spent here; in return for this, the United States and this specific area has been spared from all-out war. Rapid changes in military technology have today brought about a shifting emphasis from manned aircraft to missiles and started a sequence of revisions in offensive and defensive planning, which has led to a reevaluation of the entire Air Force Base structure. The Atlas ICBM has completed its development process and is now coming into the operational deployment stage. Other offensive and defensive missiles are either operational or will soon be operational. Missile systems are very costly, yet are obviously essential to the development of an adequate United States Defensive picture. In order to hold our future National Defense spending to approximately the same level as was expended in fiscal year 1960, even in the face of the rising cost of each weapon system, and at the same time to insure that we maintain an adequate Air Force, we recently have taken a critical look at all Air Force programs in an effort to eliminate items which no longer appear to be absolutely essential, even though they might be desirable. As a result of this critical review, the Air Force recently canceled work on the F-108, a mach 3 interceptor aircraft we would very much like to have. The Air Force canceled the development of high energy BORON fuel, the benefits of which did not appear to justify the cost. The B-58-B, advanced version of the B-58 high performance bomber, has been canceled and numerous other projects have either been reduced in scope or eliminated. These actions will render some of our units and bases surplus to Air Force requirements. The 79th Fighter Group is one of the units to be deactivated. Your support of the 79th Fighter Group and its commanders has been deeply appreciated and I speak for all the personnel, present and past, in any way connected with the 79th Fighter Group in thanking all of you for your interest and efforts which helped to make the 79th Fighter Group a key factor in the Air Defense System during the period that it was needed. Effective in April, 1960, CONTINENTAL AIR COMMAND will assume control of Youngstown Air Force Base. The 757th Troop Carrier Squadron, commanded by Lt Colonel Randall W. Hendricks, will continue operating at Youngstown along with such supporting units as necessary.