News>Preserving history to honor a fallen Airman and the Flying Tigers heritage
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Members of the 8th Special Operations Squadron stand for a group photo in front of an MC-130E Combat Talon I prior to setting out for Operation Eagle Claw on April 24, 1980. U.S. Air Force Maj. Lyn McIntosh (fourth from right), from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., was one of eight people lost on that mission. (Courtesy photo)
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Thomas Breining, 23d Equipment Maintenance Squadron, briefs Airmen on the task of relocating the F-86L Sabre that resided as a landmark for several years in Valdosta, Ga., April 24, 2012. The aircraft was moved late in the evening and early morning hours to mitigate any traffic issues that might occur in the daytime. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Eileen Meier/Released)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Christopher Dewitt, 23d Equipment Maintenance Squadron, uses a saw to remove the mounting bolts from the support of an F-86L Sabre in downtown Valdosta, Ga., April 24, 2012. The aircraft will be refurbished and put on display at the George W. Bush Air Park at Moody Field as an addition to the Flying Tigers heritage. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Eileen Meier/Released)
Airmen from Moody Air Force Base, guide crane straps that assisted in the lifting of an F-86L Sabre onto a flatbed trailer from its memorial mount located on the corner of Ashley Street and Woodrow Wilson Drive in Valdosta, Ga., April 24, 2012. The aircraft has long been a landmark in the town, but is now relocated to Moody where it will be refurbished and placed at the George W. Bush Air Park at Moody Field to commemorate the Flying Tigers heritage. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Eileen Meier/Released)
An F-86L Sabre rests on a flatbed trailer padded with mattresses in Valdosta, Ga. on April 24, 2012. Airmen from Moody Air Force Base coordinated with city officials and family of the late Maj. Lyn McIntosh, a Valdosta native killed during a rescue attempt in Iran in 1980. After refurbishment, the aircraft will be displayed in the George W. Bush Air Park at Moody Field. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Eileen Meier/Released)
An F-86L Sabre arrives at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., after being transported from downtown Valdosta, Ga., April 25, 2012. Several city and base agencies assisted in the relocation, to include: Moody civil engineer squadron, security forces squadron, crash recovery, Lowndes County and Valdosta Sheriff’s Department, and Valdosta utility departments. Varying equipment was used to safely and securely transport the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Eileen Meier/Released)
The paint on an F-86L Sabre is sanded off for primer to be applied during the refurbishment of the historic aircraft at the 23d Equipment Maintenance Squadron, fabrication flight hangar at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., June 6, 2012. With the help of several city and base agencies, the plane was relocated from downtown Valdosta to be restored and re-commemorated to the late U.S. Air Force Maj. Lyn McIntosh and the Flying Tigers heritage. McIntosh was born in Valdosta on October 11, 1946, and enlisted in the Air Force in 1969. He died April 25, 1980, during Operation Eagle Claw on a mission to rescue 52 Americans held captive in Iran. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Eileen Meier/Released)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jordan Keller, 23d Equipment Maintenance Squadron, uses a sander to remove paint from an F-86L Sabre being restored and displayed at the President George W. Bush Air Park at Moody Field at the fabrication flight hangar at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. June 6, 2012. The historic aircraft was relocated from downtown Valdosta April 25 and has taken 550 man hours and $6,000 in material costs to refurbish. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Eileen Meier/Released)
A newly refurbished F-86L Sabre is towed to its final destination at the President George W. Bush Air Park at Moody Field in the early morning of June 12, 2012, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The historic aircraft originally sat in downtown Valdosta but is now back in the hands of the U.S. Air Force to be displayed with other aircraft that have flown at Moody. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Eileen Meier/Released)
Moody Airmen work quickly to position a newly refurbished F-86L Sabre onto its display at the President George W. Bush Air Park at Moody Field in the early morning of June 12, 2012, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The historic aircraft arrived on a flat-bed truck April 25 from downtown Valdosta where it was known as a famous landmark that commemorated the late U.S. Air Force Maj. Lyn McIntosh and the heritage of the Flying Tigers. A re-dedication ceremony will be held with the McIntosh family present, forever placing the aircraft with other pieces of history at the air park. McIntosh, a Valdosta native, was one of five Airmen who died April 25, 1980, during Operation Eagle Claw, a mission ordered by President Jimmy Carter to rescue 52 Americans held captive in Iran. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Eileen Meier/Released)
Moody Airmen work together to lift an F-86L Sabre to be mounted to the ground with rubber inflation mattresses at the President George W. Bush Air Park at Moody Field June 12, 2012, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The historic aircraft was brought to the base April 25 by several community and base agencies that helped make the relocation a success. The F-86 has undergone extensive restoration and now resides at the air park. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Eileen Meier/Released)
Members of the 23d Equipment Maintenance Squadron and the 23d Civil Engineer Squadron work together to lift an F-86L Sabre to be mounted at the President George W. Bush Air Park at Moody Field June 12, 2012, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The F-86 was moved from downtown Valdosta, Ga., where it was known as a historic landmark, refurbished by Moody Airmen and displayed with other historic aircraft that have flown at Moody. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Eileen Meier/Released)
Moody Airmen work together to push an F-86L Sabre into position at the President George W. Bush Air Park at Moody Field June 12, 2012, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. The F-86 was brought to the base April 25 and has since undergone extensive restoration to preserve a piece of U.S. Air Force history. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Eileen Meier/Released)
by Senior Airman Eileen Meier
23d Wing Public Affairs
6/27/2012 - MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga -- When 53 Americans were taken hostage in 1980 by militant Iranian's at the U.S. Embassy in Teheran, Iran, the government acted quickly to prepare for a rescue mission.
Operation Eagle Claw consisted of highly-skilled personnel to free the Americans. Among that team was U.S. Air Force Maj. Lyn McIntosh of the 8th Special Operations Squadron, whose home station was Moody Air Force Base, Ga.
After the mission was reluctantly aborted, refueling preparations were made to evacuate and return to safe grounds. As an RH-53 helicopter was repositioning, its rotary blade struck the fuselage the C-130 McIntosh was in, setting both aircraft ablaze. Tragically, eight military members including McIntosh lost their lives that night.
On a busy Valdosta, Ga., intersection, an F-86L Sabre sat on display for decades. It was placed there in the 1950s and deemed a well-known landmark for years. Shortly after McIntosh's death, a dedication ceremony was held, and the historic aircraft was made into a memorial for the Moody Airman who died April 25, 1980.
Thirty-two years later, several city and base agencies assisted in relocating the small, deteriorating plane back to Moody, where it was refurbished and placed on display in the President George W. Bush Air Park at Moody Field.
"Transporting the plane from downtown to base, the restoration, and getting it to the air park were the most difficult challenges," said Tech. Sgt. Chad Everett, 23d Equipment Maintenance Squadron crash recovery assistant section chief. "It is extremely satisfying to finally finish this project ."
Tech. Sgt. Thomas Breining, also from the 23d EMS, was the team chief and led the project throughout its journey. "It is extremely rewarding seeing the entire process from start to finish," said Breining, "We didn't encounter any serious problem. Overall it was a success and team work paid off."
After the restoration the historic F-86 was placed along side other aircraft that have flown at Moody in the past. The relic now sits on display, even more recognizable to those who knew it long ago thanks to the 23d EMS fabrication flight.
A dedication ceremony will be held in the future to commemorate not only a fellow fallen Airman, but the Flying Tigers heritage as well .
