Hurlburt hosts Talon I dedication ceremony

Published May 9, 2011
By Staff Sgt. Sarah Martinez
1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Hundreds of Hurlburt Field Airmen and guests gathered at the base airpark for a dedication ceremony that honored and reflected on the accomplishments of a 47-year-old MC-130E Combat Talon I (64-0567), May 6.

"Her time for action has come and gone," said Col. Daniel Zook, 1st Special Operations Wing vice commander, in regards to the aircraft, which was retired from the Air Force May 7, 2010. "May she always bear witness to those who have the guts to try."

Every aircraft in the military has a story to tell and the MC-130E Combat Talon I (64-0567) is no different.

The Air Force developed the MC-130E Combat Talon I (64-0567) in 1964, and throughout the years it made history over and over again.

For starters, in 1965, the aircraft became one of the first models modified with the Fulton Surface-to-Air-Recovery-System, which is used for retrieving persons on the ground.

But modifications weren't the only things this aircraft was known for; it also played a key role in a number of historical missions. For example, on Nov. 26, 1979, the crew of tail number 64-0567 conducted the first fixed-wing air land flight while using night-vision goggles. And during Operation Just Cause in 1989, the aircraft carried the notorious drug lord, Manuel Antonio Noriega, to Miami to be put on trial for his crimes.

After many years of service and 21,336.5 flight hours, the aircraft took its final flight from Boise, Idaho to its final resting place at Hurlburt Field, where it displays the same paint scheme it had during its 1980 Eagle Claw mission.

"I loved flying this aircraft," Colonel Zook said. "I will forever enjoy seeing her here."

Bringing her here was no small task on its own. Between the crew that flew her last flight, the engineers who planned her move from the flightline to the airpark, and the contractors that coordinated with the historians to give her a fresh coat of paint, dozens worked together to make the dedication possible.

"My guys understand the importance of the preservation of this aircraft so that it can be viewed by past, present and future generations of Airmen," said Master Sgt. Bradly Masters, 1st Special Operations Electronic Maintenance Squadron flight chief.

The ceremony ended with an unveiling of two plaques with the history of the MC-130E Combat Talon I (64-0567), or as some knew her, "Wild Thing."