The crew of Spectre 17 was reunited with their aircraft to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its combat damage by a 57mm round during Operation Commando Hunt in Vietnam.
Aircrew from the AC-130A Gunship, call sign “Spectre 17,” assigned to the 16th Special Operations Squadron, pose for a photo next to the retired aircraft inside the Hurlburt Field Memorial Air Park March 3, 2022, at Hurlburt Field, Florida. On March 4, 1972, Spectre 17 was hit by a 57 mm round as the crew supported Operation Commando Hunt, a campaign of the Vietnam War. To commemorate the 50-year anniversary of the event, the crew reunited to revisit the aircraft and share stories from the famed flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jonathan Valdes Montijo)
VMA-214 of the U.S. Marine Corps has been re-designated as VMFA-214 on Mar. 25 as the squadron prepares to transition from the AV-8B to the F-35B.
An AV-8B Harrier and an F-35B Lightning II are staged during the change of command and redesignation ceremony for Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 214 aboard Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, March, 25, 2022. As part of the transition from the AV-8B Harrier to the F-35B Lightning II, Marine Attack Squadron 214 was re-designated as VMFA-214. The F-35B Lightning II is replacing the AV-8B Harrier to introduce unmatched capabilities to the Marine Corps. The F-35B Lightning II represents a leap forward in air dominance by providing the operational agility and tactical supremacy Marines need to provide expeditious and lethal support.(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Samuel Ruiz)
