Final F-15 departs Langley, 71st FS prepares to inactivate Published Sept. 3, 2010 By Senior Airman Jarrod R. Chavana 633rd Air Base Wing Public Affairs LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. -- The last two operational F-15 Eagles left here Sept. 1 for Portland, Ore. The 71st Fighter Squadron is scheduled to be inactivated Sept. 30. The 71st FS, also referred to as the Ironmen, generated more than 4,000 sorties and logged more than 5,400 flight hours annually. "When the last wheels of the venerable (F-15) Eagle leave the tarmac, it takes with it 34 years of airpower and an overwhelming record of 104 enemy fighters destroyed to zero F-15s lost," said Col. Matthew Molloy, the 1st Fighter Wing commander . "Without a doubt, the F-15s of Langley Air Force Base have left little question as to which aircraft is the combat proven, preeminent air superiority fighter." The F-15s are being sent to active-duty bases within the U.S., overseas and National Guard bases. Like the aircraft, the majority of the pilots and maintenance personnel are being allocated to various bases. "It's pretty somber for all the personnel in the 71st," said Maj. Greg Voelkel, the 71st FS director of operations. "The 71st has a great history. Everyone is pretty proud to serve and be part of the squadron." Reassignment teams have come to Langley to place Airmen in locations where their expertise could best be utilized. "We have a few guys that will stay here and work on the Raptors at Langley, but 90 percent have been reassigned to stateside bases," said Chief Master Sgt. Carlos Taylor, the 71st Aircraft Maintenance Unit superintendent. Not only are the maintenance Airmen being reassigned, but the majority of the pilots have been given new assignments, Major Voelkel said. "With the departure of the F-15s, the air superiority torch will be passed to the next generation of Air Force aircraft - the mighty F-22 Raptor," Colonel Molloy said. "It is understood that the F-22 is still unproven in actual combat, but all indicators from our local training sorties to the Air Expeditionary Force deployments point to phenomenal potential. "The 1st Fighter Wing stands ready to employ this aircraft in the same 'first and finest' standard as the F-15 Eagle," he said.