Title: Page born: April 01 2002

Deployments and Combat

Korea 1984
Early, 1984
Operation: Team Spirit
Deployment: Korea
Action: Excersize

In early 1984 the P-unit A-7D's deployed to Kunsan Air Base, Soth Korea to participate in Team Spirit 1984. The word was purposely leaked that the 4450th TG A-7D's were carrying supersecret atomic antiradar devices that would render the airplane invisible. To maintain the deception, each A-7D was outfitted with old napalm canisters painted black with a flashing red danger light in the rear. The canisters carried a radiation warning tag over an ominous-looking slot on which was printed: "Reactor Cooling Fill Port." When the 4450th TG deployed carrying these bogus devices, Air Police closed down the base and ringed the field with machine gun-toting jeeps. They forced all the runway personal to turn their backs to the A-7's as they taxied past, and actually had them spread-eagled on the deck with their eyes closed until the 4450th TG A7's took off. Col. Al Whitley later recalled "Real crazy stuff. But the deception actually worked."

As is customary when attending an excersize overseas, the 4450th TG brought with them a quantity of specially made patches to trade with their hosts and to use as gifts. This patch was a 100% embrodered version on the 3 inch silk screen blood patch usually worn on fatigues.

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