By admin 
TUCSON, AZ (AZFamily) — Two A-10 Warthogs made a final pass over Davis-Monthan Air Force Base on Wednesday before touching down, marking the end of the aircraft’s more than 40-year presence at the installation.
Read more Phoenix-area dad wrongly flagged as sex offender while enrolling daughter
The subsonic attack aircraft is being phased out by the Air Force. The fighters stationed in Tucson are headed to Georgia.
A half-century at Davis-Monthan
The A-10 first arrived at Davis-Monthan in 1976. For the next 50 years, it served as the primary platform for operations, maintenance training, and contingency operations dating back to the Gulf War.
“In 1976 the A-10 arrived at Davis Monthan, and so over the last 50 years it’s been the primary platform that trained at Davis Monthan for operations, maintenance, and also for all contingency operations going back to Gulf of 1,” a historian said.
Known for protecting troops on the ground and built to withstand combat conditions, the aircraft could fly less than 100 feet above the ground.
“It can fly less than 100 feet to the ground. With the pilots sitting in there with their night vision goggles they can literally see targets within feet on the ground,” one attendee said.
Final return draws a crowd
Pilots stepped onto the tarmac Wednesday to hugs, handshakes, and cheers from family members, friends, and fellow airmen.
“We feel very thankful. There’s the whole crowd of Tucson coming out today, and in the training squad there are so many lessons learned that are passed on to new pilots,” one pilot said.
Read more Longtime Tempe politician Harry Mitchell dies
Veterans were among those who gathered to mark the occasion. One veteran said he worked on A-10 communications in Vietnam.
“I worked on them a little bit, just the communication part over in Vietnam, and that’s why I’m here,” the veteran said.
Legacy in southern Arizona
For residents of southern Arizona, the aircraft’s distinctive sound became a fixture of daily life. A historian noted the aircraft’s impact extended well beyond the base.
“A lot of soldiers are home because of the A-10,” the historian said.
One attendee recalled watching the jets fly at low altitude. “I remember seeing some of them, wheels up three feet off the ground, just seeing the munitions go,” the attendee said.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Read more US military launches strikes on Iranian targets a day after it foiled missile attack on US forces