This Day in McDonnell Voodoo History: July 1

In 1957, less than two months after entering service with Strategic Air Command, the 27^th Strategic Fighter Squadron was formally transferred to Tactical Air Command to become the 27^th Fighter-Bomber Wing, still based at Bergstrom AFB, TX.  During their brief stay with TAC, the VooDoos of the 27^th FBW would be sent to a number of critical “flashpoints” in response to potential Communist aggression during the waning years of the Eisenhower era.  

On the same date in 1967, Capt. Charles Winston III was downed by an SA-2 missile, despite carrying the AN/ALQ-51 jammer, which after several months was losing its effectiveness.  Capt. Winston was listed as MIA.  

In 1982, CF-101Bs of the Canadian Armed Forces begin Operation Cold Shaft with aircraft of 425 “Alouettes” Squadron deployed on 1-hour alert to deploy to forward bases to stand alert and perform combat air patrol missions to intercept Soviet Tu-95 long-range reconnaissance and targeting aircraft and escort them away from North American airspace.  With such intercepts taking place far from prying eyes and often at night, the encounters always had the potential to become very dangerous.