On 10 April 1977, the US Air Force announced the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill AFB, Utah, would be the first operational unit to receive the new F-16 Fighting Falcon. Nearly twenty-five years to the day on 23 April 2012, members of the active duty 388th FW and Air Force Reserve Command 419th FW worked together to install a former 388th FW flagship at the Airmen Memorial Park on base. Decommissioning of the aircraft consisted of removing components, including the ejection seat and landing gear; permanently installing a tailpipe assembly, as there is now no engine; sealing and painting; and finally, installing the F-16 on a pylon previously used for an F-4.
