Fini Flight

The 42nd Bomber Squadron poses for a group photo Dec. 25, 1940. The 42nd Bomber Squadron is one of the many names that the 42nd has held since its original activation in 1917. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo)

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Barksdale Air Force Base State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Rebecca Luquin, USAF Release S More

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The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Barksdale Air Force Base State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC Scene Camera Operator: SRA More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Barksdale Air Force Base State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Rebecca Luquin, USAF Release S More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Barksdale Air Force Base State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: TSGT Rory Drew, USAF Release Statu More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Barksdale Air Force Base State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: SSGT Laura K. Deckman, USAF Releas More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Barksdale Air Force Base State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: SSGT Laura K. Deckman, USAF Relea More

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The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Eielson Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Joshua Strang, USAF Release Status: More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Eielson Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Joshua Strang, USAF Release Status: More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Eielson Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Joshua Strang, USAF Release Status: More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Eielson Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: SRA Joshua Strang, USAF Release Status: More

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The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Mcas, Beaufort State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: LCPL Leslie J. Gosnell, USMC Release St More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Mcas, Beaufort State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: LCPL Leslie J. Gosnell, USMC Release St More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Mcas, Beaufort State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: LCPL Leslie J. Gosnell, USMC Release St More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Mcas, Beaufort State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: LCPL Leslie J. Gosnell, USMC Release St More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Mcas, Beaufort State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: LCPL Leslie J. Gosnell, USMC Release St More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Mcas, Beaufort State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: LCPL Leslie J. Gosnell, USMC Release St More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Mcas, Beaufort State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: LCPL Leslie J. Gosnell, USMC Release St More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Charleston Air Force Base State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: TSGT Richard T. Kaminsky, USA More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Charleston Air Force Base State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: TSGT Richard T. Kaminsky, USA More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Charleston Air Force Base State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Camera Operator: TSGT Richard T. Kaminsky, USA More

The original finding aid described this photograph as: Base: Unknown Scene Camera Operator: MSGT Rob Wieland Release Status: Released to Public Combined Military Service Digital Photographic Files

Staff Sgt. Andrew Schloemer (right), 459th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, attaches a 459AS patch on Col. Otto Feather (left), 374th Airlift Wing commander, during Col. Feather's final flight at Yokota Air Base, J More

The 388 Fighter Wing Operations Group Commander, Col. Nathan Hill, closes the canopy to his F-16 Fighting Falcon for what will be his final flight as the 388 OG/CC at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, May 17.

Airmen spray U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Howell, 633rd Air Base Wing command chief, with champagne and fire extinguishers upon completion of his last flight as an Airman, June 5, 2012, at Langley Air More

Col. Erik Hansen is hosed down with water by his wife Susan, after completion of his final flight as the 437th Airlift Wing commander at Joint Base Charleston - Air Base, S.C., Oct. 2, 2012. The final or "fini More

A B-52H Stratofortress taxis down the runway prior to take-off during Lt. Col. John Dunlap, 5th Bomb Wing director of staff ‘fini’ flight at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., Dec. 17, 2012. The 'fini' flight is an Ai More

Col. James Dawkins Jr., 5th Bomb Wing commander, lands a B-52H Stratofortress during his “fini-flight” at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., Jan. 7, 2013. The “fini-flight” is the final flight taken by an aircrew memb More

U.S. Air Force Col. Vann Green taxis under a water arc after completing his final flight as the 4th Fighter Wing vice commander on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., April 4, 2013. Green will depart Seymour More

Colorado Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Trulan Eyre, 140th Wing commander, salutes his crew chief, Senior Master Sgt. Bradley Persinger, 140th Maintenance Squadron, as he departs for his final flight in an F-16 More

One of McConnell’s KC-135 Stratotankers sits on the flight line prior to a sortie May 14, 2013, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. This flight was also the final flight of the 22nd Air Refueling commander, Col. More

142nd Fighter Wing Lt. Col. Steve "BC" Beauchamp, celebrates his final flight in the Air National Guard as he stands inside his F-15 Eagle at the Portland Air National Guard Base, Portland, Ore. June 8, 2013. ( More

U.S. Air Force Col. Ronald Wilson, 110th Airlift Wing Commander and Capt. Jennifer Prichard, pilot a C-21 during a fini-flight at the Battle Creek Air National Guard Base, Battle Creek, Mich., June 15, 2013. T More

Col. Greg P. Sarakatsannis, Vice Commander 388th Fighter Wing, gets soaked from water guns after his final flight at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, June 21, 2013. Sarakatsannis is a Command Pilot with more than 2,5 More

U.S. Air Force Col. Kevin J. Robbins, 1st Fighter Wing commander, taxis in a F-22 Raptor at the end of his “fini-flight” at Langley Air Force Base, Va., July 12, 2013. Robbins took command of the 1st Fighter Wi More

U.S. Air Force Col. Kevin J. Robbins, 1st Fighter Wing Commander, prepares for his "fini flight."

Col. Michael Millen, 455th Expeditionary Operations Group commander, flew his final A-10 sortie Aug. 28, 2013. Millen's last flight, or "fini flight," at Bagram follows a tradition that pilots, upon completion More

U.S. Air Force Airmen stand at attention while Col. Jennifer Fuller, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing vice commander, taxis in after a fini flight at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, May 11, 2014. Fullmer has been the vic More

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Roger H. Watkins, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, taxis in after a fini flight at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, May 20, 2014. Watkins has commanded the 379th AEW since June 2012 an More

An F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft piloted by Col. Jeannie Leavitt, 4th Fighter Wing commander, receives fuel from a KC-135R Stratotanker during her "fini-flight," May 29, 2014, over North Carolina. During her care More

Col. Jeannie Leavitt, 4th Fighter Wing commander, conducted her final flight as wing commander, May 29, 2014, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. Her fini-flight was in an F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft assign More

Col. Lamar Pettus, 4th Fighter Wing vice commander, suits up for his fini-flight, June 13, 2014, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. A fini-flight is a military aviation tradition that marks the end of a pi More

Col. Kevin Fesler, 414th Fighter Group commander, prepares for his fini flight, July 18, 2014, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. Fesler conducted his final flight as the group commander and relinquished c More

A KC-135R Stratotanker from the 117th Air Refueling Wing gets hosed down by a fire truck from the units fire department as a common celebration for a pilots final flight also know as a Fini Flight. (U.S. Air Na More

Lt. Col. Jonathan Lamar is ceremonially congratulated on completing his final flight as a pilot aboard a KC-135R Stratotanker at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Oct. 28, 2014. Lamar’s career spans 32 ye More

A KC-135R Stratotanker from the 117th Air Refueling Wing gets hosed down by a fire truck from the units fire department as a common celebration for a pilots final flight also know as a Fini Flight. (U.S. Air Na More

Lt. Col. Brian Bergeron inspects aircraft 84-031 prior to his final F-15 Eagle flight Nov. 25, 2014, at Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. John Hughel, 142nd Fig More

An F-18 Hornet flies in formation with three F-16 Fighting Falcons during Lt. Col. Meares' last flight in an F-16, also known as a “fini” flight, before his retirement at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C More

Col. Julien Clay, pilot of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, flies his final flight past onlookers at Buckley Air Force Base, Colo., May 5, 2015. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. John P. Rohrer/Released)

U.S. Air Force Col. Joe Santos, the 386th Expeditionary Operations Group commander, taxis a C-130 Hercules down the taxiway after his final flight at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia May 6, 2015. The f More

Col. Reid Langdon, 36th Operations Group commander, looks out on the flightline minutes before arriving at his B-52 Stratofortress June 25, 2015, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The training mission marked La More

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. H. D. Polumbo Jr., Ninth Air Force commander, and Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Hall, 55th Aircraft Maintenance Unit dedicated crew chief, prepare for Polumbo’s final flight at Shaw Air Force Ba More

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Mark D. Kelly, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, lands an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft during his final flight as the 455th AEW Commander at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, June More

U.S. Air Force Col. Nathan Allerheiligen, second from the right, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing vice commander, poses with other C-130J Super Hercules aircrew members before his final flight as the vice commander More

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Kevin Huyck, 1st Fighter Wing commander, left, and Col. Jonathan Letsinger, 1st FW vice commander, walk onto the flight line at Langley Air Force Base, Va., July 7, 2015. The two took More

A KC-135 Stratotanker taxis through a “bird bath” during a fini flight at MacDill Air Force Base Fla., July 21, 2015. Col. Brian Smith, 6th Operations Group commander, took his final flight to conclude his assi More

Col. James Dermer, 22nd Air Refueling Wing vice commander, shares a laugh with his co-pilot, July 23, 2015. Dermer flew his final military sortie before retirement, piloting a KC-135 Stratotanker as it escorted More

Family, friends and fellow Airmen gathered to commemorate the final flight of Col. David Mott, 60th Operations Group commander, and Lt. Col. Jacqueline Breeden, 60th OG deputy commander, at Travis AFB, July 28 More

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Lloyd Massey taxis down the runway after landing his final flight in the Delaware Army National Guard C-12 on August 12, 2016. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Andy Horgan/Released)

Capt. Sam, 427th Reconnaissance Squadron MC-12W Liberty pilot, inspects the aircraft before takeoff Sept. 16, 2015, at Beale Air Force Base, California. Sam and other Beale Airmen conducted the aircraft’s final More

Airmen, families and friends watch Brig. Gen. Scott L. Kelly, 175th Wing commander, Maryland Air National Guard, during his final flight in an A-10C aircraft at Warfield Air National Guard, Baltimore, Oct. 17, More

(From Left) Lt. Col. Doug Baker, commander, 104th Fighter Squadron, Col. Paul Johnson, commander, 175th Operations Group, Brig. Gen. Scott Kelly, commander, 175th Wing, and Col. Ed Jones, commander, 175th Maint More

U.S. Air Force Maj. Sharon Gilliland celebrates her final flight, also called a 'fini flight' aboard a KC-135R Stratotanker at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., on Nov. 5, 2015. Gilliland, a pilot for 12 More

U.S. Air Force Col. John York, 144th Operations Group commander, takes off in an F-15C Eagle during his fini flight with the 144th Fighter Wing at the Fresno Air National Guard Base Jan. 8, 2016. (Air National More

Col. Clay Garrison, 144th Fighter Wing commander, prepares for his fini flight in an F-15C Eagle at the Fresno Air National Guard Base, Calif., Jan. 15, 2016. With more than 3,900 flying hours in the T-37, T-38 More

U.S. Air Force Col. Robert Oates, commander of the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center, poses for a photo with his crew prior to his fini flight at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, St. Joseph, Mo., March More

Brig. Gen. Braden K. Sakai, Commander, 154th Wing, takes off for the final time in an F-22 Raptor during his fini-flight as family and friends look on at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, May 25, 2016. The fini-f More

Lt. Col. Nate Hesse (left), 4th Operations Group deputy commander, and Col. Brian Afflerbaugh, 4th OG commander, review pre-flight information June 8, 2016, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. Af More

Col. Douglas DeLaMater, 374th Airlift Wing commander, pilots his final military aircraft flight on a C-130 Hercules over Yokota Air Base, Japan, June 14, 2016. ‘Fini’ flights are an Air Force tradition, with or More

Col. Mark Slocum, 4th Fighter Wing commander, prepares to take his final flight in an F-15E Strike Eagle, June 16, 2016, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. Following his change of command on Jun More

U.S. Air Force Col. Joel Jackson, Commander, 60th Air mobility Wing, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., arrives from is fini flight which he took on a KC-10 Extender from the 6th Air Refueling Squadron. Col Jackson More

Lt. Col. Eric Schmidt, 334th Fighter Squadron director of operations, suits up prior to his final flight in an F-15E Strike Eagle June 17, 2016, at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. Schmidt, a Str More

U.S. Air Force Col. Charles Corcoran, gathers notes for his final flight as 3rd Wing commander, June 19, 2016 on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Corcoran will move on to command the 380th Air Expeditionary Win More

Senior Airman Gage Cuyler, 525th Aircraft Maintenance Unit dedicated crew chief, takes a slight pause while preparing a 525th Fighter Squadron F-22 Raptor for Col. Charles Corcoran's final flight June 21, 2016, More

U.S. Air Force Capt. Erik Gonsalves, 75th Fighter Squadron A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot, greets a maintainer who stopped to say hello prior to his final flight at the 75th FS, June 27, 2016, at Moody Air Force Ba More

U.S. Air Force Col. David Piffarerio, gathers notes for his final flight as 477th Fighter Group commander, July 8, 2016 on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman James More

A C-130 Hercules carrying Col. Barton Welker, the commander of the 182nd Maintenance Group, Illinois Air National Guard, conducts a flyover during his “fini flight” 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria, Ill., July 25, More

Lt. Col. Jay D. Miller, the 512th Airlift Control Flight commander, taxis on the runway July 27, 2016, Dover Air Force Base, Del. Miller took his final flight with the military after flying C-5 and C-17 aircraf More

A U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle assigned to the 67th Fighter Squadron returns from a flight July 29, 2016, at Kadena Air Base, Japan. This particular Eagle reached the 10,000 flight hours mark, making it the first More

Air Force Lt. Gen. Russell Handy gets a ceremonial water salute in an F-22A Raptor following his final flight as Alaskan Command, Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Region and 11th Air Force commander, at More

Lt. Col Andrew Schoen, a pilot with the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center, Saint Joseph, Mo., takes his Fini Flight in a C-130H Aircraft on Wednesday September 7, 2016. A Fini Flight is an aviator’s trad More

Airmen of the 121st Air Refueling Wing gather on the flightline as U.S. Air Force Col. Douglas K. Pennington, 121st Operations Group commander, lands his final flight Sept. 9, 2016, at Rickenbacker Air Nationa More

U. S. Air Force Col. David Brynteson, 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group commander, prepares for his fini flight Jan. 27, 2016, in Southwest Asia. Brynteson has been commanding here for four months leading co More

A KC-135 Stratotanker comes in for a landing Feb. 10, 2017, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. The KC-135 has provided the core aerial refueling capabilities for the U.S. Air Force for more than 60 years. (U.S. More

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Richard Wince lands a Delaware National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk for the final time on Wednesday, February 15, 2017. Wince takes over as the State Command Chief Warrant Officer in the comi More

Maj. Gen. Eugene Haase, vice commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, flies his final flight as an active duty member in an 8th Special Operations Squadron CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft at Hurlburt More

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. D. Todd Kelly (right) plans out details for his final flight with members of the aircrew prior to takeoff at the North Carolina Air National Guard Base, Charlotte Douglas International More

A C-130 Hercules takes off during Col. Neil Richardson’s, 374th Airlift Wing vice commander, “fini” flight at Yokota Air Base, Japan, April 13, 2017. Due to his unique career, this was Richardson’s first and la More

U.S. Air Force Col. David Abba, 3d Operations Group commander, shuts down his aircraft while his family waits patiently during his fini-flight May 11, 2017. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. James Richardson)

Fire engines from the 96th Civil Engineer Group, flank Brig. Gen. Christopher Azzano’s F-15 Eagle while they hose down the aircraft during his fini-flight at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. May 15. The fini-flight i More

Brig. Gen. Jim Sears conducted his fini flight out of Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, May 22, 2017. Sears, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, is a command pilot with more than 3,200 flying hours, including c More

U.S. Air Force Col. Robert D. Davis, 325th Operations Group commander, is greeted and soaked in water and champagne by his family moments after his “fini flight” at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., May 24, 2017. A More

A MC-130J Commando II is sprayed by firetrucks, known as a “water salute,” as it taxis on the flightline during the ‘fini flight’ of its pilot, Col. Benjamin Maitre, former 27th Special Operations Wing commande More