dqj]e]eZ]jk9%/Æ `l]j 185th..."Every time you drive by it, you have a smile on your face," Christensen said. "It's like your first car. Whenever you see it, you remember how it was

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Former 185th commander fondly remembers A-7 fighter

Nick HytrekJun 24, 2020

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Iowa Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Larry Christensen stands with an A-7 Corsair II on static display at the 185thAir Refueling Wing in Sioux City. Christensen, a former 185th commander, began his career at the base flyingthe A-7 and is the last active member of the Iowa Air National Guard to have flown the plane.

Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

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SIOUX CITY -- We all remember our first car, no matter how shiny and new or rusty

and old it was. Regardless of its condition, the memories created with it remain a

part of us.

Brig. Gen. Larry Christensen has similar feelings when he drives onto the 185th Air

Refueling Wing's base in Sioux City. On the way to the administration building, he

passes an A-7 Corsair II fighter jet on static display.

It was the first airplane he flew as an Iowa Air National Guard member.

"Every time you drive by it, you have a smile on your face," Christensen said. "It's like

your first car. Whenever you see it, you remember how it was. You still have that good

feeling toward it."

Once a staple in the Air National Guard's forces, the A-7 has long been retired. Pilots at

the 185th flew the A-7 from 1977 until 1991, when the base converted to the F-16

Falcon. By 1993, the U.S. military no longer used the plane.

Christensen now is the last active member of the Iowa Air National Guard who once

flew the A-7, a distinction that drew a smile and a chuckle.

"At first I thought what a neat thing. Now I'm not so sure," he said, recalling his

younger days, when he'd look around at pilots at the base who flew the F-100 Super

Sabre fighters before the base converted to the A-7 and think about how old they were.

Christensen shook his head and laughed. Young pilots at the 185th now probably look

at him the same way, he said.

Muckey returns home to lead Sioux City's 185thNick Hytrek

https://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/muckey-returns-home-to-lead-sioux-citys-185th/article_f6fb8bc1-daad-50a9-812a-d56e03d8b860.html


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Iowa Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Larry Christensen isstrapped into the pilot seat of an A-7 Corsair II in thisundated photo he provided to The Journal. Pilots of the185th Fighter Wing, now known as the Air RefuelingWing, in Sioux City flew the A-7 fighter jets from 1977to 1991, when they were replaced by the F-16 Falcon.

Photo courtesy Larry Christensen

"I'm very humbled and proud to be part of this organization and be here for so much

history," said Christensen, who's now chief of staff for the Iowa Air National Guard at

Camp Dodge in Des Moines after serving as the 185th commander for five years until

March 2019.

Of course, fighter jets are a thing of the past at the base. The 185th converted to an air

refueling mission in 2003 and now flies the KC-135 Stratotanker.

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Though the F-16 was faster and more maneuverable and the conversion to fuel tankers

helped secure the base's future, Christensen looks back fondly on the two years he flew

the A-7. It remains his favorite of the three planes.

"I'm a little biased because that's what I grew up on," he said. "It was a great airplane.

It did what it was designed to do very, very well."

Flown by the Navy and Air Force

during the war in Vietnam, the plane

was designed to attack ground targets

and was armed with bombs, rockets,

air-to-ground missiles and a 20mm

gun. It could fly as low as 100 feet at

speeds up to 420 knots (483 mph) and

was a durable plane that could weather

damage from ground fire.

Nick Hytrek


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Though the 185th pilots never flew the

plane in combat, they trained for that

possibility, becoming experts in its

capabilities.

"To fly that low, that fast, is pretty

impressive," Christensen said. "Once

you learned how to fly it, it was a very easy airplane to fly."

Iowa Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Larry Christensentalks about flying the A-7 Corsair II during an interviewat the 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City.Christensen, a former 185th commander, began hiscareer at the base flying the A-7 and is the last activemember of the Iowa Air National Guard to have flownthe plane.

Tim Hynds, Sioux City Journal

Growing up, Christensen likely would have been willing to fly anything. From his home

south of the base, he watched F-100s and A-7s take off and land. He enlisted in 1986.

"The bottom line is, I just wanted to fly, and this would be a good opportunity to do it,"

he said of his decision to join the 185th.

After three years of pilot training, Christensen was back in Sioux City flying the A-7.

His only overseas deployment in the aircraft was a 30-day training exercise in

Belgium. The A-7 he piloted while making the first ocean crossing of his career is on

display in Onawa, Iowa.

Iowa National Guard delivers supply of personal protective equipmentto Sioux CityMason Dockter

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Though Christensen is the last active Iowa Air Guard member who flew the A-7, a

number of 185th ground crew members are still here. During a recent gathering for a

photo with the A-7 on display at the base, they smiled and pointed, some walking up to

it to remember its various features.

"They worked hard on it and probably loved it just as much as I did," said Christensen,

who is no longer a full-time Air Guard member.



Still subject to deployment, he is no longer required to stay current with his flight

training.

His flying days for the military are likely over, but the memories of piloting three

different planes for the 185th continue to live on.

Especially memories of that first one.

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From left, outgoing 185th Air Refueling Wing commander, Col. Larry Christensen, and incoming commanderCol. Mark Muckey attend the change of command ceremony at 185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air NationalGuard at the 185th base on Saturday.

Justin Wan, Sioux City Journal


From left, Brig. Gen. Shawn Ford, deputy adjutant general of the Iowa Air National Guard, presents the flag of185th Air Refueling Wing to incoming commander Col. Mark Muckey, as outgoing commander, Col. LarryChristensen, looks on during the change of command ceremony in Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday, March 2, 2019.Sioux City Journal Photo by Justin Wan





The color guard enters the fuel cell hangar during the change of command ceremony of the 185th Air RefuelingWing, Iowa Air National Guard in Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday, March 2, 2019. Sioux City Journal Photo by JustinWan




https://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/columnists/hytrek/former-185th-commander-fondly-remembers-a-7-fighter/article_056ca8b3-458d-5742-a310… 10/17

185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard commander Col. Mark Muckey salutes the wing during thechange of command ceremony at the Sioux City base on March 2.





Col. Larry Christensen, left, outgoing commander of 185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard, kisseshis wife Amy Christensen during the change of command ceremony in Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday, March 2,2019. Sioux City Journal Photo by Justin Wan





185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard commander Col. Mark Muckey speaks to the wing during thechange of command ceremony in Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday, March 2, 2019. Sioux City Journal Photo byJustin Wan





Guests listen at the change of command ceremony of 185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard inSioux City, Iowa on Saturday, March 2, 2019. Sioux City Journal Photo by Justin Wan





From left, Col. Mark Muckey, new commander for 185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard, embraceshis mother, Dana Muckey, as his wife, Susan Muckey, looks on during the change of command ceremony inSioux City on March 2.





185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard members stand at attention as their new commander, Col.Mark Muckey, speaks during the change of command ceremony at the Sioux City base on March 2.


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Nick Hytrek

Hytrek has been at the Journal since 1998, covering courts for much of that time. He is a Nebraska nativeand University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate.

Court Reporter

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dqj]e]eZ]jk9%/Æ `l]j 185th..."Every time you drive by it, you have a smile on your face," Christensen said. "It's like your first car. Whenever you see it, you remember how it was