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  MSgt. Richard " QuickDraw" DeGraw (Ret.)

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 Name MSgt. Richard DeGraw (Ret.)
Country
Unit 510th Fighter Squadron "Buzzards"
Crewing F-16s from 1983 until 2007
Contact DeGrawR Send me a private message
Website
I have been around the world twice and have made a lot of friends. Oh yea, and drank a lot of beer, or is that bier.

Current or Favourite assignment

Deployments

In 1990 I did a trip into Hungry. They were still communist. Real high-vis trip.

My Jets & Assignments

 Unit 480th Fighter Squadron "Warhawks" [History]
Period 1988 - 1993
The first few years we were Wild Weasles. What a great time. I started as an engine troop and got hit with Rivet Work Force in 89. After the Gulf War we switched to a more conventional mission and it was way too serious after that. Five years in Germany was enough. It was time to roll.
Unit 69th Fighter Squadron "Werewolves" [History]
Period 1993 - 1995
Living in the South, Good....... Moody Field, Bad...... Luckily it only lasted 27 months.
Unit 36th Fighter Squadron "Flying Fiends" [History]
Period 1995 - 1996
A lot of long hours with a lot of great crew chiefs and good friends. Work hard...play harder. I was walking down the street and felt something cold on my shoulder. When I looked up, it was the ground.....damn Soju!!
Unit 510th Fighter Squadron "Buzzards" [History]
Period 1996 - 1999
I hated Italy but hands down, the Buzzards were the best squadron I have ever been a part of. Buzzards Rule!!!
Unit 421st Fighter Squadron "Black Widows" [History]
Period 1999 - 2002
Welcome to the world of middle management. I was the phase dock chief, assistant section chief and resource advisor. The Black Widows treated me well. I was ready to punch at 20 and they STEPed me to MSgt. That is what kept me wearing the green suit as long as it did.
Unit 36th Fighter Squadron "Flying Fiends" [History]
Period 2002 - 2003
Osan is too good to stay away. Other than being away from my family, this was the best year of my career. I spend my days keeping my guys out of trouble with QA and my nights keeping them out of trouble with Town Patrol. See notes from prevous tour....Soju is now my friend.
Unit 85th Test & Evaluation Squadron "Skulls" [History]
Period 2003 - 2008
This place is paradise. Yea we get the occational rain with a little wind but we are still on the beach. I was a civilian with the 85 TES Flying Skulls after I retired. It was great to be able to stay in the maintenance/scheduling arena. I had a mid-life crisis and quit to go work MQ-1B Drones in Afghanistan for a few years. I am currently working as a contractor again back on the Eglin Range. It is good to be home...
88400 [Detailed history of this F-16]
Unit 480th Fighter Squadron "Warhawks" [Unit History]
Period 1989 - 1993
Current: 88400   USAF 100 FS F-16C Block 30 [ act]
I got this jet from the factory. It was the first jet I ever had my name on the canopy rail and I was the first name to ever be put on the jet. My pilot was Soup Campbell. It took us six months to get the first 100 hours but the next year it flew over 400 hours. Some little known facts about the jet I named Cujo (if you can't run with the big dawg, keep your ass on the porch.) It once had 57 consecutive Code-1's. This was also the first American F-16 to record a SAM kill in combat. The first day of the Gulf War Lt Col Moody (23FS/CC) took Cujo to battle and came home victorious. I have put rags and wrenches on a lot of vipers through the years but none have made me as proud to be called a crew chief as 88-400.
Other aircraft/assignments In 1983 I started out working backshop on TF-33's at Travis. After a year of that I went to Jet Dispatch working the C-141B & C-5A. I spent a little time in Job Control until I PCS'ed. In 1988 I went to Germany working F-4G / F-16C as a jet troop. In 1989 we riveted and it has been a blur ever since.
Visitor Comments
Crew Chief for hire?
Renee, Apr 10, 2007 - 12:30 PM

Hey QD!

Nice to see you're enjoying life. Drop me a line; I'm at Misawa.

You favorite former ADCC,

Renee

Old Friend
Kwazi, Jul 27, 2007 - 07:23 PM

Well,

I think you just don't want to get out!!

Hey the more secure you can be the better.

Take care and hope to see you in your neck of the woods sometime this year.

Kwazi

Long Time
John Cowden, Aug 22, 2007 - 08:29 AM

Rich,

Wow! Been a long time. Drop me a line some time...we can talk about our OSAN days.

John C.

Remeber you...
Ted Robertson, Sep 19, 2007 - 08:05 PM

QuickDraw,

Doubt you remember me (little red haired guy) but you were my first flight chief when I arrived to Osan. Congrats on your retirement and thanks for keeping us out of jail.

Great guy to work for
DepotDawg, Oct 16, 2007 - 04:39 PM

I remember Rich, was in the Phase dock with him in the 421. Always took care of his people and made sure we always had what we needed to get the job done. Great guy. Congrats on your retirement!

Jeramy Higgins

long time
Will Ramos, Dec 18, 2009 - 07:55 AM

Long time old friend and mentor remember spang 92 buck sgt lane A1c ramos 88-6400sqd bird ramos here good to know you're still good and livin it up contact asap

How have you been?
John Cowden, Oct 07, 2010 - 11:14 PM

Rich- What have you been up to? I retired in 2006 and worked for three years as a hydraulic engineer....got laid off and now back working at Edwards for the Air Force as a civil servant. Drop me a line.

John Cowden

P.S. Send me your sweinkbraten recipe.

Hey QuickDraw
Frank Monagas, Mar 18, 2011 - 05:24 PM

Blast from the past, I miss those Spang days. don't go and die after retirement, enjoy it!







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