Luke AFB is west of Phoenix and is rapidly being surrounded by civilization that complains about the noise from the base and its planes, forgetting that it was there long before they were. 

Apparently, an individual who lives somewhere near Luke AFB wrote the local paper complaining about a group of F-16s that disturbed his/her day at the mall. When that individual read the response from a Luke AFB officer, I hope it stung quite a bit.

The Complaint:

"Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base: Whom do we thank for the morning air show? Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet.

Imagine our good fortune! Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns early bird special? Any response would be appreciated." 

The Response:

Regarding "A wake-up call from Luke's jets" (Letters, Thursday): On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship flyby of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt. Jeremy Fresques.

Capt. Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day. At 9 a.m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend.

Based on the letter writer's recount of the flyby, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the President of the United States and all those veterans  and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured.

A four-ship flyby is a display of respect the Air Force pays to those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects.

The letter writer asks, "Whom do we thank for the morning air show?"

The 56th Fighter Wing will call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives.

Lt. Col. Scott Pleus

I sure hope that person feels like crap now. I can't believe how selfish & selfcentered some people can be! DaveM2007-07-30 04:45:58

In general, I feel contempt for those who decide to live somewhere and then chose to complain about something that was already in place when they arrived.  However, in this case, my feelings go well beyond that and border on pity.

Apparently the complainer has publicly apologized. KOPBET2007-07-30 10:48:14

 Always gives me a lump in my throat...so does the National Anthem...

The complainer, supposedly a veteran himself, must have spent his Vietnam tour(s) of duty locked in the head of whatever boat he was on.  Anyone with half a brain left would realize that a low altitude, low speed tight formation is one of the most difficult things to do in aviation and it takes a ton of skill to do it right.  The "missing man" formation is probably the best tribute a fallen aviator  can be given, regardless of which branch of the military they flew for. 

Jim, you won't get any argument from me.

I'm sure the guy feels terrible about the complaint. I have been the recipient of complaints about my low flying, once by a Federal judge. He called the FAA about my low flying. When he was told that I was searching the river for a missing child he felt like sh@t. Turns out the helicopter woke him from his afternoon nap. Yep, he lived in a gated community insulated from the real world. All of my low altitude flying has been related to public service.

Scott