MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The year was 1978. Jimmy Carter was president, disco was king and the Bee Gees and Donna Summer ruled the airwaves. The year was 1978.
It was also the last time Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 had a Class A mishap, an incident resulting in either loss of life or damage in excess of $1 million dollars.
Twenty-four years and 90,000 flight hours later, the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C. based Moonlighters are still going strong.
"We hit the 90,000 Class A mishap free hours mark while supporting operations recently in Thailand during Cobra Gold 2002," said Lt. Col. Phillip Tissue, VMFA(AW)-332 commanding officer. "I don't know of too many other fighter squadrons that are sitting on that high a number of hours."
Tissue, who arrived in the Pacific Theater along with approximately 150 members of his squadron under the Unit Deployment Program, says the 90,000 hour feat is a testament to all Moonlighters, both past and present.
"It just goes to show you there have been a lot of people in this squadron for a long time who've been coming to work everyday making sure they are doing things right," said Tissue. "It's also my goal to stay on that track so that someday there will be a CO that can be present for the 100,000 Class A mishap free hour."
"Knock on wood," added Maj. Adam Tharp, VMFA(AW)-332 executive officer, as he got up from his seat and rapped on Tissue's desk. "Knock on wood."
And though superstition has long played a role in the lives of both baseball players and pilots, Capt. Kevin Mulligan, VMFA(AW)-332 quality assurance officer, says there is a lot more to it than that.
"Training, focus and dedication," said Mulligan, "is what has got 332 where it is today."
For his part, Tissue says he plans on maintaining that high-level of excellence during the Moonlighters time in Iwakuni, and beyond.
"We will rotate back to Beaufort," said Tissue, "but right now I'm not worried about getting back to South Carolina. Our focus continues to be doing the best job we possibly can supporting the Pacific Theater in Iwakuni and throughout the world."
Indeed, since deploying under the UDP, the Moonlighters have served in a variety of spots in addition to Thailand, including the Philippines, Guam, Siapan, Singapore, Korea, Okinawa, and Brunei.
The constant deployments, though challenging, have proved invaluable to the squadron, noted Tissue.
"Most of our junior Marines are used to being led by staff sergeants and gunnery sergeants," said Tissue. "With all of our deployments, we've been in the position where corporals and sergeants have been out there on their own making good things happen and keeping the squadron effective. They've had it tough but they're going to be stronger for it, and the Moonlighters are going to be stronger for it."
"I'm very proud of this squadron," added Tissue. "They have definitely met the challenge."