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Hangar 1200 receives Wild Weasel, 20th FW emblems

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Destinee Sweeney
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Contractors completed installing emblems on two sides of Hangar 1200 at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, Jan. 11.

The emblems include the Wild Weasel logo and the 20th Fighter Wing shield, as well as the words “20th Fighter Wing” and the wing’s motto, “Victory by Valor,” representing the history of Shaw’s host unit and suppression of enemy air defenses mission.

Jim Olsen, 20th Civil Engineer Squadron community planner, said Hangar 1200 was chosen due to its prominence to anyone arriving to the Shaw AFB flightline, showing guests that the base is home to the 20th Fighter Wing and the Wild Weasel mission.

Hangar 1200 is one of Shaw’s many flightline structures which provides a place for tactical aircraft maintainers to work on F-16CM Fighting Falcons. In addition to being home to maintenance shops such as structural maintenance and phase, the hangar is regularly used for celebrations.

“I think the symbols will promote unit pride,” said Olsen. “I think people will see these emblems and as they grow to understand the significance of the symbols and understand they are part of that, I think it will definitely improve sense of place and quality of life.”

The current 20th FW shield has been in use since 1991 and is composed of three colors. The blue portion represents the sky, the primary theatre of Air Force operations, the yellow portion represents the sun and excellence of Air Force members, and the red portion represents courage and valor, highlighting the wing’s motto, “Victory by Valor.”

While the shield represents the wing, the Wild Weasel logo represents the wing’s mission.

“An integral part of the 20th FW has been the SEAD mission,” said Olsen. “We’re the premier SEAD wing for the Air Force and the Wild Weasel mission is a very important part of that (history).”

During a SEAD mission, pilots fly into enemy airspace to find and suppress surface-to-air missile systems on the ground, similar to the way a weasel goes into the home of its prey to attack.

The Wild Weasel logo consists of a weasel atop two high-speed anti-radiation missiles, which are the munitions currently used during SEAD missions, with a lightning bolt representing the speed and lethality of the aircraft system as well as the three fighter squadrons of the 20th FW.

“It was an honor to contribute to the base and the overall morale,” said Senior Airman Christopher Maldonado, designer of the current Wild Weasel logo. “I hope that it will help inspire Airmen to learn about their base's history and heritage. The mission here at the 20th Fighter Wing is really something to be proud of.”