The deactivation marks the end of the installation’s long-standing operational and formal pilot training role in close air support (CAS), forward air control, and combat search and rescue missions, which it had conducted for decades.
During the ceremony, the 355th Operations Group, the 357th Fighter Squadron, the 357th Fighter Generation Squadron, and the 355th Training Squadron were officially inactivated.
"For nearly 50 years, the A-10 Thunderbolt has held a sacred place in American airpower. It was never just an aircraft" said Col. Cabrera during his address at the event, noting that every active-duty A-10 pilot over the past several decades was trained on Davis-Monthan’s runway.
Established on May 1, 1992, the 355th Operations Group was responsible for deploying and managing A-10 squadrons in global operations, while overseeing all initial and requalification pilot training for the platform.
Historical documents and archival materials symbolizing the heritage of the units will be transferred to the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to preserve the 50-year legacy of the A-10 at Davis-Monthan.
The ceremony concluded with remarks from retired Lt. Gen. Glen "Wally" Moorhead—who flew the first A-10 into Davis-Monthan on Nov. 7, 1975—and was highlighted by a flyover of two A-10 aircraft.