Mohawk Valley

Mohawk Valley. . An airplane's history is really the story of the men and women who built it, maintained and flew it, as well as the missions it has flown, the places it visited and the accomplishments these people made possible. "225" is here to remember those dedicated people. , The "Mohawk Valley", a G-Model B-52, tail number 58-0225, landed at Griffiss for the first time on 12 January 1960, just 7 days after the Boeing Aircraft Corporation finished building it in Wichita, Kansas. Anderson AFB, Guam; Castle AFB, California; and Loring AFB, Maine, were other home bases while the Mohawk Valley logged over 12,000 hours of flight time. Major Bill Penzien, who made 225's first landing at Griffiss in 1960 may not recognize the "buff" that Colonel Mike Loughran landed at Griffiss for the last time on 9 May 1991. Throughout its life, extensive modifications, inside and out, kept the airplane an effective weapon system., The Mohawk Valley flew over most of the world's oceans, served with honor in the Vietnam War, trained crews for the Persian Gulf War, and deterred war by standing alert. Then, after more than 31 years of service, the Mohawk Valley came to this spot, ably assisted by many volunteers, both civilian and military, to stand as a memorial. The last B-52G left Griffiss on 8 October 1991. This airplane represents the men and women of the 416th who "kept'em flying" for over 31 years of continuous B-52G operations. Their names are sealed inside 225 as representatives of all those who served. , The name "Mohawk Valley" was on 225 when it first arrived at Griffiss. The nose art, "SAC Time", and the mission markings from the Persian Gulf War symbolize the wing's B-52Gs in that conflict, just prior to converting to the B-52H. In a sense, the nose art captures the entire span of the B-52G at Griffiss AFB., Today, the "Mohawk Valley" stands in tribute to all the men and women who dedicate their lives to the defense of our country.