Juvats
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On 15 February, 1971, the 80th moved from Yokota AB to Kunsan
AB, Republic of Korea, and was temporarily assigned to Det 1, 475th TFW.
After a few months, the 80th was in the process of being deactivated.
Fortunately, former "Headhunter" Lt Gen Jay T. Robbins, who was Vice
Commander of TAC at the time, caught the action and rescued us at the last
minute. Instead, we were re-staffed with new personnel, primarily from the
391st Tactical Fighter Squadron. The 391st Tactical Fighter Squadron’s
insignia was a tiger’s head on an inverted triangular green background.
Below the patch, on a rocker, was the 391st motto "AUDENTES FORTUNA
JUVAT" which translates from the Latin: "Fortune Favors the
Bold". This motto subsequently became the new "Headhunters"
motto. As the new "Headhunters" were removing their old 391st
patches, they would grasp the triangular patch by the upper left hand corner to
tear them off. All would tear off except the word "JUVAT".
It caught on immediately. The harder the higher echelons attempted to
stamp it out, the more entrenched it became (to the point of covering the Wing
Commander’s flight suit with "JUVAT" patches each time he hung a
flight suit on the line to dry!).
The motto has also been adopted by the Squadron, with very
common usage.
We also mentioned that Sol Harp was the first JUVAT!
Seeing that Sol was there at the time, here are more details from him of that
beginning:
"The 80th TFS was the first fighter squadron formed
under the 3rd TFW at Kunsan Air Base, Korea during March 1971. The
aircraft came from the deactivated 475th TFW at Misawa (Japan) and the
personnel primarily from the 391st TFS of the 475th TFW. Lt Col Bill
Driver, Commander of the 391st TFS, was the first 80th TACTICAL Fighter
Squadron Commander.
Lt Col "Curly" Reeder was the 80th TFS Commander
during May of 1971 before I (Sol Harp) became the Commander in June
1971. One day, Lt Jeff Feinstein (an Ace of the Vietnam War) came to my
office with the JUVAT patch and requested the patch be sewn on the flight suit
sleeve of an aircrew member of the Squadron who had excelled in his flying
duties. I asked Jeff the meaning of JUVAT and where it came from. He
gave me a paper with four meanings of "AUDENTES FORTUNA JUVAT" which
translates from the Latin "Fortune Favors the Bold." (A copy
of the original paper was included with Sol's letter showing the first person
to use that motto was Virgil [70 - 19 BC])!! I approved Jeff's
request, and the patch was sewn on an aircrew member's flight suit without his
knowledge. Incidentally, I was the first JUVAT Squadron Commander!"
On 16 September 1974, the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing replaced
the 3 TFW at Kunsan, reuniting the "Headhunters" with the "Wolf
Pack."
In September of 1981 the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing became the
first unit stationed overseas to convert to the F-16 Fighting Falcon. On 3
February, 1992, the 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron was redesignated the 80th
Fighter Squadron and reassigned to the new 8th Operations Group (a direct
descendant of our original 8th Pursuit Group). The 80th Fighter Squadron
continues to support the United States Contingent in Korea with the same pride
and excellence instilled by the "Headhunters" of the past. In
demonstration of this, we proudly bear the name given to us by "Porky"
Cragg in 1943, wear a patch very similar to the one designed for us by Yale
Saffro, and use some of the Flight-Lead call-signs ("Chevy,"
"Olds," and "Buick") dating back to World War II, Korea, and
Vietnam.
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