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PERSONNEL
 
DET-1 318 FIS COMMANDERS
 
LT Colonel RON DUFRESNE
 
F-106 Instructor pilot
Weapons training Officer
Chief of Standardization & Evaluation

William Tell Air-to-Air Weapons Competition Team member
F-15 PILOT
(1980 - 1985)
 
 
 
biography
 
ASSIGNMENTS
 

1. 1974 - 1975, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Craig Air Force Base, Alabama


2. 1975-1977, Instructor Pilot, 52d Flying Training Squadron, Craig Air Force Base,
Alabama

 
3. 1977 -1978, Pilot T-33A, Air Defense Weapons Center, Tyndall Air Force Base , FL  


4. May 1978 - 1980, Pilot F-101B, 2nd Fighter Interceptor Training Squadron, Air Defense Weapons Center, Tyndall Air Force Base , FL


5. 1980 - 1983, F-106 Instructor Pilot, Weapons  Officer and Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash.

6. 1983-1985, F-15 Pilot, 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash.


7
. 1983-1985, Commander, Detachment 1, 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Castle Air Force Base, CA

8. 1985 - 1986, F-15 pilot, 57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Kelfavik NAS Iceland


9. 1986 - 1987, Student, Air Command & Staff College Maxwell Air Force Base , Ala


10. 1987 - 1989, Instructor , Tactical Air Power Phase, Air Command & Staff College Maxwell Air Force Base , Ala


11. 1989 - 1992, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard Air Force Base, TX

11. 1992 - 1993, Deputy Mission Support Group Commander, 82th Mission Support Group, Sheppard Air Force Base, TX

Retired - 1993

 
FLIGHT INFORMATION
 

Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 3,300
Aircraft flown: T-33, T-37, T-38 F-101, F-106, AND F-15A/B/C/D

 
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
 

Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters

Air Force Achievement Metal

Air Force Outstanding Unit award

Air Force Organizational Excellence award

Combat Readiness Metal with oak leaf cluster

National Defense Service Metal

Air Force Overseas Ribbon

Air Force Longevity Service Award

Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon

Air Force Training Ribbon 

 
NOTABLE POST USAF ASSIGNMENTS
 

1995 - 1998, (Civilian) Chief of Training Analysis (CIV), Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard Air Force Base, TX

 
 
1982 WILLIAM TELL
 

Capt Dufresne launches off a Genie training rocket (ATR-2A) during William Tell 1982.

 
 

Dufresne's aircraft for the Meet, s/n 56-0457, is pictured taxing armed with a M61 "Six Shooter" gunpod. On the opening days of the competition Dufresne scored the first gun hit  against a Low Cost Towed Target (LCTT), he was able to hit the target in less than 58 seconds from the "clear to fire call".

 
 

F-106A 59-0057's crew, Pilot Capt Dufresne and Crew Chief SSgt. Michael J. Crowder pose with their F-106 interceptor during William Tell 82.

 
 
DET-1 318 FIS COMMANDER
CALL SIGN "JAMMER"

The then Capt Dufresne is pictured in front of Det 1, 318th FIS HQ at Castle AFB CA .

 
 

Capt Dufresne assumed command of Det-1 318 FIS in a formal ceremony where the detachment flag was passed on by 318 FIS Commander Lt Col Gordie Breault.

 
 
PHOTO FROM THE RON DUFRESNE COLLECTION

Capt Ron Dufresne races to his F-15 during a scramble at the 318ths detachment location at Castle AFB, CA.

 
 

F-15's 76-0071 & 76-0098 fly over San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge during a flight from Det 1, 318th FIS alert site. Aircraft and pilots were rotated periodically between McChord AFB and Castle AFB, but maintenance of the aircraft was performed by personnel assigned directly to the detachment.

 
 
57TH FIS "black knights"
 

A newly promoted Maj Dufresne is pictured with his name freshly stenciled on his F-15C s/n 80-0048 while at his next assignment with the 57th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Keflavik NAS, Iceland. 

 
 
Photo by Baldur Sveinsson - Aviation Photos from Iceland

F-15C 80-0048 sails over Blafjöll mountains on 5. May 1986. The 57th FIS carried conformed fuel tanks to give their Eagles additional range in the barren Icelandic landscape.

 
 

A common sight during the Cold War, pilots of the 57th FIS "Black Knights" intercepted over 3,000 Soviet aircraft between 1962 and 1991,  Dufresne himself was involved in intercepting 22  Russian Tupolev Tu-95 Bear "D"  &  Bear "F " Maritime reconnaissance/anti-submarine warfare aircraft.