Air Force pilot flies last time in Prowler

Following a time-honored tradition, Air Force Maj. Shalin Turner is drenched with water on July 10 after his final flight in the EA-6B Prowler at Whidbey Island  Naval Air Station.

He becomes the last U.S. Air Force flyer to fly in a Prowler. Turner is assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 142, under the umbrella of the U.S. Air Force’s 390th Electronic Combat Squadron. Also on the flight were Lt. Cmdr. John Esposito, Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Mulcahey and Lt. Cmdr. Ben Carter.

VAQ-142 is a carrier based squadron assigned to the USS Nimitz. The squadron begins transitioning to the EA-18G Growler this October. Air Force aircrew started to integrate into Prowler squadrons at NAS Whidbey Island following the retirement of the EF-111 Raven and the F-4G Wild Weasel in 1995. At that time, four Prowler squadrons were re-rolled into the expeditionary role as a result of budget program decisions and the Joint Airborne Electronic Attack program was born.

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