"Into the wild blue yonder"

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jarad A. Denton
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  As a B-1B Lancer rolled to a stop on the flightline, Col. William Eldridge climbed down the ladder for the last time as commander of the 28th Operations Group, April 5.

He was welcomed by the cheers and applause of a crowd that had gathered around the aircraft for his end of tour flight.

"I have mixed emotions about this," said Beth Eldridge, wife of Colonel Eldridge. "I hope this isn't the last time he gets to fly the B-1."

As he climbed off the B-1, Colonel Eldridge was met with a blast of water from a fire hose, with Mrs. Eldridge at the lead, as a welcome home from his final training mission. And through the hail of water and champagne, sprayed on him by fellow B-1 aircrew members, Colonel Eldridge had nothing but positive things to say about the aircraft.

"This feels great. I love the B-1," he exclaimed. "There is no better combat machine out there to find and kill the enemy."

Colonel Eldridge said he will miss calling Ellsworth home when he relinquishes command of the 28th OG, June 20, before beginning a tour in Southwest Asia.

"This base is home to the world's best Airmen," he said. "Years from now I will have great memories of my time here."