Two aircraft maintenance squadrons from the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex in Georgia joined forces to memorialize 1st Lt. Kenneth “Kage” Allen, the 493rd Fighter Squadron’s assistant chief of weapons and tactics who died June 15 when his F-15C crashed into the North Sea.
The 561st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and 558th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron paint team worked together to stencil Allen’s name on the side of an F-15E that had finished Programmed Depot Maintenance and was bound for RAF Lakenheath, U.K., stated a June 18 release.
Since the Warner Robins ALC maintainers recently honored a fallen colleague of their own in the same manner, they thought paying that kindness forward could help comfort Allen’s 48th Fighter Wing colleagues at Lakenheath, according to the release.
“This is our way of honoring a fallen warrior and sharing our grief and well wishes with our warfighting teammates at Lakenheath,” 561st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Director Jim Kelly said in the release.