AFTON, Wyo. – Four F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters conducted a missing-man formation flyover above the Afton Cemetery on Aug. 14, 2026, to honor retired Maj. Gen. Neil L. Eddins, the 388th Fighter Wing's first commander at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
The flyover, performed by pilots from the 388th FW, served as the final salute during funeral honors for Eddins. On the ground, the Hill AFB Honor Guard rendered full military honors.
For the Airmen, the tribute was deeply personal, linking the wing's current operations to the leader who established its presence in Utah in the mid-1970s.
"This flyover means a lot," said Capt. Daniel Jucker, an F-35 pilot from the 4th Fighter Squadron and lead project officer for the event. "As the first 388th FW commander here at Hill AFB, Maj. Gen. Eddins and his family have deep roots to the base and the area. This is a good reminder that we stand on the shoulders of giants."
Eddins' history with the wing spanned combat operations and strategic leadership. In 1966, he flew 100 combat missions in the F-105 Thunderchief over North Vietnam and Laos. Nearly a decade later, as a colonel, he commanded the wing during its final days at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, managing the drawdown and relocation of operations to Utah in December 1975.
Arriving at Hill in January 1976, Eddins oversaw the bed down of the wing’s first F-4D Phantom II jets and built out its combat and maintenance squadrons. To assist personnel and dependents transitioning from Thailand to Utah, he also established community integration initiatives, including English classes, "big brother" and "big sister" mentorship programs, and local social events.
By early 1977, under Eddins' leadership, the 4th and 34th Tactical Fighter Squadrons were fully built and flying. Decades later, pilots from the 4th Fighter Squadron flew the tribute overhead.
"After speaking with his family, there is no better way to honor him at his memorial service than with an F-35 missing-man formation flyover," Jucker said. "It is a real privilege for the pilots here in the 388th to honor such a great American hero."