The Starfighter taxi in position in front of the reviewing stand

When the 4540th CCTG was activated on April 1, 1964, Col. J. D. Collingsworth assumed and remained in that position until June 14, 1964.
On June 15, 1964, the unique GAF training program received a famous commander to guide it through the embryonic first year, Col. James Jabara,
America's first jet ace and second ranking ace of the Korean War, assumed command and headed the group until May 1965.

On February 12, 1964 the first F-104G was flown in from Palmdale, California, by Capt. Charles E. Ball, the Luke instructor pilot who had remained at George.
By mid July 1964, 23 TF-104Gs and 12 F-104Gs were assigned to Luke. A separate military sales case (i.e., program package) had been negotiated with the German government
in 1963 for the modification of the German aircraft used in the program. Although the aircraft belonged to the GAF, all were painted with the USAF markings.

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