Thunderbolts can cross from east to west sides of base without ever leaving gate

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Bryan Bouchard
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  After 14 months of construction, people at Luke can traverse from one side of the base to the other without ever leaving a gate, now that the overpass crossing Litchfield Road is open to traffic.

More than 100 people attended the grand opening today where Brig. Gen. Tom Jones, 56th Fighter Wing commander, presided over the ceremony and dedicated the bridge to Maj. Troy Gilbert, a Luke pilot who was killed in Iraq the same month construction began on the overpass in November 2006.

"Much like this overpass that will make life better for our Luke members, (Major Gilbert's) actions as a husband, father, son and Air Force officer were always undertaken with a desire to make things better," the general said.

The project, which was contracted to the Tempe-based Sundt Construction Inc., cost $7.9 million, and will provide 7,000 people who work on Luke and the more than 100,000 local military retirees easier access to both sides of Luke, according to Lt. Col. Anton Ramage, 56th Civil Engineer Squadron commander.

"The tremendous teamwork between the 56th Fighter Wing, Air Education and Training Command, and countless others made this concept a reality," Colonel Ramage said.

The need for the overpass was realized after the Sept. 11 attacks, when the east side of the base was wide open, while the west side contained several guarded entry control points. Once the attacks took place, the need arose to secure both halves of the installation. Since Luke is split in half by Litchfield Road, people had to drive along Litchfield Road or Glendale Avenue to get to the other side of base.

During the grand opening, the overpass was dedicated to Maj. Troy L. Gilbert, a Luke pilot who was killed Nov. 27, 2006, when his F-16CG crashed while he was providing close air support to special operations forces about 40 miles north of Baghdad. While at Luke, Major Gilbert was the 56th FW flying executive officer and flew with the 309th Fighter Squadron.

"May this bridge be a reminder to all who cross it, the strength of character which (Major Gilbert) embodied," said Lt. Col. Pete Davey, 309th FS commander.

His wife, Ginger Gilbert, who was on-hand at the ceremony, said it was a fitting memorial to her late husband.

"I will never I drive under or over this bridge, without remembering my long and arduous journey after losing Troy," Mrs. Gilbert said, "for his incredible life of dedication and faith, or any of the numerous sacrifices that so many men and women around the globe have made for my freedom."