Air Force Historical Research Agency Welcome to the Department of the Air Force (DAF) Legacy Vault

DAF Legacy Vault

We are excited to announce the development of a new digital space dedicated to showcasing the Department of the Air Force's (DAF) official archival records. This project highlights the rich and storied history of both the Air Force and Space Force, featuring historical records, artifacts, photographs, audio recordings, video documentation, and archival finding aids.

Although the page is currently under construction, our team is actively working to ensure it becomes a comprehensive and accessible resource for historians, researchers, veterans, and enthusiasts. We aim to make these valuable materials readily discoverable for those seeking insights into the DAF's contributions to our nation's history.

This initiative underscores our commitment to preserving and sharing the official ephemera of the Airmen and Guardians who have shaped the legacy of the skies and beyond. Updates will follow as the project progresses, and we look forward to unveiling more resources soon!

DAF History Publications

The Shootdown of Trigger 4
This document reviews the official record which shows that Cadillac, a flight of four F-4s on a MiG sweep mission over North Vietnam on 29 July 1972, engaged and shot down a MiG-21, a kill credited to Cadillac 1. Shortly thereafter, Pistol, a flight of four F-4s, escorting a chaff mission, engaged and shot down a second MiG-21. Almost immediately thereafter, a third MiG-21 shot down Trigger 4, one of a flight of four that was also escorting the chaff mission. However, research conducted at Air University over the past few years challenged the official record by suggesting that Trigger 4 was mistakenly shot down by Cadillac 1, who had misidentified the friendly F-4 as an enemy MiG-21. The goal of this Air Staff study, nicknamed Project Trigger, was to reconstruct the events of the air battle and resolve the discrepancy.

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Photo by: Lieutenant Colonel Todd P. Harmer, USAF and Colonel C.R. Andregg, USAF Ret. |  VIRIN: TRIGGER4.PDF