Colonel Russell Hopf - Commander

Captain Hap Arnold - Operations Officer / Fighter Duty Officer

The 163 Direct Air Support Operations Center, also known as the 163 Air Support Operations Center, was in commission from 1976 through 1983. It was the premier Tactical Air Power Command Center in the USAF for its entire life. The unit was attached to the 40th Infantry Division, California Army National Guard for exercises and spent much of its deployed time at the Fort Irwin Desert Warfare Center near Daggett, California.

Left to right - Harold "Hogie" Hogarth, First Sergeant Fred Lorenz, LTC Gil Garcia, CPT Hap Arnold. In the field at Fort Irwin. Hard as it may be to believe, the Army actually bought Hap's story that the Air Force uniform involved short Cammies!

Captain Chuck Upham in the field near GP Medium tent, also known at the BOQ at Ft. Irwin. A wonderful fellow and a great officer, Chuck was later killed in an O-2 crash at Leach Lake.