Air National Guard's 148th Fighter Wing pilots recall eerie days after 9/11

Jets from the 148th Fighter Wing flew combat air patrols over the Washington D.C. area in the months after 9/11. (Photo courtesy of the 148th Fighter Wing)

Air National Guard fighter wing preps for alert missions at Tyndall

An F-16 from the 179th Fighter Squadron, a subordinate unit of the 148th Fighter Wing out of Duluth, Minn., flies a mission over the Gulf of Mexico Jan. 27. The 148th FW is working with the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., for two weeks to train for their Air Sovereignty Alert missions and to validate their new Block 50 F-16s. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Christopher Hoskins)

F16 Fighting Falcon Refuels

A lone F-16 Fighting Falcon "Viper" refuels from the boom of a KC-135 Air Refueler recently. F-16 Fighting Falcons, from the 148th Fighter Wing, Minnesota Air National Guard, in Duluth, train regularly by mid air refueling with the KC-135 airframe. Photo by SSgt Brett R. Ewald, 148th Fighter Wing, MN ANG. "RELEASED- MSO Capt. Christopher Cloutier 148th FW Duluth, MN"

Noble Eagle

Two F-16's from the 148th Fighter Wing, Minnesota Air National Guard, conduct a flight in the airspace around the Pentagon. The was assigned to perform combat air patrols over New York and Washington in support of Operation Noble Eagle. Photo by MSgt Dean Kuhlman, 148th Fighter Wing, MN ANG. "RELEASED-PAO Maj Mark A. Vavra 148 FW Duluth MN"

Sentry Aloha

An F-16 piloted by Cpt. Ryan Durand of the 148th Fighter Wing, Duluth, Minn. refuels with a KC-135 from the 203rd Air Refueling Wing of the Hawaii Air National Guard February 9, 2010. The 148th FW was deployed to Hickam AFB to partake in Sentry Aloha. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ssgt Donald L. Acton)

Sentry Aloha

F-16s of the 148th Fighter Wing out of Duluth Minnesota await flight on a misty morning at Hickam Air Force Base in Oahu on February 2, 2010. The 148th FW is partaking in Sentry Aloha while at Hickam AFB. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ssgt Donald L. Acton)

Sentry Aloha

Two F-16s from the 148th Fighter Wing, out of Duluth Minnesota taxi down the runway at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii on February 1, 2010. The 148th FW is at Hickam AFB to partake in Sentry Aloha. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ssgt Donald L. Acton)

148th Fighter Wing 2009 Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

The 148th Fighter Wing earned the 2009 Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (AFOUA) for its accomplishments from November 1, 2008 to October 30, 2009.

Operation Nobel Eagle, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska

Two F-16C Fighting Falcons of the 148th Fighter Wing, Duluth, Minn. prepare for take off next to an F22 Raptor on March 3rd, 2008 during a recent deployment to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. While deployed, the 148th was the first non-Alaskan or Canadian unit to support Alaska Command (ANR) alert and the first F-16 unit to intercept Russian bombers, also knows as "Bears". (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Kevin Peterson) (Released)

Fighting Falcon Takes Flight

An F-16C Fighting Falcon of the 148th Fighter Wing takes off during an exercise May 20, 2006 in Duluth, Minn. (US Air Force Photo by TSgt Brett R. Ewald)

Falcons and Bulldogs

F-16 Fighting Falcons are shown parked on the Duluth Air National Guard Base flightline Oct. 13 in Minnesota. The F-16s are assigned to the 148th Fighter Wing, known as the Bulldogs, in Duluth. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Donald L. Acton)

148th FW stands alert

A 148th Fighter Wing F-16 from Duluth, Minn., taxis upon arrival at Shaw Air Force Base, Friday, June 22nd. The 148th Fighter Wing is temporarily filling an Air Sovereignty Alert mission at there.