Posted on 09/17/2001 8:51:29 PM PDT by Howlin
Sept. 16, 2001, 11:07PM
Every day they report for duty at Ellington Field, the members of the Texas Air National Guard 147th Fighter Wing are reminded of their special bond with President Bush.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Bush was a reserve fighter pilot in the same squadron. The F-102 flown by the president is on display near the base's headquarters, propped up with its nose pointing toward the sky.
That's why it was more than just business Tuesday when an F-16 from Ellington accompanied Air Force One to protect Bush from possible terrorist attacks. Somewhere over the Florida Panhandle, a pilot from the 147th Fighter Wing started flying next to Air Force One and accompanied it to stops in Louisiana, Nebraska and Washington, D.C.
"It added an element of personal touch that Bush was a pilot here," said Col. Steve Jones, vice commander of the 147th Fighter Wing. "There's a bond between the fighter pilots of today and the commander in chief, who at one time flew in the same combat unit."
In addition to escorting Air Force One, the 147th Fighter Wing has been busy patrolling the air over the Gulf Coast since Tuesday's horrific terrorist attacks on U.S. landmarks.
For many years, the wing has had the responsibility of "scrambling," or intercepting, any unidentified aircraft flying between the general areas of the Florida Panhandle and the southern tip of Texas, Jones said.
The 147th has two F-16s ready around the clock to take off in five minutes for scrambling, he said. The number of F-16s in the squadron averages between 18 and 24, and the planes are equipped with missiles and laser-guided bombs, he said.
Typically, scrambling missions are conducted up to once a week, Jones said. From Tuesday until Thursday, fighters from the wing conducted regular combat patrols. The wing returned to standby mode Friday.
Nevertheless, nine missions were flown late last week, Jones said.
He said the purpose of many of the flights is to identify planes that do not have proper flight plans, but sometimes it involves intercepting drug planes. Jones said he could not comment on whether most of the missions are serious or routine.
Other bases around the country perform similar patrols in domestic skies.
On Tuesday, fighter jets were dispatched from Massachusetts and Virginia to try to intercept the hijacked planes that crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, but they took off too late.
Jones said members of the 147th Fighter Wing are ready to serve if they are needed in this time of crisis. He said Bush's call to activate 35,000 reservists has not had an impact on the base because the Texas Air National Guard is under the control of the governor.
However, Jones said he would expect Gov. Rick Perry to approve any federal requests to use the Texas Air National Guard to combat terrorism.
"Texas army and air guardsmen are ready to serve whenever and wherever they're needed," he said.
Jones said the 147th Fighter Wing has 1,000 members, one-third of whom are full-time reservists.
He said reservists from the wing were activated during the Gulf War, but they did not fly missions overseas. Instead, they patrolled the skies near the Gulf of Mexico.
Members of the 147th Wing did, however, fly overseas missions during the Vietnam War, Korean War, World War II and World War I, Jones said.
In October, pilots from the 147th Wing also patrolled the no-fly zone in southern Iraq.
Jones said the terrorist attacks on U.S. soil have spurred interest in enlisting in the Air National Guard and other military outfits.
He said most of the members of the wing join after active duty in the Air Force, but a high percentage also join the Air National Guard because of its educational benefits. These include free tuition at any state university and technical training, he said.
Perhaps there is more going on than first appers. King Abdullah of Jordan echoed President Bush's comments today: this is good vs. evil. God has a little hand in some of this, I believe.
One time when we were there, there was a B-27 (B-25?) on the tarmack and they invited us on, and the kind and gentle men working on the plane (boy, did it leak oil) passed her from man to man up to the front, where she sat in the front turrent and waved. And smiled.
Ellington Field has a long history. Today, NASA flys out of there, the original "vomit comit" used to simulate low g was retired and is on display there when you drive in and also the "Guppy" flys out of there. A strange looking piece of gear.
And one day, decades ago, during WWII, for morale, they even played basketball there. During the war, the US Air Force had basketball teams and during one game a fellow made a hook shot from mid court. The shot was so impressive they sunk a nail into the spot. Right in the wood floor.
Ellington has changed, there is not a lot there now, the basketball court is gone as are most of the old Air Force buildings, but the man that made that shot still lives. He is my dad. And every time his grand child looks at the jets his son remembers the story of that mid court shot. And now I can reflect on the fine men that we have seen so often, that were with our President on one of the worse days we have ever had. They were there to protect them.
In the scheme of things my little story does not matter. But maybe that's what makes this country great. The little things.
God Bless America!
This was reported mainly by the liberal Boston Globe, and by a proven liar, phoney and fraud, one named JH Hatfield who penned the deceitful trash book "Fortunate Son". BTW, he killed himself recently.
I prefer to believe the words of President Bush.
From CNN:
"I spent my time and I went to the Guard. It's just not true. I did the duty necessary...any allegations other than that are simply not true," Bush said.
Responding to the Globe's report that his Alabama base commander had no recollection of Bush ever showing for drills, the governor said "I pulled duty in Alabama and I read the comments and the guy said he didn't remember me. That's 27 years ago, but I remember being there."
Asked about his Air National Guard attendance record, Bush told reporters it was "spotty attendance but I did the duty necessary... I did the time that was required in the Guard."
Bush acknowledged that he was granted special permission to fulfill part of his Guard service in Alabama and that he was also given an early release to attend Harvard Business School, but denied that it was due to any favoritism because of his father's prominence.
Just what axe do you have to grind with GW Bush?
God Bless America
God Bless America
ROFLOL!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.