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Texas ANG off to support troops in Iraq
February 24, 2007 (by
Lieven Dewitte) -
The 147th Fighter Wing of the Texas Air National guard is expected to fly to Southeast Asia late today from Ellington Field to support troops in Iraq.
Maj. Shaunte Cooper said pilots and maintenance crews for 12 to 15 F-16 combat jets planned to ship out near midnight today, depending upon the weather. They had expected to leave Thursday, but fog delayed them.
Cooper said some of the crew members and jets are part of the 148th Fighter Wing of the Minnesota Air National Guard stationed in Duluth, Minnesota.
The crews and jets from each unit will remain on duty between 45 days and 90 days before returning home, Cooper said.
The deployment is part of regular 18-month rotations nationwide for Air National Guard units. The 147th Fighter Wing has already deployed once before to help in the war on terror, more specifically in August 2005. At that time, it was their first combat deployment since the Korean War.
Cooper said some of the crew members and jets are part of the 148th Fighter Wing of the Minnesota Air National Guard stationed in Duluth, Minnesota.
The crews and jets from each unit will remain on duty between 45 days and 90 days before returning home, Cooper said.
The deployment is part of regular 18-month rotations nationwide for Air National Guard units. The 147th Fighter Wing has already deployed once before to help in the war on terror, more specifically in August 2005. At that time, it was their first combat deployment since the Korean War.
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- Texas ANG F-16 pilot passes the 4,000-hour mark (2005-10-01)
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