Air National Guard Crews Return

Idaho Air National Guard pilots and support crews are headed home to Boise after enforcing the southern “no fly zone” to halt more Iraqi aggression.

The last rotation of 98 guard members participating in Operation Southern Watch are with Idaho’s 124th Fighter Group. They were relieved by active Air Force fighter crews during the weekend.

It was the first time in history a guard unit has been given a specific combat mission during peacetime without a presidential call-up to active duty.

Pilots, weapons officers, crew chiefs and ground support personnel were slated to begin arriving in Boise tonight after their tour of combat duty.

A total of 302 Idaho guardsmen and women were deployed to southwest Asia for tours of at least 45 days during their six-month mission.

The fighter group is the first, and only, reserve component to take on a Suppression of Enemy Air Defense mission with the sophisticated F-4G “Wild Weasel” aircraft.

Pilots fired two HARM missiles in separate engagements with Iraqis who threatened peace coalition aircraft they were escorting. In one incident, they destroyed an Iraqi aircraft battery that had “locked onto” the planes, or was electronically prepared to fire a missile at them.

In another, they destroyed a surface-to-air missile headed their way. There were numerous engagements which were not publicized.

“We came close a lot of times,” said Lt. Col. Mark Funiaole, group plans officer.