45 Minutes Over the Central Valley

Sep 3

3 min read

Air Force Lt. Col. Robert Swertfager, 194th Fighter Squadron pilot, California Air National Guard, was one of two pilots who flew out of Fresno on the morning of September 11, 2001, on orders to determine why a Thai Airways flight bound for San Francisco was not diverting to Canada or Mexico despite repeated commands. Pictured here: Lt. Col. Swertfager performs a pre-flight inspection on an F-15C Eagle prior to take-off April 1, 2017, for Sentry Aloha 17-03. Sentry Aloha is an Air Guard-led exercise that provides a current, realistic, and integrated training environment to the U.S. Air Force and joint partners. (Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Chris Drudge)

In the early morning hours of September 11, 25 years ago, people across the Central Valley were waking to the unthinkable: the United States was under attack by terrorists. At the 144^th Fighter Wing in Fresno, two fighter jets were already in the air. They were the first to be scrambled, which is the term used when military planes are quickly mobilized in response to an immediate threat, by the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD).

Their mission was to intercept a Thai Airways 747 bound for San Francisco and determine why it wasn’t diverting to Canada or Mexico despite repeated commands to do so. NORAD instructions were to bring the commercial plane down if necessary.

“The pilots said the plane didn’t have enough fuel, but here on the ground it was impossible to know if that was true or a hoax by terrorists,” said Col. Rob Swertfager, one of the fighter pilots mobilized after the attacks.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, two fighter jets, similar to the one shown in this photo, left Fresno to protect our country. Pictured: A United States Air Force F-15C Eagle assigned to the 144th Fighter Wing, California Air National Guard, during a base-wide exercise March 4, 2023, at the Fresno Air National Guard Base, California. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Mercedes Taylor)

Rob sat in the pilot’s seat as live ammunition was loaded into his F-16 fighter jet.

Within minutes, Rob and his flight lead were behind the aircraft when they sent a firm radio message to the commercial pilots.

“We told them, ‘our nation is in an emergency and non-compliance will not end well for anyone,’” said Rob.

Then, at 450 miles per hour, Rob got close enough to the flight to look for signs of a hijacking, such as drawn shades and scared passengers.

Instead, he saw smiling families who waved at him. When he got within 10 feet of the cockpit, he saw the crew looking confused but official. Once he determined the flight was legitimate, Rob escorted them in for a landing at San Francisco International Airport.

“It was the most stressful 45 minutes of my career,” Rob recalls.

Back on the ground, Rob and his colleagues had to keep the mission secret until it was declassified in 2006.

Today, the 144^th Fighter Wing stands ready 24/7 to protect the Central Valley and our nation when they’re called. Hearing the distinct roar of the F-15s is part of Central Valley life.

The wing includes the 194th Fighter Squadron, a full maintenance group, mission support group and medical group. All told, more than 1,000 personnel keep the aircraft flying and the mission ready. With roots dating back to 1948, the 144th has evolved through generations of fighter aircraft and remains a highly trained, community-connected presence in the Central Valley, conducting daily training flights and supporting state emergency operations when called.

This story is part of the Central Valley Community Foundation’s “Sixty Stories That Shaped Us” initiative to help mark 60 years since our founding. We invite you to join us in celebrating this milestone and this special place we call home. To learn more, visit centralvalleycf.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn @centralvalleycf.