Top photo: A wreath, dog tags and empty shells adorn the North Dakota Memorial to the Fallen in the Global War on Terrorism at its dedication on Sept. 11, 2009. The memorial is located at the front gate of Fraine Barracks, the N.D. National Guard headquarters, in Bismarck, N.D. This joint venture of the city of Bismarck and the National Guard honors 28 North Dakotans, of which fourteen are N.D. National Guard Soldiers. (Photo by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Kiel Skager, N.D. National Guard Visual Information)
2020 Suicide Prevention Month - Cross talk 2
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Hooligan History - Sept. 11, 2001 Terror Attacks
At 9:24 a.m., moments after the World Trade Center Towers were struck by civilian airliners hijacked by terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001, N.D. Air National Guard (NDANG) pilots from the 178th Fighter Squadron, Maj. Dean Eckmann, Maj. Brad Derrig and Capt. Craig Borgstrom, took off from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, where the NDANG operated an alert detachment, en route to New York City. These pilots and their F-16 Fighting Falcons were among the first military responders to take to the skies in response to the terrorist attacks that day.
Not long after becoming airborne, the Pentagon was struck and the Happy Hooligans were diverted to Washington, D.C. and ordered to conduct combat air patrols over the White House and the U.S. Capitol, in order to provide protection from further attacks. The FAA had ordered all civilian air traffic grounded, and the 119th Fighter Wing pilots were tasked to intercept any non-compliant aircraft. United Airlines flight 93 was still in the air with hijackers in control of the aircraft when President George W. Bush gave the authority to shoot down civilian airplanes that ‘looked like they were going to be used as fuel bombs.’ This order was not needed as passengers aboard flight 93 heroically assumed control of the aircraft from the hijackers and the airplane crashed in the Pennsylvania countryside. These terrorist attacks on 9/11 killed nearly 3,000 people.
N.D. Air National Guard on 9-11
"First Pass, Defenders Over Washington" Commemorative Painting
Maj. Dean Eckmann, a 119th Fighter Wing pilot, right, stands with artist Rick Herter, in front of a painting depicting Eckmann flying over the Pentagon following the terrorist attack in Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001. The painting, called ‘First Pass, Defenders Over Washington,’ was unveiled for display in corridor 9 of the Pentagon on Sept. 4, 2002.
A 119th Wing F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft normally displayed at Heritage Park on the N.D. Air National Guard Base will be on loan to the Fargo Air Museum. The F-16 will be displayed at the museum in commemoration of the Sept. 11, 2001 anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the our nation. Happy Hooligan F-16s were the first aircraft to respond to the Pentagon attacks after launching from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia where they were on alert duty. This aircraft is similar to the F-16 featured in the painting ‘First Pass, Defenders Over Washington.’ The N.D. Air National Guard flew the F-16 from 1990 to 2007. (U.S. Air National Guard story and photo by 1st Lt. Jeremiah Colbert)
Sgt. Tessa Hogan, a Human Resources non-commissioned officer with the N.D. Army National Guard's G-1, is interviewed by a local Bismarck television news station. The reporter was interested in understanding why people joined the N.D. National Guard after the tragic attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Hogan, is among the more than 75% of the current N.D. Army and Air National Guard force that joined after 9/11.
TAG Town Hall
Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, N.D. Adjutant General, conducted a town hall briefing at the Raymond J. Bohn armory in Bismarck on Sept. 11, 2020. The purpose was to provide a strategic update to the full time staff (N.D. Department of Emergency Services, N.D. State Radio, and state employees of the N.D. National Guard) in the western portion of the state and to recognize top performing personnel. This is part of a series of town halls done in three geographically separate areas across the state. The town hall was also streamed so employees not present could still hear Dohrmann's message.
Retiree Weekend - 2020
Due to COVID-19, the annual N.D. National Guard Retirees Reunion Weekend was cancelled for 2020. In lieu of this reunion, this video was created to keep our Retirees informed on the latest pertinent information and of items of interest to them.
Brats with the Brave
Lt. Governor Brent Sanford, hands a lunch sack to a N.D. Guard Soldier during the Brats with the Brave lunch at Raymond J. Bohn armory in Bismarck on Sept. 11, 2020. This annual event was sponsored by the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber EDC and demonstrates appreciation for our military members, health care workers and first responders.
U.S. Congressman Kelly Armstrong Visits the RTI
Berthold N.D. Cares Event
The N.D. Cares community of Berthold, N.D. held a veterans information event at the city court house on Sept. 10, 2020. The organizations present offered Veterans information about services available to them.
Russell Wolf Promoted to Colonel
Russell Wolf was promoted to the rank of colonel during a ceremony at the Raymond J. Bohn armory in Bismarck, N.D. on Sept. 11, 2020. Brig. Gen. Leo Ryan, Army commander for the N.D. National Guard, presided over the ceremony. Wolf serves as the full-time Director of Facilities and Engineering and as the commander of the 164th Regional Training Institute at Camp Grafton Training Center. (U.S. National Guard photo and story by Sgt. Michaela Granger)
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