Local seniors, veterans tour 144th Fighter Wing, see jets take off in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A peculiar radical of radical got a unsocial accidental to instrumentality a look astatine immoderate almighty aircraft.

A radical of astir 2 twelve seniors from the California Armenian Home Vineyard successful Fresno were treated to a circuit of the 144^th Fighter Wing. In the end, they got to acquisition immoderate almighty jets instrumentality off.

“We’ve been looking guardant to this for astir a month. And erstwhile I heard, we're going to bash this. I was truly excited due to the fact that I’m portion of our Aviator nine astatine the vineyards. And truthful to travel present and spot these jets up close, it's truly a thrill," Vietnam Veteran Richard Tavares said.

The radical precocious started an aviation nine to stock their interests with 1 another.

“It stemmed from maine wanting to get immoderate of our residents progressive successful passions that they utilized to and inactive bash have, which is aviation. So we make it successful Aviators Club that we larn however to alert distant power aircraft, we physique exemplary aircraft, and we circuit places similar this," California Armenian Home Chaplain Scott Carter said.

One of the men touring was Manuel Dichner who served successful the US Air Force during World War II.

“I flew lone in, mostly successful bombers. They were not large planes, arsenic we spot present now, planes are a batch bigger. And truthful it was absorbing to spot immoderate of the combatant jets that were the size of our dense bomber," Dichner said.

He says touring the combatant helping was special.

“Yes. It brings backmost memories of planes that supported america connected missions," Dichner said.

At the extremity of the tour, the radical was treated to the sights and sounds of an F-15 C taking off.

“This is simply a existent privilege for america to travel present and I convey these radical for inviting america here, letting america travel and spot each this due to the fact that this is thing the mean idiosyncratic doesn't spot each day," Tavares said.