174th Fighter Wing helps open new Yankee Stadium

Aircrew members from the 174th Fighter Wing of Syracuse N.Y., pose for a photo after performing the fly-by for the opening day ceremony for the new Yankee Stadium on April 16, 2009. The F-16 Fighting Falcon crew members include bottom row from left to right, Capt. Scott Bissonnette and Staff Sgt. Preston Cox and top row, Maj. Kurt Tongren, Maj. John Knutsen and Lt. Col. Sean McQuaid.

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Aircrew members from the 174th Fighter Wing of Syracuse N.Y., pose for a photo after performing the fly-by for the opening day ceremony for the new Yankee Stadium on April 16, 2009. The F-16 Fighting Falcon crew members include bottom row from left to right, Capt. Scott Bissonnette and Staff Sgt. Preston Cox and top row, Maj. Kurt Tongren, Maj. John Knutsen and Lt. Col. Sean McQuaid.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Four F-16 C Fighting Falcons from the 174th Fighter Wing performed the flyover for the first ballgame ever played in the new Yankee Stadium during opening ceremonies held today.

The F-16s took off at about 12:15 p.m., from Hancock Field Air National Guard Base for the flyby mission.

"We are extremely proud of all of our New York teams and feel extremely honored to take part in this historic event," said Col. Kevin W. Bradley, the 174th Fighter Wing commander.

The 174th Fighter Wing has flown the F-16C Fighting Falcon for almost 20 years. It has been deployed nine times to Southwest Asia in support of various operations. The unit returned from its last deployment to Balad Air Base, Iraq last August.

The 174th Fighter Wing was formed on Oct. 28, 1947 as the 138th Fighter Squadron. It was the first post-World War II Air National Guard flying unit in New York state. The unit flew P-47D Thunderbolts and was based at the former Army Air Force facilities here at Hancock Field.

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