A retiree emailed Retiree News this photograph of 199th Fighter Squadron pilots. In the photograph (L-R) are: Christopher “Frenchy” Faurot, Braden “Mongo” Sakai, Wade “Ninja” Oganeku, Adrian “Kila” Kinimaka, Jeffrey “Sumo” Namihara, Garro “Rojo” Johnson, Glen “Knockers ” Nakamura.
We contacted “Mongo”, the retired 154th Wing commander, for some comments and identification assistance.
The picture is from our Cope Thunder Exercise in Alaska in 1994….we were about to jump in our jets for the flight home from this exercise. I remember this day very well as Sumo was mad at me for taking the lead back home because his jet broke. He later got it fixed about 30 minutes after we took off and led the second cell of jets home. In my defense…he briefed if a jet broke that I will take my 4 ship ahead of his and when his jet broke…he was trying to change his the plan, but, I wanted to get home bad 🙂
These young men – and they were all young 25 years ago – were some of the outstanding pilots in the 199th Fighter Squadron during the F-15 Eagle era. A great time and good memories.
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