The Air National Guard does 35 percent of the Air Force’s business with 6 percent of the Air Force’s budget.
PORTLAND — When Col. Richard Wedan took his last flight as a fighter pilot, he was escorted into retirement by his son.
Wedan’s final Air National Guard flight Saturday morning was part of a transition for two Clark County pilots. Wedan retired as commander of the 142nd Fighter Wing in a ceremony at Portland Air National Guard Base.
Col. Paul Fitzgerald, a Hockinson resident, took over command of the 142nd Fighter Wing. As Wedan’s wingman, Fitzgerald also accompanied Wedan’s final flight. And Fitzgerald brought somebody along for the ride. Second Lt. Steven Wedan, a graduate of the Air Force Academy, was in Fitzgerald’s back seat.
There were a couple of reasons his son didn’t fly along with him, Col. Wedan said. For one thing, it’s against the rules.
And, the Vancouver resident added: “The worst things happen after the following statement: ‘Hey son, watch this!'”
Saturday’s flight was just the most recent once-in-a-lifetime opportunity they’ve shared, thanks to the Air Force.
“When I was a lieutenant going through pilot training at Vance Air Force Base (in Oklahoma), my son was born. Now he is about to graduate from pilot training at the same Air Force base where he was born,” the 49-year-old Wedan said.
Wedan and Fitzgerald are among about 240 Clark County residents who are Oregon Air Guardsmen based at Portland, Salem and Camp Rilea in Warrenton, on the Oregon Coast. The two aviators typify two traditional paths into the National Guard, Wedan said.
The new wing commander, Fitzgerald, decided early in life that he wanted to join the Air Force.
“When I was at 8, a classmate and his dad took me to Luke Air Force Base (in Arizona) to watch F-15s land,” the 47-year-old pilot recalled. “One way to fly was to graduate from the Air Force Academy. I stuck a catalog on my wall.”
After graduating from the academy in 1990, Fitzgerald spent about 10 years on active duty. He flew four combat deployments as part of Operation Southern Watch, enforcing the no-fly zone in Iraq.
Fitzgerald separated from active duty in 2000 and joined the Oregon Air National Guard, and also did some civilian flying.
“I was an American Airlines pilot prior to 9/11, and then I was furloughed,” Fitzpatrick said.
Wedan, on the other hand, had already started his civilian career when his path took a military turn. He earned a degree in business management in 1987 from the College of St. Scholastica, in Duluth, Minn.
“I was a restaurant manager,” Wedan said. One day, the owners of the restaurant walked in. Both were wearing Air Force uniforms and talking about flying F-4 fighters. Wedan enlisted in the Minnesota Air National Guard. Before long, “I’m at basic training — which my wife thinks is crazy — and away goes the restaurant business,” Wedan said.
Wedan says he will continue to fly, but in much different aircraft. His new ride won’t be armed with eight missiles and a 20mm gun that can fire 940 rounds in six seconds.
“I will fly a 737 for Alaska Airlines, after going to school for six or seven weeks,” Wedan said.
