Crossing the border into Mexico and back netted a Cessna flown by three US citizens an F-16 Viper escort. The US Customs and Border Protection unit in Riverside tracked the aircraft as it crossed the border and back again, prompting a request for assistance from March ARB, Calif., where Montana Air National Guard’s 120th Fighter Wing has deployed F-16s to support Operation Noble Eagle. It turns out the Cessna had lost communications and was having engine trouble as the three men reportedly were on their way to Baja for a surfing holiday. The Vipers forced the Cessna to land at Oceanside, where federal and local officials eventually sorted the matter out and released the three men.
Billy Mitchell: Lessons a Hundred Years Hence
Dec. 16, 2025
Exactly 100 years ago, on Dec. 17, 1925, Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell was convicted by court-martial for violating an order that required approval before he could engage with the media. Mitchell’s provocative thoughts and unorthodox methods sought attention for a cause that he saw as uniquely American.
