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The F-16 Kamikaze Mission That Almost Happened on 9/11

I publish this post each year on September 11. It’s an amazing story about two Air National Guard pilots

“Lucky”

On September 11, 2001, United States Air National Guard pilots Lt. Heather “Lucky” Penney and Col. Marc Sasseville scrambled to intercept United Airlines Flight 93.

Because their aircraft were outfitted for training missions, the planes carried no live ammo. That meant the only weapons at their disposal were the F-16s they were flying.

That meant they’d have to crash into the 757-222 aircraft.

“I’m going to go for the cockpit,” Sasseville said.

She replied without hesitating.

“I’ll take the tail.”

That’s intense. And incredibly brave and heroic.

The pilots thought they may have time to eject from their planes and parachute to safety. But they knew their chances of surviving were slim. If that.

Of course, United 93 met its fate before the F-16 pilots reached their target.

CBS News just posted an interview with the pilots.

SOURCE: Eye of the Flyer