Speed of F-4 saved infant, now an adult
Andrea Domaskin, The Forum
Published Sunday, May 13, 2007

Twenty years ago a jet broke down at Fargo's airport with life-and-death cargo: an infant heart for a 5-month-old boy in California.

After intervention from then-Gov. George Sinner and others, one of the North Dakota National Guard's Phantom F-4 fighter jets roared into the darkness with a cooler in the navigator's seat. One family's sorrow became another's joy. But that's not where the story ends. The heart still beats inside Andrew De La Pena. He's now a student at Loyola University in New Orleans. De La Pena and his parents will be in Fargo this week to reconnect with the people who intervened when the plane broke down. They also came to Fargo when Andrew was about a year old.

This time, they'll meet the anonymous family whose decision to donate their infant's organs helped De La Pena live. "I have often wondered what happened and if he's OK," said Col. Bob Becklund, who flew the F-4. "And to hear now that he's survived all this and not only that but he's doing great, to be part of that, I'll say is very neat." The families will not be available for interviews until a Tuesday news conference, said Rebecca Ousley, a spokeswoman for LifeSource, a St. Paul-based nonprofit that manages and promotes organ and tissue donation.

The De La Pena family is expected to arrive today and stay through Wednesday, she said. The dramatic flight of Andrew's heart unfolded just before Christmas 1986. According to Forum archives, the Stanford surgical team had boarded the Lear jet at Hector International Airport with the heart, but the jet's second engine wouldn't work. Meanwhile, Sinner was in the governor's residence. He had shut off the phone in his room, so his son-in-law answered when someone called with an urgent request. "Here was this frantic doctor calling from Fargo, saying they need a fast airplane pronto," Sinner said. Sinner offered a Citation, a business jet, from the University of North Dakota. It wasn't fast enough.

"Suddenly I realized we've got F-4s sitting there with crews," he said. At that time, the National Guard's 119th Wing's F-4 Phantoms were on alert, meaning a jet was ready to go.

Sinner dialed Alex Macdonald, who was then adjutant general of the North Dakota National Guard. A few months earlier, Macdonald's son had died in an auto crash, and his organs were donated. "I got a call from the governor that morning at, oh, dark thirty, and he said, 'We've got to get an airplane. We've got to get this heart out to California,' " Macdonald said. They took one of the planes and notified the North American Air Defense Command that they would replace it, Macdonald said. "So we said, 'Go!' " Macdonald said. "And they went." Becklund, now the commander of Fargo's 119th Wing, was a first lieutenant on alert at the base that night. The F-4 is normally operated by a pilot and weapons systems officer. But Becklund flew alone because there wasn't room for both organ and officer.

Becklund flew first to Hill Air Force Base in Utah, where another jet was supposed to meet him for the final leg to California. But the plane didn't show. "I knew one thing for sure. The heart needed to be in California, not in Utah," Becklund said. He landed, refueled and left again within 31 minutes - "lightning fast," Becklund said.

He landed at a naval air station nearest the hospital, where he popped the back canopy and officials grabbed the cooler. The mission was fairly simple, Becklund said. But it was unusual. "I've got to say, this tops it," he said. "There's not another event like this."

Readers can reach Forum reporter Andrea Domaskin at (701) 241-5556

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm...3555a882f42e33c

what a great story! the Happy Hooligans of the NDANG (now flying F-16s) are a great bunch, and obviously always have been. I lived about an hour north of Fargo for 2 years and was able to visit the Hooligans on 2 occasions. Always great guys.

Sadly, in January of 2007 the Happy Hooligans of the NDANG, retired the last of their Vipers, the last ADF A/B model F-16's in active service in the US. The 119th FW is now the 119th Wing as it is transition from their air defence mission to flying C-21's and in the future, Predator UAV's. Lt. Col. Brad Derrig, one of the 4 pilots who took the controls of his F-16 for the final time was quoted to have said "It's emotional. It's the end of an era, but as the military changes, we do what we have to do to remain relevant."

Mike
(with info from F-16.net)

F-16s from the North Dakota ANG's 119th FW get refueled by a 319th ARW KC-135 Stratotanker on January 16th, 2007 over North Dakota during their good-bye flight. [USAF photo by SMSgt. David H. Lipp]

yeah i forgot about that. they are moving up to Grand Forks AFB with the C-21s and Predators. part of the BRAC thingy. almost shut down GFAFB thanks to BRAC. the Predator project saved it from shut down. will always miss the Happy Hooligans of the 119th FW

12 years ago, on June 10th, 1995 - my wife received a Liver transplant at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. Four days later, I was joined on the elevator by two doctors in scrubs carrying a red and white picnic cooler between them. The cooler was labeled 'Human Organ for Transplant' After just having had my wife given back to me by the act of a complete stranger and being aware of what that cooler's contents ment, I know exactly how Col. Becklund felt and I can tell you that something like that will stay with you for ever. Terrific story and one I intend to forward to the local Organ Procurement Organization that we volunteer with.
Thank you,