Fighter Jet Flyover Dazzles East Bay Residents

Pinole, Hercules, El Sobrante, CA — You heard them before you saw them.

The scream of fighter jet engines is distinct from other jets rumbling through the skies of the Bay Area. This was no ordinary flight, but a squadron of four F-15C Eagle jets from the California Air National Guard's 144th Fighter Wing.

They were on a mission to honor first responders in the Bay Area, along the Central Coast, at the state capital, and in the Central Valley.

With cameras trained on grey skies, residents stood outside waiting for the flyover — some cheering with delight as the planes approached, as others playfully shouted at the skies about social distancing.

Patch asked for photos, and boy did you deliver. We received dozens of photos and videos. Unfortunately, the videos are a format that we cannot share, but we offer screen shots of some.

A few of the photos show jets barely visible above rooftops, while some were snapped as they passed directly overhead.

Judging by the looks on the faces of some of the children, there will be dreams tonight of becoming pilots when they grow up. One child excitedly exclaimed on a video, "My wish came true!"

Thank you for participating by submitting photos and videos!

As for the F-15 pilots, Wednesday's flight will count toward their monthly air time requirement to keep their skills sharp.

The 144th Fighter Wing is based in Fresno.

Photo thanks to Charnjit Bal, Brad, Andrea Marie Brisco, Nathan Dingel, Charla Giles, Vicki Heavin, Jennifer Rathjen, Jahnavi Reddy, Anne Straw, Kaymann L. Woo, and many photographers who chose to remain anonymous.

Video thanks to Brad, Scott Carpenter, Monica Dani, Diana Haney, Heidi Michelson Hogan, Isabel Mariano, Suzy Masukawa, Jahnavi Reddy, Kimberly Rogers, Kalisi Toki, and photographers who chose to remain anonymous.

If you would like to add a fighter jet photo or video, click on your favorite social media icon to the left of the main photo above, and add your contribution for readers to enjoy.

Other photos of events and places in our area are always welcome at Patch. Email them in jpg format to autumn.johnson@patch.com.