We talkin’ tactical air-to-air superiority? Fuhgeddaboudit.
The New Jersey Air National Guard recently christened one of its F-16Cs with a new name: “Jersey Jerk.”
The name is not an ode to drivers on the Garden State Parkway, but rather is an homage to a state aviation legend and bonafide hero. The aircraft honors retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Donald Strait, a World War II fighter ace, Silver Star recipient, and the first New Jersey Air National Guard officer to be promoted to two-star general, according to a news release from the 177th Fighter Wing.
The aircraft arrived at Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, New Jersey, on Dec. 5, and it will serve as the dedicated flagship for the 119th Fighter Squadron, the news release says. The plane was named just as a series of drone sightings over New Jersey are reminding the American public how important the national air defense mission is.
In World War II, Strait flew both a P-47 Thunderbolt and a P-51 Mustang that were named “Jersey Jerk.” According to the 177th’s unit historian, Strait wanted to name his plane “Jersey Bounce” after the popular 1942 song, but another plane already had the name.
“His crew chief said, ‘Any guy that would take off in a single-engine airplane, cross the North Sea in the wintertime and take a chance of getting shot by the Luftwaffe or by anti-aircraft fire has got to be a jerk,’” said Richard Porcelli, the 177th’s historian. “And Strait said ‘Yeah, you’re right.”
Ultimately, Strait flew 122 missions and was credited with 13.5 kills. He is one of just two National Guard pilots to become an ace during World War II. He returned to active duty for the Korean War, Cuban Missile Crisis, and Vietnam War.
“A fighter squadron flagship is a source of unity, pride and strength,” Lt. Col. Michael Long, 119th Fighter Squadron commander, said in the news release. “To have our new 119th FS flagship carry the name ‘Jersey Jerk’ is an absolute honor and will serve as a constant reminder of just how great this fighter squadron is.”
Strait retired from the Air Force in 1978 and was inducted into the New Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame in 1989. He died in 2015.
“He is integral to the history of the Jersey Guard and the 119th,” Long said. “So to have this flagship and to bring back the Jersey Jerk is really a tribute to him.”
In addition to the Silver Star, Strait’s military awards include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with 14 Oak Leaf Clusters, and Presidential Unit Citation (Airborne Invasion of Holland), according to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
“I really believe that much of our unit’s greatness is built on Strait’s back and the work he did before us,” Long said. “It’s important for us to never forget from where we came.”