U.S. Air Force Capt. Jason Piper, 79th Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot, embraces his wife Courtney Piper after returning home to Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., April 25, 2012. 79th Fighter Squadron returned home after a seven month deployment to Iraq, where they provided top cover for the last convoys to leave Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tabatha McCarthy/released)

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Jets from the 79th Fighter Squadron landed at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., on April 25, 2012. The 79th FS returned home after a seven-month deployment to Iraq, where they provided top cover for the last convoys to leave Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tabatha McCarthy/released)

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Jets from the 79th Fighter Squadron taxi down the flightline at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., April 25, 2012. The 79th FS returned home after a seven-month deployment to Iraq, where they provided top cover for the last convoys to leave Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tabatha McCarthy/released

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U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Jacob Allen, a F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot assigned to the 79th Fighter Squadron kisses his wife Jessie Allen upon returning home from a seven-month deployment to Iraq, Jacob, along with the rest of the 79th FS provided top cover for the last convoys to leave Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tabatha McCarthy/released)

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U.S. Air Force Maj. Andy Pitts, an F-16 pilot currently assigned to the 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. holds his daughter Madeline Pitts immediatley after returning home to Shaw on April 25, 2012. The 79th FS just completed a seven-month deployment to Iraq, where they provided top cover for the last convoys to leave Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tabatha McCarthy/released)

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79th Fighter Squadron F-16s return home

Published April 30, 2012
By Senior Airman Tabatha McCarthy
20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. - Several F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots from the 79th Fighter Squaron returned from a seven-month deployment April 25 and 26 on the Shaw Air Force Base flightline. The squadron flew the last two combat Air Force aircraft over Iraq providing top cover for the last convoys leaving the country. The Tiger Aircraft Maintenance Unit arrived at Shaw along with the remaining members of the 79th on April 28, 2012.