Lance,
I work with a couple guys who are Guard "Pukes" that were on duty on 9-11. The stories are amazing.
Their F-16 unit is in the northeast somewhere close to NYC and this guys was just firing up his motor when the word came in. They shut down only to get word to get "everything they had into the air ASAP." One guy coming back in was told to climb back to a loiter altitude until he bingoed. They launched three planes, one a hot turn with no armament and two others with missiles. They assumed the missiles would be for a foreign aircraft. They were stunned to hear they were for American airliners. The one guy with no armament got briefied over the radio and made plans to eject just prior to ramming the airliner with his fighter.
Amazing stuff.
PT