The Atlantic City skyline in New Jersey is defined by its massive casino hotels lining the boardwalk along the Atlantic Ocean. On the other side of town, in Egg Harbor Township, lies Atlantic City Air National Guard Base (ANGB). This is the home of the 177th Fighter Wing, known as “The Jersey Devils.” To learn more about this unit, we visited Atlantic City ANGB in September 2024.

The 119th Fighter Squadron
The 119th is the group’s flying squadron. Their slogan, “Burn ‘em,” is a tribute to the squadron’s mascot, the Jersey Devil. As the legend goes, the Jersey Devil is one of America’s most enduring pieces of folklore, having haunted the Pine Barrens of New Jersey for nearly 300 years. Currently, the 119th operates Block 30 F-16Cs that have been modernized to an F-16C++ configuration.

Atlantic City Air National Guard Base
Due to its location, the base is a vital strategic site for maintaining air superiority in the Northeastern United States. Major metropolitan areas such as Baltimore, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. are all within close proximity to the base. Consequently, the Jersey Devils keep a number of F-16s on 24/7 alert status, 365 days a year, ready to scramble at a moment’s notice.

Our article about the 119th FS at Atlantic City ANGB is published in the March 2025 issue of Full Stop Magazine