HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii -- The last two F-15 Eagles returned from their final flights for the Hawaii Air National Guard at Hickam Air Force Base Wednesday.

F-15s were first introduced in the mid 1970s. The two pilots who flew the last sorties Wednesday were in grade school when the planes were brand-new.

“In 1975 I guess I'd be 7 years old. That would put me in the first or second grade,” said Lt. Col Mark “Odie” Ladtkow, as he climbed down from his last flight in an F-15.

“Oh gosh, '75, I was six years old. My stepfather is a fighter pilot, I grew up in a household where we lived and spoke being a pilot growing up on him had a huge impact on me wanting to be a pilot,” said Lt. Col. James “Saw” Sage.

F-15 fighter jets patrolled the skies above Hawaii after 9/11. They enforced the No-Fly Zone over Northern Iraq, after the Gulf War. They escorted Air Force One when presidents came to Hawaii, and for many years Honolulu residents have seen and heard them thundering away from Hickam on training flights.

In 2008, a pilot safely ejected and an F-15 crashed in the ocean south of Oahu. The planes were grounded for a time due to a structural problem, but later cleared to fly again.

On Wednesday, the pilots had a sense of history.

“I'm just so proud to be part of the team and be on the last flight. It really means a lot to me. I'm honored to be given that opportunity, said Sage.

“For the last 18 years I've been flying this bird almost 3,000 hours worth, and she has never ever treated me wrong, always brought me home safe,” Ladtkow said.

Two new F-22 Raptors are already in Hawaii. The Air National Guard will eventually get 20 of the new jets, which cost $361 million each.

“Just like saying goodbye to a good friend. I'm really eager to meet the new friend. I'm ready fly the F-22 and I can't wait to get started on that airframe,” said Sage.

The retiring F-15s will either be sent to an airplane "boneyard" in Arizona, or some will be sent to training units at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

The Hawaii Air National Guard pilots will begin training next month to fly the new F-22. That flight training takes four months.