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And the last hop of the day....And one of the 335th's F-4s becomes the first "Unmanned" F-4 in the Air Force:
Over Central Texas, Southwest of Fort Worth, 1615 Hours Central War Time:
Rambler Flight was headed south, on their second circuit of the Nicaraguan II Corps sector, and it appeared to the aircrews that the constant American air activity over their sector had frightened the Nicaraguan air-defense people into not turning on their radars or opening up with their own flak. Though the East Germans to the West, on the other side of the Brazos River, and the Soviet 32nd Army to the east of I-35W, along with the 4th Guards Tank Army at Hillsboro and points south were a different story. And their EW repeaters bore that out, for radars were up, with SA-4, SA-6, SA-8, and AAA radars, along with the Hillsboro SA-2. Fortunately, none of the Soviet or East German Army air-defense people were willing to shoot at targets outside their sectors, though the Hillsboro SA-2 did, sending the occasional telephone pole-sized SA-2 after aircraft that got too close. And that made Guru none too happy..
,c,,oeWhere's the Weasels?,c,, He grumbled over 512's IC.
,c,,oeJust like a cop,,c,, Goalie, his GIB, replied. ,c,,oeThey're never around when you want one.,c,, That was partially true. Wild Weasels often flew with strike flights, but there weren't enough of them to go around, and today, the Weasels were busy, making sure those flights tasked with Scud hunts didn't have SAMs to worry about. Earlier, the East Germans had sent a few SA-4s east of the river, but a few antiradar shots with HARM or Standard-ARM missiles meant the East Germans were holding such thoughts-along with their fire.
,c,,oeHillsboro at Eleven O'clock,,c,, Kara called from 520. ,c,,oeYou'd think they had Chebrikov himself down there.,c,,
,c,,oeGot it,,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeMusic on, people.,c,, That call was for the flight to turn on their ECM pods.
,c,,oeRoger, Lead,,c,, Kara replied. Sweaty and the others did as well.
,c,,oeOn me,,c,, Guru ordered, and as he put 512 into a right turn to give the SA-2 site a wide berth, the rest of the flight followed. When they got to the river, then he made another turn to the north.
,c,,oeLead, Three,,c,, Sweaty called. ,c,,oeHow much more of this?,c,,
,c,,oeAn hour's worth of fuel, then we can find an opportunity target,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeWe're not bringing this stuff home.,c,,
Rambler Flight headed back north, and only when they got to Lake Granbury and U.S. 377 did they turn around. As they headed back south, a call came over the radio, and the crews saw F-4s, both AF and Marine, rolling in on a target, and large secondary explosions going off. ,c,,oeLook at that!,c,, Goalie said over the IC.
,c,,oeWhoa!,c,, Guru replied. He had an idea who might be responsible. ,c,,oeCorvette Lead, Rambler Lead. You guys having fun?,c,,
,c,,oeCopy that, Boss,,c,, Corvette Lead replied. Everyone in the flight recognized the voice of the Exec, Capt. Mark Ellis. ,c,,oeFound what we came for.,c,,
,c,,oeCorvette, Rambler,,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeSure looks like it. Need a hand?,c,,
,c,,oeNegative, Boss. We and the Jarheads got it under control.,c,,
,c,,oeRoger that, Corvette.,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeSee you back at home plate.,c,, Then Guru led the flight back south.
,c,,oeLead, Sweaty. We still looking for what we're here for?,c,, Sweaty asked.
,c,,oeRoger that, Sweaty.,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeGot some earlier, and the Exec did just now. That's maybe two launch battalions' worth. Anyone know how many battalions in a Scud brigade?,c,,
Kara answered, ,c,,oeThree per brigade, Boss. So we got some more to find.,c,,
,c,,oeCopy that,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeFive, Six: Anything?,c,,
,c,,oeNegative, Lead,,c,, Maj. Dave Golen, their IDF ,c,,oeObserver,c,, replied. He and his wingmate, 1st Lt. Sandi Jenkins, had their GIBs using their AGM-65D missiles as improvised FLIRs.
,c,,oeMaybe the rest of 'em scooted for cover,,c,, Goalie said from the back seat.
,c,,oeMaybe,,c,, said Guru. He wasn't so sure. Then something came to him. ,c,,oeTwo, Lead. You think outside the box a lot. Where would you hide some Scuds if you were in charge of a battalion?,c,,
,c,,oeStand by, Lead,,c,, Kara said. She and Brainiac, her GIB, went over their maps. ,c,,oeLead, how about Cleburne State Park?,c,,
,c,,oeLet's check it out,,c,, Guru replied, and Rambler Flight turned north, then slightly northwest. They buzzed the State Park at Cedar Lake, and found nothing, so he turned the flight south.
All the turning and burning was costing fuel, and the GIBs were doing some quick calculations. ,c,,oeWe've got forty-five minutes' fuel left before we're bingo,,c,, Goalie told Guru. Bingo fuel meant return to base.
,c,,oeCopy that,,c,, Guru replied. He checked his map again as they flew south, back towards Rio Vista and the Scud convoy they had attacked earlier that afternoon. ,c,,oeGot to be around here somewhere.,c,,
,c,,oeMaybe they've found someplace to hide,,c,, Goalie said.
,c,,oeLead, Four,,c,, Scorpion called.
,c,,oeGo, Four,,c,, Guru replied.
,c,,oeHas anyone checked out Lake Whitney? Map says there's a State Park on the east side of the lake.,c,,
,c,,oeDon't think so,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeLet's go.,c,, And he took 512 into a turn to the south, and headed for the lake. ,c,,oeWatch for flak at the dam.,c,,
As the F-4s flew south, they overflew the wreckage of the convoy, and the Nicaraguans were still picking up the pieces. The Nicaraguan commander, a Captain after the battalion's command group had been killed or wounded in the Yanqui air attack earlier, ordered his men to take cover, and not to fire on the aircraft. Much to his relief, no one did, and everyone in the battalion breathed a huge sigh of relief as he did that the aircraft left them alone. Being bombed once in an afternoon was enough. No thanks to those stupid Libyans.....
Rambler Flight got to Lake Whitney, and the town of Whitney. They buzzed the state park and the town, and as they flew over the town, some of the townspeople waved and cheered, not caring about the Soviet garrison, namely, a regiment of the 20th Tank Division from 4th Guards Tank Army.
,c,,oeRadars at Twelve,,c,, Kara called. ,c,,oeThat'll be Waco, I bet.,c,,
,c,,oeAnd MiG country,,c,, Guru noted. ,c,,oeDo a 180, people. Get back north.,c,, And he put 512 into a 180, and headed back north, away from the SAM threat and the MiGs. None of the SA-4 radars belonging to 4th GTA or the divsional-level SAMs fired, though.
,c,,oeNo MiGs? Gee, Lead, I was hoping for a hassle,,c,, Kara said.
,c,,oeNot today,,c,, Guru reminded her-and everyone else. ,c,,oeOnly if they come looking for us.,c,,
,c,,oeToo bad,,c,, Sweaty muttered in her cockpit, making sure it was on the IC and not the radio. And Preacher, in 519's back seat, nodded understanding.
As Rambler Flight headed north, and the aircrews were expecting that they would pay a visit to the Cleburne area so as not to return home with unexpended ordnance, a Soviet missile convoy was pulling into a field southwest of Cleburne. They were from the Third Battalion, 99th Missile Brigade, originally from Krasnodar, and they were relative newcomers to the war in America. The Brigade, a Mobilization-Only unit, had been raised the previous year, and had deployed to Cuba after six months' training in the Ukraine. The Brigade had kicked its heels in Cuba for another six months before being shipped to Mexico, and had only arrived in Texas a month earlier, and it was obvious that things were not going well. They had been assigned to the 2nd Central Front, which had been mauled at a place called Wichita, up in Kansas, and all but the most optimistic of fools knew that the Socialist Bloc forces had gone through a shredder and were lucky to holding what they had. But, still, the Brigade's soldiers did their duty, and in coordination with the Libyans, had executed fire missions earlier that day. Though normal procedure in America was to shoot at night and hide in the daytime, the Brigade Commander felt that keeping the Americans on their toes, and realizing that they could expect to be attacked at any time, it was a risk worth taking. And so, Third Battalion was preparing to set up for a second salvo. Their MAZ-543 TELs, propellant trucks, and missile transporters with reloads were pulling off of this road called F.M. 1224 and into a field. This field had plenty of room to enable the battalion to set up and fire as a unit, instead of dispersing into separate launch sections. A salvo of four R-17s landing on the target nearly simultaneously would be a fitting present to the Imperialists, the Political Officer had said. Though he agreed with the Zampolit, the battalion commander thought these reservists still need the practice.
In her cockpit, Sandi Jenkins was scanning around, while Ken Dahlberg, the GIB, was checking the terrain. She was keeping an eye out for visual threats while flying the aircraft, something that not only the instructors at Kingsley Field had stressed, but the old hands in the squadron did as well. One thing that did stick in her craw was that she and Ken didn't yet have call signs, and though she and the other female pilots and GIBs had long been accepted in the squadron, they still weren't guys. Ken had suggested as her call sign SNAG: Still Not A Guy, and Sandi had laughed at it. Still, if he said it in the O-Club, the squadron might make it official. And if he did....
Then she saw them, ,c,,oeKen, One O'clock and low!,c,,
,c,,oeGot 'em!,c,, Ken replied. ,c,,oeScuds.,c,,
,c,,oeReady to fire, looks like. I'll call it in. You mark the position.,c,,
Guru was scanning the sky ahead and checking his radar repeater when the call came. ,c,,oeLead, Six. Got what we're looking for. Four targets, at the F.M. 1224/Park Road 21 junction. Off the road, Northwest corner.,c,,
,c,,oeCopy that, Six. Any sierra-alpha threat?,c,, That meant surface-to-air defenses.
,c,,oeGun trucks, no missiles,,c,, Sandi replied.
,c,,oeRoger that, Six. Take your rifle shots and orbit. Five, you do the same. Kill any defenses, then hang back. Two, on me. Sweaty, you and Four follow. One pass and haul out, people! Time to go to work.,c,,
Guru pulled 512 into a turn, then turned again. He wanted to make the run south to north, so that if he or anyone else in the flight was hit, they could head straight north and reach the I-20 line and safety. ,c,,oeSet 'em up,,c,, he told Goalie. ,c,,oeEverything in one pass.,c,,
,c,,oeGot it,,c,, Goalie said from the back seat as she worked the weapons controls. ,c,,oeAll set back here.,c,,
Just then, both Dave and Sandi started to take AGM-65 shots and ,c,,oeRifle,c,, calls came over the radio. Then both F-4s pulled away and began to orbit as vehicles down below were burning. Not only had they taken out some bad guys, but the plumes of smoke served to mark the target. ,c,,oeCopy that,,c,, Guru said on the IC. 'Lead's in hot!,c,, He rolled in onto his attack run.
Below, the Soviet battalion commander was actually pleased. For a mobilization-only unit, these soldiers were going about their tasks well. Though it was by rote, with the officers closely supervising their men, the battalion would be ready to execute its fire mission. The missiles had been raised to launch position and fueled, and final checks before launching the weather balloon to get final wind data before launch were underway. Though originally not equipped with air defense assets other than soldiers with Strela-2 (SA-7) missiles, wartime experience had shown the need for missile units to have their own air defense vehicles, and his battalion had a platoon with BTR-152 APCs with ZU-23s mounted on them. Suddenly, one of the AA vehicles opened fire as an F-4 came by, then turned around and fired two missiles, exploding an AA vehicle and a missile reload truck. ,c,,oeAIR ALARM!,c,, He shouted, then he and other officers and soldiers ran for cover.
Okay...Guru thought as he rolled in. Four burning vehicles meant that the target was marked, and that they should have a free ride on the target. Or maybe not....some small-arms fire and even an SA-7 came up, but since the Grail had no all-aspect capability, it wasn't a threat, though if it did fly down an intake or make a freak hit....He put those thoughts aside as he rolled in, lining up a MAZ-543 with erect Scud in his pipper. ,c,,oeSteady....and HACK!,c,, Guru hit the pickle button and twelve Rockeye CBUs came off 512's racks. He leveled off and headed straight north for I-20. ,c,,oeLead's off target.,c,,
The Soviet battalion commander, a Major, watched from a ditch as Guru's F-4 came in and released its ordnance. A frown came over the man's face as the CBUs exploded around and on the missile launcher, taking both vehicle and missile up in a fireball. The fireball also took out a fueling vehicle that hadn't yet gotten clear, and it too, exploded. ,c,,oeMASK!,c,, He shouted as toxic fumes from the missile propellant would be in the smoke.
,c,,oeSHACK!,c,, Goalie called. ,c,,oeWe got it!,c,,
,c,,oeMissile launcher?,c,, Guru asked, though he likely knew that he had.
,c,,oeFour-oh!,c,, Replied Goalie. ,c,,oeAnd a big fireball!,c,,
,c,,oeRighteous, as Preacher would say,,c,, Guru said as he headed north.
Kara in 520 was next. ,c,,oeTwo's in hot!,c,, She saw the explosions left in the CO's wake, She picked up the second launcher and the support vehicles around it, and lined them up in her pipper. And she saw some tracers coming up at her. ,c,,oeToo late, Ivan,,c,, she muttered as she hit her pickle button. ,c,,oeHACK!,c,, Kara called as she pulled away, leaving a dozen Rockeyes in her wake. As she pulled off target, she called. ,c,,oeTwo off safe.,c,,
The Soviet Major and the men who'd taken cover with him heard Kara's F-4 come in, then many small explosions. Then a big one followed, followed by a couple of sympathetic detonations. The battalion commander knew what had happened, but stuck his head up anyway. Another of his precious launchers had gone up-literally, The Major groaned in his mask, then he was suddenly jerked down by the Zampolit. There were more aircraft incoming.
,c,,oeGOT HIM!,c,, Brainiac called
Kara grinned beneath her oxygen mask. ,c,,oeSecondaries?,c,,
,c,,oeBig ones, and then some,,c,, came the reply.
,c,,oeTheir lucky day,,c,, Kara said as she followed the CO out of the target area.
,c,,oeThree's in!,c,, Sweaty called. She and Scorpion had Mark-82 Snakeyes, but they would do the job just the same. Their bombs had the Daisy Cutter fuze extenders, and even a near hit to a Scud TEL would kill the vehicle-and the missile along with it. She saw the damage caused by the Major and Kara, and she picked out one of the two surviving TELs, this one to the east, and lined it up. Ignoring the light tracer fire coming up, Sweaty lined the missile vehicle in her pipper. ,c,,oeStready...and HACK!,c,, She hit her pickle button, and a dozen Mark-82 Snakeye five-hundred pound bombs came off 519's racks. She pulled away, and as she did, an SA-7 flew over the cockpit. ,c,,oeThree's off target.,c,,
In the ditch, the Soviet Major peeked out, and saw Sweaty's F-4 make its run. He saw a dozen bombs come off the aircraft, and he groaned as they landed around and on one of his two remaining TELs. The big MAZ-543 and the missile, which had been elevated for launch, both exploded as shrapnel from the bombs sliced into not only the missile and the TEL, but a pair of missile fuel trucks as well. The Major ignored the muffled call from another officer to get down, and he watched helplessly as another F-4 came in.
,c,,oeRighteous!,c,, Yelled Preacher from 519's back seat. ,c,,oeWe got him!,c,,
Sweaty glanced back and saw a large fireball and a couple of smaller ones. ,c,,oeGood ones,,c,, she noted. ,c,,oeAnyone shooting at us?,c,,
,c,,oeNegative,,c,, Preacher said. ,c,,oeMaybe they got blown up themselves.,c,,
,c,,oeMaybe,,c,, Sweaty replied, remembering the times both Colonel Rivers and Guru had reminded her about threats. Then she headed north, and as she did, she saw one of the Maverick birds fire a missile.
,c,,oeFour in hot!,c,, Scorpion radioed as he rolled in. He saw the last TEL, and immediately selected that as his target. As he rolled in, he noticed one of the two orbiting Phantoms fire a missile, and that Maverick took out somebody who had been firing on Sweaty as she egressed. ,c,,oeNo way, Ivan,,c,, he muttered as he lined up the last TEL in his pipper and hit the pickle button. ,c,,oeHACK!,c,, Twelve more Mark-82s fell onto the Soviet battalion. ,c,,oeFour's off target.,c,,
The Soviet Major watched as Scorpion's F-4 came right over his head, and a dozen bombs came off the aircraft. He ducked, hoping that the bombs would miss, but he never saw the bomb that landed in the ditch, nor felt the blast as it exploded. The Daisy Cutter fuze went off a couple of feet off the ground, and the freak hit in the ditch meant that everyone taking shelter in it was torn apart by blast or shrapnel.....The Major never saw the demise of his last TEL.
,c,,oeGOOD HITS!,c,, Judge cried out from the back seat.
,c,,oeHow good?,c,, Scorpion wanted to know.
,c,,oeBig and good,,c,, Judge said. ,c,,oeReal big boom-booms.,c,,
,c,,oeFair enough,,c,, came the reply as Scorpion's F-4 headed towards the I-20.
,c,,oeLead, Five,,c,, Dave Golen called. ,c,,oeLooks like you got good hits on the targets.,c,,
,c,,oeCopy that,,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeYou and Six take your remaining shots, then get your asses north.,c,,
,c,,oeRoger, Lead,,c,, Golen replied. He and Sandi then went in, picking out remaining vehicles, for each still had two AGM-65s left. They found the remaining reload trucks and sent Mavericks their way, exploding them, then they, too, headed north. ,c,,oeOn our way out,,c,, Golen then called.
,c,,oeRoger that, Five,,c,, Guru said. He looked around and saw Kara's 520 right with him in combat spread, and he knew that Sweaty and Scorpion would be close by. It wasn't long until they reached the I-20 and the FLOT, and only then could they relax. Then they hit the tankers for the post-strike refueling, and as they did, Dave and Sandi joined up. They, too, drank some fuel, then the six-ship headed north.
It was nearly sundown when they arrived back at Sheppard, and as it turned out, they were the last flight in, before the A-6s and F-111s began night ops. They didn't even have to wait in the pattern, as the tower cleared them in for landing. After landing and taxiing off the runway, Goalie said, ,c,,oeLong day.,c,,
,c,,oeIt was, and it's not over. Got some things to talk about with Revlon, Hoser, and KT before it's done.,c,,
Guru replied.
,c,,oeLike, what happened yesterday?,c,,
,c,,oeThat's pretty much it. They're back on the flight schedule tomorrow.,c,, Guru said as he taxied 512 into its revetment. He got the ,c,,oeShut down' signal from his Crew Chief, then nodded. ,c,,oeOne more day, then we get another stand-down.,c,,
,c,,oeLooking forward to that,,c,, Goalie said as she started the post-flight checklist.
They went through the post-flight, then the ground crew brought the crew ladder, and both pilot and GIB dismounted from 512. Sergeant Crowley, the Crew Chief, came over. 'Major, how'd she do?,c,,
,c,,oeKilled some Scuds, Sergeant,,c,, Guru said as he signed the aircraft back over to the CC. ,c,,oeShe's working like a champ, and whatever it is you're doing? Keep it up.,c,,
,c,,oeYes, sir!,c,, Crowley replied. ,c,,oeMajor, word's going around about a stand-down?,c,,
,c,,oeDay after tomorrow. Get caught up on both sleep and maintenance, then the following day? Back to the grind.,c,,
,c,,oeWell, sir, one day off's better than even a half-day.,c,,
,c,,oeIt is that. Get her ready for the morning, Sergeant. We'll be pretty busy.,c,,
,c,,oeYou got it, Major!,c,, Crowley said. ,c,,oeOkay,,c,, he turned to his ground crew. ,c,,oeYou heard the boss! Let's get his bird ready for tomorrow.,c,,
As the ground crew got to work, Goalie came over to Guru. ,c,,oeYou still want to bump him up in the R&R Rotation?,c,,
,c,,oeAfter what they do for us?,c,, Guru asked. ,c,,oeLeast I can do.,c,,
,c,,oeDon't blame you for that,,c,, replied Goalie. ,c,,oeI'd do the same.,c,,
When they got to the edge of the revetment, Kara, Brainiac, and the rest of the flight came over. ,c,,oeWell, Boss, we put the hurt on the bad guys,,c,, Kara said.
,c,,oeWe did,,c,, Sweaty nodded. ,c,,oeBut were they the ones who hit the refugee camp?,c,,
Judge replied. ,c,,oeChances are, we may never know. But even if we didn't, somebody paid for that.,c,,
,c,,oeThat they did,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeCome on, let's get inside and get debriefed.,c,,
The six crews walked over to Squadron Ops, and when they got there, the XO was waiting. ,c,,oeBoss,,c,, Mark Ellis nodded. ,c,,oeGot somebody to see you.,c,,
,c,,oeMark, I'm tired, hungry, and not in the mood for much. I need to debrief, talk to Revlon, Hoser, and KT about yesterday, then get something to eat and drink, get some shut-eye, because in the morning, we're back at it,,c,, Guru said.
'I think you should see this guy. F-111 fella, thinks the Pave Tack pod we got today belongs to him.,c,,
,c,,oeHe have the paperwork?,c,, Guru asked as they went to the briefing room his flight used.
,c,,oeNo.,c,,
,c,,oeThen tell him to shove off,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeAnd come up with the paperwork for us to prove it's ours. Even if it's, well, 'after the fact.',c,,
,c,,oeYou ought to see him anyway,,c,, Ellis insisted. ,c,,oeHe's got the rank.,c,,
,c,,oeWhat's he got?,c,, Guru asked.
,c,,oeMajor.,c,,
,c,,oeOkay, tell him I'll be there in a few minutes. Need to debrief a mission,,c,, Guru said.
,c,,oeGot you.,c,,
Guru and the rest of the flight went into the briefing room, and found the Intelligence Officer, Capt. Darren Licon, waiting. ,c,,oeMajor,,c,, Licon said. ,c,,oeHow'd things go?,c,,
,c,,oeGot what we were down there for,,c,, said Guru, and heads nodded agreement. ,c,,oeLet's get this done.,c,,
They went over the mission, and indicated where the Scuds had been found. As well as Kara's theory as to Scuds hiding in the state parks in the area, of which there were two or three. ,c,,oeI'll pass that along, Licon said. ,c,,oeMaybe we'll get some recon eyes down there, or....,c,, That meant either an RF-4C mission or the unspoken word of SF for some eyes on the ground.
,c,,oeAll right, Darren,,c,, Guru noted. ,c,,oeAnything else?,c,,
,c,,oeNo, sir, other than folks are asking who won the Scud Pool.,c,,
The CO turned to his wingmate. ,c,,oeKara?,c,,
Kara nodded. ,c,,oeI'll announce it in the Club tonight. Fair enough?,c,,
,c,,oeI'll pass the word, sir. Get this stuff off to Tenth Air Force, though....,c,, He indicated the Scud material. ,c,,oeHope we got the ones who put the CBUs on the refugee camp.,c,,
,c,,oeYou, me, and a lot of other people,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeAnything else?,c,,
Licon shook his head. ,c,,oeNo, sir.,c,,
,c,,oeAll right, then. See you in the Club.,c,,
,c,,oeYes, sir,,c,, Licon gathered up his materials, then left the room.
As the Intel left, Guru turned to his crews. ,c,,oeOkay, check your desks, and clear any squadron paperwork. Don't hit the Club until you're finished with that,,c,, he reminded them. ,c,,oeAnything else?,c,,
,c,,oeWho's this F-111 guy Mark said wanted to see you?,c,, Goalie asked.
,c,,oeDon't know, and right now, don't care,,c,, Guru nodded. ,c,,oeNeed to talk with Revlon, Hoser, and KT about yesterday, then check my own desk.,c,,
Sweaty looked at her CO. ,c,,oeAs in what the hell happened?,c,,
,c,,oeRight. And we'll have a memorial service for Razor during the stand-down,,c,,Guru said. He turned to leave the briefing room. ,c,,oeSee you guys in a bit.,c,, He then left and went to his office, still in his flight gear. He found his Exec, along with a Major in a flight suit whose flight jacket betrayed his F-111 origins, though the man's back was turned. ,c,,oeMark.,c,,
,c,,oeBoss,,c,, Ellis said. ,c,,oeHere's the F-111 guy.,c,,
,c,,oeAnd what can I do for you?,c,, Guru asked. ,c,,oeMajor?,c,,
,c,,oeChris Breemer, Major,,c,, the man replied. ,c,,oe524th TFS. And I'd like to know what my pod is doing in your squadron.,c,,
,c,,oe'Your' pod? Excuse me, but you're not the only unit on this base trained and equipped to use Pave Tack,,c,, Guru replied, trying to be polite.
,c,,oeWhat are you talking about?,c,, Breemer asked. To Guru, it meant that the concept of others besides F-111s using the pods hadn't occurred to the man.
,c,,oeI've got crews trained to use Pave Tack, and all of my birds have the ARN-101 DMAS, just like the 301st, 405th, and 450th, the other F-4 wings in Tenth AF,,c,, Guru shot back. ,c,,oeIf you're accusing my unit of scrounging your pod, I'd like some proof. Otherwise...,c,,
,c,,oeYou haven't heard the last of this,,c,, Breemer said angrily.
,c,,oeGot the paperwork?,c,, Guru replied politely. ,c,,oeIf not, then get the hell out of my squadron.,c,,
Breemer glared at him, then stormed out of the squadron office, right past Mark Ellis. ,c,,oeWhat was that all about, Boss?,c,,
,c,,oeF-111 driver who says we stole his Pave Tack pod. Tell me we didn't.,c,, Guru said.
,c,,oeNo, Ross and his people got it, uh, by trading with the Hill Air Logistics Center,,c,, the Exec replied.
,c,,oeOkay, get the paperwork on that. If it doesn't exist?,c,, The CO asked. ,c,,oeCreate it.,c,,
,c,,oeWill do,,c,, Ellis nodded. He knew what the CO wanted, and if things had to be....creatively designed, so be it.
,c,,oeI'll talk to our lost sheep, then if you've got stuff for me, let it wait until then.,c,, Guru said, nodding to Revlon, Hoser, and KT.
,c,,oeGotcha.,c,,
Guru nodded, then motioned to the three who were waiting outside his office. ,c,,oeYou three, come on in. We've got a few things to talk about.,c,,
The three nodded, then followed the CO into his office. They noticed that their CO had not yet gotten out of his flight gear, meaning his G-suit, and he still had his helmet.
,c,,oeOkay, you guys want to have a seat, or....?,c,, Guru asked. He wanted to make this as informal as possible.
All three looked at each other, then Hoser spoke for them. ,c,,oeWe''ll stand, Boss.,c,,
The CO nodded. ,c,,oeWhatever works for you,,c,, he said. ,c,,oeOkay, Revlon?,c,, Guru nodded at 1st. Lt. Julie ,c,,oeRevlon,c,, Cole., who had been shot down a few minutes before Hoser and KT, and her pilot hadn't gotten out. ,c,,oeWhat happened?,c,,
Revlon brushed her cropped brown hair. ,c,,oeMajor, I don't know for sure. Razor rolled in, and was lining up on some armor when we started taking fire. Next thing is, we took a hit to the nose, another round went off next to the front cockpit, then we took two more hits.,c,,
The CO nodded. ,c,,oeDid you try using the rear flight controls?,c,,
,c,,oeCouldn't,,c,, Revlon said. ,c,,oeFire warning light came on, hydraulic light was already on, and so were the others. You know the drill if that happens.,c,,
,c,,oeYeah, you get out,,c,, Guru said, recalling his own shoot-down. ,c,,oeRazor say anything?,c,,
,c,,oeNo, and I tried getting him on the IC. But the ground was coming up, so...,c,,
,c,,oeSo you had no choice but to get out, and chances are, he was either incapacitated or dead,,c,, Guru commented. ,c,,oeWhere'd you land?,c,,
,c,,oeRight near a Soviet motor-rifle regiment, so the Army told me,,c,, Revlon said. ,c,,oeThey never tried to capture me, and why, I have no idea.,c,,
,c,,oeMaybe because they were busy?,c,, Hoser ventured.
Guru looked at him, then nodded. ,c,,oeYou might be right,,c,, he said. ,c,,oeHow long were you on the ground?,c,,
,c,,oeTen minutes, because the Jolly Green and the Cobras were there pretty fast. Like they were on airborne alert or something. Cobras did good in keeping the bad guys away, and wasn't long until I was at their FOL. Then another Jolly comes in with these two.,c,,
The CO looked at Hoser and KT. ,c,,oeAll right, how'd it go with you two?,c,,
Hoser nodded at his flight leader and CO. ,c,,oeRolled in right behind Sweaty. Lined up on some of the guns, close to where Sweaty dropped, and released.,c,,
,c,,oeI was calling out altitude,,c,, KT added. ,c,,oeThen we started taking fire, and that's when we were hit.,c,,
,c,,oeWhat kind of guns?,c,, Guru asked.
,c,,oeMedium-caliber,,c,, Hoser said. ,c,,oeLooked like 57s to me.,c,,
,c,,oeSame here,,c,, KT added.
Guru turned to Revlon. ,c,,oeHow about you? Was the flak 57-mm?,c,,
,c,,oeSeemed like it to me,,c,, Revlon said. ,c,,oeBlack puffs, and that means 57 or higher.,c,,
,c,,oeOkay,,c,, the CO said. ,c,,oeYou said on the radio you took a hit to the nose and had sluggish controls. What else?,c,,
,c,,oeWe were losing fuel, and had to shut down the right engine,,c,, Hoser said. ,c,,oeMade it across the fence, then the warning panel lit up like a Christmas Tree, and it was time to get out.,c,,
,c,,oeAnd we weren't in the chutes that long when the Jolly Green arrived. The Army was coming, too. Several Humvees and Duce-and-a-halfs were coming towards that field. Guess they wanted credit for the rescue or....,c,, added KT.
,c,,oeThey thought you were Russians,,c,, Guru finished. ,c,,oeAnd wanted credit for the capture. Seeing that Jolly Green come for you should've told them otherwise. Wasn't long after you landed that the Jolly landed, right?,c,,
,c,,oeIt wasn't,,c,, Hoser said. First thing we see is the chopper, then the PJ comes over. Got hustled to the chopper right after that.,c,,
,c,,oeSame here,,c,, KT said. ,c,,oeThey loaded us up, then off we went. Got checked out there, then Doc Waters did it again when we got back.,c,,
Guru nodded, then thought for a moment. ,c,,oeOkay, Hoser, you and KT get a new bird. One of the two we just got from Japan, via McClellan. Talk to Van Loan, and he'll assign you the bird.,c,,
,c,,oeWe back on the schedule?,c,, Hoser asked, and KT nodded.
,c,,oeYou are, as of now. Be ready to go tomorrow morning,,c,, Guru said to the pair. ,c,,oeAs for you, Revlon?,c,,
,c,,oeBoss?,c,, Revlon asked. She wasn't sure of the CO's tone of voice.
,c,,oeYou're getting a new pilot. I'm breaking up the other new crew we got today, and you'll be breaking in a new front-seater. First Lieutenant Jodi Taylor is your new pilot. Talk to her tonight at the Club, and break the ice. Go over how she wants to do things, but remind her of this statistic: eighty percent of our losses are people who don't make it to ten missions,,c,, said Guru.
Revlon knew the CO was serious, and that he was speaking from experience. He'd been shot down once, and he had to break in a new GIB. ,c,,oeUnderstood, Boss.,c,,
Guru nodded. ,c,,oeOkay, that it?,c,,
,c,,oeWho won the Scud pool, Boss?,c,, Hoser asked.
,c,,oeKara will announce that tonight in the Club,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeHow's that sound?,c,,
,c,,oeSounds pretty good for somebody,,c,, KT replied.
,c,,oeIt will be,,c,, Guru agreed. ,c,,oeOkay, see you in the Club, and a reminder: Twelve-Hour kicks in for you at 1900, along with everyone else. Got it?,c,,
,c,,oeGot it, Boss,,c,, Hoser said.
,c,,oeOkay,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeThat's it. See you in a bit.,c,,
,c,,oeWill do, Boss.,c,, Hoser said.
As they got ready to leave the office, Guru remembered something. ,c,,oeWait a minute. Revlon? With you and Jodi together, that means we've got an 'unmanned' F-4. First for the squadron, and maybe a first for the Air Force, for all I know. So be careful.,c,,
,c,,oeWhat do you mean by that, Boss?,c,, Revlon asked.
,c,,oeSimple: the STORY light goes on in our visiting reporter's head. When it hits the news wires, and gets broadcast? More reporters will be showing up. If I have to, I'll have Kodak Griffith keep them at arm's length with a bullwhip. If that doesn't work? I'll have Ryan Blanchard and the CSPs keep them away so you two can do your job.,c,,
,c,,oeThanks a heap. Uh, Boss.,c,,
,c,,oeBound to happen sooner or later,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeJust take things in stride, and go with the flow.,c,,
,c,,oeAll anyone can do,,c,, Revlon nodded. ,c,,oeThat all, sir?,c,,
,c,,oeYeah,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeSee you in a few.,c,,
The trio left, and just after they did, Mark Ellis came in. ,c,,oeBoss,,c,, the Exec said. ,c,,oeGot a few things for you.,c,,
,c,,oeLay it on me, Mark. I need to get out of my gear, then get over to the Club,,c,, said the CO.
,c,,oeAircraft status report for MAG-11. We'll have eighteen for the morning.,c,,
,c,,oeShouldn't we have twenty?,c,, Guru asked. ,c,,oeThe two new birds we got today, remember?,c,,
Ellis shook his head. ,c,,oeTwo birds are due for hundred-hour checks, Kev O'Donnell says.,c,, Capt. Kevin O'Donnell was the squadron's maintenance officer.
,c,,oeOkay,,c,, the CO said, signing the form. ,c,,oeWhat else?,c,,
,c,,oeThree new airmen reported today, and one's an ex-PJ. Got busted up in a helo crash, and he couldn't requalify as a PJ, so he's a new medic for Doc,,c,, the XO said.
Nodding, the CO looked at that sheet. ,c,,oeSupply?,c,,
,c,,oeNothing special,,c,, Ellis said. ,c,,oeAnd Ross is still looking for that other....special item.,c,,
,c,,oeGood,,c,, the CO said. ,c,,oeNow, tell Don Van Loan that Hoser and KT are back on the schedule tomorrow, and they get one of the two new birds from Japan. As for the other crew? I'm giving the female pilot to Revlon.,c,,
,c,,oeBoss, that means we'll have an 'unmanned' F-4.,c,, Ellis pointed out.
,c,,oeDon't remind me, but yeah. And thanks to our reporter friends, word will spread pretty fast.,c,,
,c,,oeIt will,,c,, the XO said. ,c,,oeFirst in the squadron, probably in the whole Air Force for all I know. And the media will want to get their bite at 'em.,c,,
,c,,oeNature of the beast,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeI told Revlon that pretty much. Anything else?,c,,
,c,,oeThat's it,,c,, Ellis said. ,c,,oeReady for the Club?,c,,
,c,,oeLet me get out of my gear, then let's go.,c,, Guru said. They left the CO's office, then after Guru stopped by the Locker Room to get out of his flight gear, CO and XO headed over to the Officer's Club tent.
Over Central Texas, Southwest of Fort Worth, 1615 Hours Central War Time:
Rambler Flight was headed south, on their second circuit of the Nicaraguan II Corps sector, and it appeared to the aircrews that the constant American air activity over their sector had frightened the Nicaraguan air-defense people into not turning on their radars or opening up with their own flak. Though the East Germans to the West, on the other side of the Brazos River, and the Soviet 32nd Army to the east of I-35W, along with the 4th Guards Tank Army at Hillsboro and points south were a different story. And their EW repeaters bore that out, for radars were up, with SA-4, SA-6, SA-8, and AAA radars, along with the Hillsboro SA-2. Fortunately, none of the Soviet or East German Army air-defense people were willing to shoot at targets outside their sectors, though the Hillsboro SA-2 did, sending the occasional telephone pole-sized SA-2 after aircraft that got too close. And that made Guru none too happy..
,c,,oeWhere's the Weasels?,c,, He grumbled over 512's IC.
,c,,oeJust like a cop,,c,, Goalie, his GIB, replied. ,c,,oeThey're never around when you want one.,c,, That was partially true. Wild Weasels often flew with strike flights, but there weren't enough of them to go around, and today, the Weasels were busy, making sure those flights tasked with Scud hunts didn't have SAMs to worry about. Earlier, the East Germans had sent a few SA-4s east of the river, but a few antiradar shots with HARM or Standard-ARM missiles meant the East Germans were holding such thoughts-along with their fire.
,c,,oeHillsboro at Eleven O'clock,,c,, Kara called from 520. ,c,,oeYou'd think they had Chebrikov himself down there.,c,,
,c,,oeGot it,,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeMusic on, people.,c,, That call was for the flight to turn on their ECM pods.
,c,,oeRoger, Lead,,c,, Kara replied. Sweaty and the others did as well.
,c,,oeOn me,,c,, Guru ordered, and as he put 512 into a right turn to give the SA-2 site a wide berth, the rest of the flight followed. When they got to the river, then he made another turn to the north.
,c,,oeLead, Three,,c,, Sweaty called. ,c,,oeHow much more of this?,c,,
,c,,oeAn hour's worth of fuel, then we can find an opportunity target,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeWe're not bringing this stuff home.,c,,
Rambler Flight headed back north, and only when they got to Lake Granbury and U.S. 377 did they turn around. As they headed back south, a call came over the radio, and the crews saw F-4s, both AF and Marine, rolling in on a target, and large secondary explosions going off. ,c,,oeLook at that!,c,, Goalie said over the IC.
,c,,oeWhoa!,c,, Guru replied. He had an idea who might be responsible. ,c,,oeCorvette Lead, Rambler Lead. You guys having fun?,c,,
,c,,oeCopy that, Boss,,c,, Corvette Lead replied. Everyone in the flight recognized the voice of the Exec, Capt. Mark Ellis. ,c,,oeFound what we came for.,c,,
,c,,oeCorvette, Rambler,,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeSure looks like it. Need a hand?,c,,
,c,,oeNegative, Boss. We and the Jarheads got it under control.,c,,
,c,,oeRoger that, Corvette.,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeSee you back at home plate.,c,, Then Guru led the flight back south.
,c,,oeLead, Sweaty. We still looking for what we're here for?,c,, Sweaty asked.
,c,,oeRoger that, Sweaty.,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeGot some earlier, and the Exec did just now. That's maybe two launch battalions' worth. Anyone know how many battalions in a Scud brigade?,c,,
Kara answered, ,c,,oeThree per brigade, Boss. So we got some more to find.,c,,
,c,,oeCopy that,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeFive, Six: Anything?,c,,
,c,,oeNegative, Lead,,c,, Maj. Dave Golen, their IDF ,c,,oeObserver,c,, replied. He and his wingmate, 1st Lt. Sandi Jenkins, had their GIBs using their AGM-65D missiles as improvised FLIRs.
,c,,oeMaybe the rest of 'em scooted for cover,,c,, Goalie said from the back seat.
,c,,oeMaybe,,c,, said Guru. He wasn't so sure. Then something came to him. ,c,,oeTwo, Lead. You think outside the box a lot. Where would you hide some Scuds if you were in charge of a battalion?,c,,
,c,,oeStand by, Lead,,c,, Kara said. She and Brainiac, her GIB, went over their maps. ,c,,oeLead, how about Cleburne State Park?,c,,
,c,,oeLet's check it out,,c,, Guru replied, and Rambler Flight turned north, then slightly northwest. They buzzed the State Park at Cedar Lake, and found nothing, so he turned the flight south.
All the turning and burning was costing fuel, and the GIBs were doing some quick calculations. ,c,,oeWe've got forty-five minutes' fuel left before we're bingo,,c,, Goalie told Guru. Bingo fuel meant return to base.
,c,,oeCopy that,,c,, Guru replied. He checked his map again as they flew south, back towards Rio Vista and the Scud convoy they had attacked earlier that afternoon. ,c,,oeGot to be around here somewhere.,c,,
,c,,oeMaybe they've found someplace to hide,,c,, Goalie said.
,c,,oeLead, Four,,c,, Scorpion called.
,c,,oeGo, Four,,c,, Guru replied.
,c,,oeHas anyone checked out Lake Whitney? Map says there's a State Park on the east side of the lake.,c,,
,c,,oeDon't think so,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeLet's go.,c,, And he took 512 into a turn to the south, and headed for the lake. ,c,,oeWatch for flak at the dam.,c,,
As the F-4s flew south, they overflew the wreckage of the convoy, and the Nicaraguans were still picking up the pieces. The Nicaraguan commander, a Captain after the battalion's command group had been killed or wounded in the Yanqui air attack earlier, ordered his men to take cover, and not to fire on the aircraft. Much to his relief, no one did, and everyone in the battalion breathed a huge sigh of relief as he did that the aircraft left them alone. Being bombed once in an afternoon was enough. No thanks to those stupid Libyans.....
Rambler Flight got to Lake Whitney, and the town of Whitney. They buzzed the state park and the town, and as they flew over the town, some of the townspeople waved and cheered, not caring about the Soviet garrison, namely, a regiment of the 20th Tank Division from 4th Guards Tank Army.
,c,,oeRadars at Twelve,,c,, Kara called. ,c,,oeThat'll be Waco, I bet.,c,,
,c,,oeAnd MiG country,,c,, Guru noted. ,c,,oeDo a 180, people. Get back north.,c,, And he put 512 into a 180, and headed back north, away from the SAM threat and the MiGs. None of the SA-4 radars belonging to 4th GTA or the divsional-level SAMs fired, though.
,c,,oeNo MiGs? Gee, Lead, I was hoping for a hassle,,c,, Kara said.
,c,,oeNot today,,c,, Guru reminded her-and everyone else. ,c,,oeOnly if they come looking for us.,c,,
,c,,oeToo bad,,c,, Sweaty muttered in her cockpit, making sure it was on the IC and not the radio. And Preacher, in 519's back seat, nodded understanding.
As Rambler Flight headed north, and the aircrews were expecting that they would pay a visit to the Cleburne area so as not to return home with unexpended ordnance, a Soviet missile convoy was pulling into a field southwest of Cleburne. They were from the Third Battalion, 99th Missile Brigade, originally from Krasnodar, and they were relative newcomers to the war in America. The Brigade, a Mobilization-Only unit, had been raised the previous year, and had deployed to Cuba after six months' training in the Ukraine. The Brigade had kicked its heels in Cuba for another six months before being shipped to Mexico, and had only arrived in Texas a month earlier, and it was obvious that things were not going well. They had been assigned to the 2nd Central Front, which had been mauled at a place called Wichita, up in Kansas, and all but the most optimistic of fools knew that the Socialist Bloc forces had gone through a shredder and were lucky to holding what they had. But, still, the Brigade's soldiers did their duty, and in coordination with the Libyans, had executed fire missions earlier that day. Though normal procedure in America was to shoot at night and hide in the daytime, the Brigade Commander felt that keeping the Americans on their toes, and realizing that they could expect to be attacked at any time, it was a risk worth taking. And so, Third Battalion was preparing to set up for a second salvo. Their MAZ-543 TELs, propellant trucks, and missile transporters with reloads were pulling off of this road called F.M. 1224 and into a field. This field had plenty of room to enable the battalion to set up and fire as a unit, instead of dispersing into separate launch sections. A salvo of four R-17s landing on the target nearly simultaneously would be a fitting present to the Imperialists, the Political Officer had said. Though he agreed with the Zampolit, the battalion commander thought these reservists still need the practice.
In her cockpit, Sandi Jenkins was scanning around, while Ken Dahlberg, the GIB, was checking the terrain. She was keeping an eye out for visual threats while flying the aircraft, something that not only the instructors at Kingsley Field had stressed, but the old hands in the squadron did as well. One thing that did stick in her craw was that she and Ken didn't yet have call signs, and though she and the other female pilots and GIBs had long been accepted in the squadron, they still weren't guys. Ken had suggested as her call sign SNAG: Still Not A Guy, and Sandi had laughed at it. Still, if he said it in the O-Club, the squadron might make it official. And if he did....
Then she saw them, ,c,,oeKen, One O'clock and low!,c,,
,c,,oeGot 'em!,c,, Ken replied. ,c,,oeScuds.,c,,
,c,,oeReady to fire, looks like. I'll call it in. You mark the position.,c,,
Guru was scanning the sky ahead and checking his radar repeater when the call came. ,c,,oeLead, Six. Got what we're looking for. Four targets, at the F.M. 1224/Park Road 21 junction. Off the road, Northwest corner.,c,,
,c,,oeCopy that, Six. Any sierra-alpha threat?,c,, That meant surface-to-air defenses.
,c,,oeGun trucks, no missiles,,c,, Sandi replied.
,c,,oeRoger that, Six. Take your rifle shots and orbit. Five, you do the same. Kill any defenses, then hang back. Two, on me. Sweaty, you and Four follow. One pass and haul out, people! Time to go to work.,c,,
Guru pulled 512 into a turn, then turned again. He wanted to make the run south to north, so that if he or anyone else in the flight was hit, they could head straight north and reach the I-20 line and safety. ,c,,oeSet 'em up,,c,, he told Goalie. ,c,,oeEverything in one pass.,c,,
,c,,oeGot it,,c,, Goalie said from the back seat as she worked the weapons controls. ,c,,oeAll set back here.,c,,
Just then, both Dave and Sandi started to take AGM-65 shots and ,c,,oeRifle,c,, calls came over the radio. Then both F-4s pulled away and began to orbit as vehicles down below were burning. Not only had they taken out some bad guys, but the plumes of smoke served to mark the target. ,c,,oeCopy that,,c,, Guru said on the IC. 'Lead's in hot!,c,, He rolled in onto his attack run.
Below, the Soviet battalion commander was actually pleased. For a mobilization-only unit, these soldiers were going about their tasks well. Though it was by rote, with the officers closely supervising their men, the battalion would be ready to execute its fire mission. The missiles had been raised to launch position and fueled, and final checks before launching the weather balloon to get final wind data before launch were underway. Though originally not equipped with air defense assets other than soldiers with Strela-2 (SA-7) missiles, wartime experience had shown the need for missile units to have their own air defense vehicles, and his battalion had a platoon with BTR-152 APCs with ZU-23s mounted on them. Suddenly, one of the AA vehicles opened fire as an F-4 came by, then turned around and fired two missiles, exploding an AA vehicle and a missile reload truck. ,c,,oeAIR ALARM!,c,, He shouted, then he and other officers and soldiers ran for cover.
Okay...Guru thought as he rolled in. Four burning vehicles meant that the target was marked, and that they should have a free ride on the target. Or maybe not....some small-arms fire and even an SA-7 came up, but since the Grail had no all-aspect capability, it wasn't a threat, though if it did fly down an intake or make a freak hit....He put those thoughts aside as he rolled in, lining up a MAZ-543 with erect Scud in his pipper. ,c,,oeSteady....and HACK!,c,, Guru hit the pickle button and twelve Rockeye CBUs came off 512's racks. He leveled off and headed straight north for I-20. ,c,,oeLead's off target.,c,,
The Soviet battalion commander, a Major, watched from a ditch as Guru's F-4 came in and released its ordnance. A frown came over the man's face as the CBUs exploded around and on the missile launcher, taking both vehicle and missile up in a fireball. The fireball also took out a fueling vehicle that hadn't yet gotten clear, and it too, exploded. ,c,,oeMASK!,c,, He shouted as toxic fumes from the missile propellant would be in the smoke.
,c,,oeSHACK!,c,, Goalie called. ,c,,oeWe got it!,c,,
,c,,oeMissile launcher?,c,, Guru asked, though he likely knew that he had.
,c,,oeFour-oh!,c,, Replied Goalie. ,c,,oeAnd a big fireball!,c,,
,c,,oeRighteous, as Preacher would say,,c,, Guru said as he headed north.
Kara in 520 was next. ,c,,oeTwo's in hot!,c,, She saw the explosions left in the CO's wake, She picked up the second launcher and the support vehicles around it, and lined them up in her pipper. And she saw some tracers coming up at her. ,c,,oeToo late, Ivan,,c,, she muttered as she hit her pickle button. ,c,,oeHACK!,c,, Kara called as she pulled away, leaving a dozen Rockeyes in her wake. As she pulled off target, she called. ,c,,oeTwo off safe.,c,,
The Soviet Major and the men who'd taken cover with him heard Kara's F-4 come in, then many small explosions. Then a big one followed, followed by a couple of sympathetic detonations. The battalion commander knew what had happened, but stuck his head up anyway. Another of his precious launchers had gone up-literally, The Major groaned in his mask, then he was suddenly jerked down by the Zampolit. There were more aircraft incoming.
,c,,oeGOT HIM!,c,, Brainiac called
Kara grinned beneath her oxygen mask. ,c,,oeSecondaries?,c,,
,c,,oeBig ones, and then some,,c,, came the reply.
,c,,oeTheir lucky day,,c,, Kara said as she followed the CO out of the target area.
,c,,oeThree's in!,c,, Sweaty called. She and Scorpion had Mark-82 Snakeyes, but they would do the job just the same. Their bombs had the Daisy Cutter fuze extenders, and even a near hit to a Scud TEL would kill the vehicle-and the missile along with it. She saw the damage caused by the Major and Kara, and she picked out one of the two surviving TELs, this one to the east, and lined it up. Ignoring the light tracer fire coming up, Sweaty lined the missile vehicle in her pipper. ,c,,oeStready...and HACK!,c,, She hit her pickle button, and a dozen Mark-82 Snakeye five-hundred pound bombs came off 519's racks. She pulled away, and as she did, an SA-7 flew over the cockpit. ,c,,oeThree's off target.,c,,
In the ditch, the Soviet Major peeked out, and saw Sweaty's F-4 make its run. He saw a dozen bombs come off the aircraft, and he groaned as they landed around and on one of his two remaining TELs. The big MAZ-543 and the missile, which had been elevated for launch, both exploded as shrapnel from the bombs sliced into not only the missile and the TEL, but a pair of missile fuel trucks as well. The Major ignored the muffled call from another officer to get down, and he watched helplessly as another F-4 came in.
,c,,oeRighteous!,c,, Yelled Preacher from 519's back seat. ,c,,oeWe got him!,c,,
Sweaty glanced back and saw a large fireball and a couple of smaller ones. ,c,,oeGood ones,,c,, she noted. ,c,,oeAnyone shooting at us?,c,,
,c,,oeNegative,,c,, Preacher said. ,c,,oeMaybe they got blown up themselves.,c,,
,c,,oeMaybe,,c,, Sweaty replied, remembering the times both Colonel Rivers and Guru had reminded her about threats. Then she headed north, and as she did, she saw one of the Maverick birds fire a missile.
,c,,oeFour in hot!,c,, Scorpion radioed as he rolled in. He saw the last TEL, and immediately selected that as his target. As he rolled in, he noticed one of the two orbiting Phantoms fire a missile, and that Maverick took out somebody who had been firing on Sweaty as she egressed. ,c,,oeNo way, Ivan,,c,, he muttered as he lined up the last TEL in his pipper and hit the pickle button. ,c,,oeHACK!,c,, Twelve more Mark-82s fell onto the Soviet battalion. ,c,,oeFour's off target.,c,,
The Soviet Major watched as Scorpion's F-4 came right over his head, and a dozen bombs came off the aircraft. He ducked, hoping that the bombs would miss, but he never saw the bomb that landed in the ditch, nor felt the blast as it exploded. The Daisy Cutter fuze went off a couple of feet off the ground, and the freak hit in the ditch meant that everyone taking shelter in it was torn apart by blast or shrapnel.....The Major never saw the demise of his last TEL.
,c,,oeGOOD HITS!,c,, Judge cried out from the back seat.
,c,,oeHow good?,c,, Scorpion wanted to know.
,c,,oeBig and good,,c,, Judge said. ,c,,oeReal big boom-booms.,c,,
,c,,oeFair enough,,c,, came the reply as Scorpion's F-4 headed towards the I-20.
,c,,oeLead, Five,,c,, Dave Golen called. ,c,,oeLooks like you got good hits on the targets.,c,,
,c,,oeCopy that,,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeYou and Six take your remaining shots, then get your asses north.,c,,
,c,,oeRoger, Lead,,c,, Golen replied. He and Sandi then went in, picking out remaining vehicles, for each still had two AGM-65s left. They found the remaining reload trucks and sent Mavericks their way, exploding them, then they, too, headed north. ,c,,oeOn our way out,,c,, Golen then called.
,c,,oeRoger that, Five,,c,, Guru said. He looked around and saw Kara's 520 right with him in combat spread, and he knew that Sweaty and Scorpion would be close by. It wasn't long until they reached the I-20 and the FLOT, and only then could they relax. Then they hit the tankers for the post-strike refueling, and as they did, Dave and Sandi joined up. They, too, drank some fuel, then the six-ship headed north.
It was nearly sundown when they arrived back at Sheppard, and as it turned out, they were the last flight in, before the A-6s and F-111s began night ops. They didn't even have to wait in the pattern, as the tower cleared them in for landing. After landing and taxiing off the runway, Goalie said, ,c,,oeLong day.,c,,
,c,,oeIt was, and it's not over. Got some things to talk about with Revlon, Hoser, and KT before it's done.,c,,
Guru replied.
,c,,oeLike, what happened yesterday?,c,,
,c,,oeThat's pretty much it. They're back on the flight schedule tomorrow.,c,, Guru said as he taxied 512 into its revetment. He got the ,c,,oeShut down' signal from his Crew Chief, then nodded. ,c,,oeOne more day, then we get another stand-down.,c,,
,c,,oeLooking forward to that,,c,, Goalie said as she started the post-flight checklist.
They went through the post-flight, then the ground crew brought the crew ladder, and both pilot and GIB dismounted from 512. Sergeant Crowley, the Crew Chief, came over. 'Major, how'd she do?,c,,
,c,,oeKilled some Scuds, Sergeant,,c,, Guru said as he signed the aircraft back over to the CC. ,c,,oeShe's working like a champ, and whatever it is you're doing? Keep it up.,c,,
,c,,oeYes, sir!,c,, Crowley replied. ,c,,oeMajor, word's going around about a stand-down?,c,,
,c,,oeDay after tomorrow. Get caught up on both sleep and maintenance, then the following day? Back to the grind.,c,,
,c,,oeWell, sir, one day off's better than even a half-day.,c,,
,c,,oeIt is that. Get her ready for the morning, Sergeant. We'll be pretty busy.,c,,
,c,,oeYou got it, Major!,c,, Crowley said. ,c,,oeOkay,,c,, he turned to his ground crew. ,c,,oeYou heard the boss! Let's get his bird ready for tomorrow.,c,,
As the ground crew got to work, Goalie came over to Guru. ,c,,oeYou still want to bump him up in the R&R Rotation?,c,,
,c,,oeAfter what they do for us?,c,, Guru asked. ,c,,oeLeast I can do.,c,,
,c,,oeDon't blame you for that,,c,, replied Goalie. ,c,,oeI'd do the same.,c,,
When they got to the edge of the revetment, Kara, Brainiac, and the rest of the flight came over. ,c,,oeWell, Boss, we put the hurt on the bad guys,,c,, Kara said.
,c,,oeWe did,,c,, Sweaty nodded. ,c,,oeBut were they the ones who hit the refugee camp?,c,,
Judge replied. ,c,,oeChances are, we may never know. But even if we didn't, somebody paid for that.,c,,
,c,,oeThat they did,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeCome on, let's get inside and get debriefed.,c,,
The six crews walked over to Squadron Ops, and when they got there, the XO was waiting. ,c,,oeBoss,,c,, Mark Ellis nodded. ,c,,oeGot somebody to see you.,c,,
,c,,oeMark, I'm tired, hungry, and not in the mood for much. I need to debrief, talk to Revlon, Hoser, and KT about yesterday, then get something to eat and drink, get some shut-eye, because in the morning, we're back at it,,c,, Guru said.
'I think you should see this guy. F-111 fella, thinks the Pave Tack pod we got today belongs to him.,c,,
,c,,oeHe have the paperwork?,c,, Guru asked as they went to the briefing room his flight used.
,c,,oeNo.,c,,
,c,,oeThen tell him to shove off,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeAnd come up with the paperwork for us to prove it's ours. Even if it's, well, 'after the fact.',c,,
,c,,oeYou ought to see him anyway,,c,, Ellis insisted. ,c,,oeHe's got the rank.,c,,
,c,,oeWhat's he got?,c,, Guru asked.
,c,,oeMajor.,c,,
,c,,oeOkay, tell him I'll be there in a few minutes. Need to debrief a mission,,c,, Guru said.
,c,,oeGot you.,c,,
Guru and the rest of the flight went into the briefing room, and found the Intelligence Officer, Capt. Darren Licon, waiting. ,c,,oeMajor,,c,, Licon said. ,c,,oeHow'd things go?,c,,
,c,,oeGot what we were down there for,,c,, said Guru, and heads nodded agreement. ,c,,oeLet's get this done.,c,,
They went over the mission, and indicated where the Scuds had been found. As well as Kara's theory as to Scuds hiding in the state parks in the area, of which there were two or three. ,c,,oeI'll pass that along, Licon said. ,c,,oeMaybe we'll get some recon eyes down there, or....,c,, That meant either an RF-4C mission or the unspoken word of SF for some eyes on the ground.
,c,,oeAll right, Darren,,c,, Guru noted. ,c,,oeAnything else?,c,,
,c,,oeNo, sir, other than folks are asking who won the Scud Pool.,c,,
The CO turned to his wingmate. ,c,,oeKara?,c,,
Kara nodded. ,c,,oeI'll announce it in the Club tonight. Fair enough?,c,,
,c,,oeI'll pass the word, sir. Get this stuff off to Tenth Air Force, though....,c,, He indicated the Scud material. ,c,,oeHope we got the ones who put the CBUs on the refugee camp.,c,,
,c,,oeYou, me, and a lot of other people,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeAnything else?,c,,
Licon shook his head. ,c,,oeNo, sir.,c,,
,c,,oeAll right, then. See you in the Club.,c,,
,c,,oeYes, sir,,c,, Licon gathered up his materials, then left the room.
As the Intel left, Guru turned to his crews. ,c,,oeOkay, check your desks, and clear any squadron paperwork. Don't hit the Club until you're finished with that,,c,, he reminded them. ,c,,oeAnything else?,c,,
,c,,oeWho's this F-111 guy Mark said wanted to see you?,c,, Goalie asked.
,c,,oeDon't know, and right now, don't care,,c,, Guru nodded. ,c,,oeNeed to talk with Revlon, Hoser, and KT about yesterday, then check my own desk.,c,,
Sweaty looked at her CO. ,c,,oeAs in what the hell happened?,c,,
,c,,oeRight. And we'll have a memorial service for Razor during the stand-down,,c,,Guru said. He turned to leave the briefing room. ,c,,oeSee you guys in a bit.,c,, He then left and went to his office, still in his flight gear. He found his Exec, along with a Major in a flight suit whose flight jacket betrayed his F-111 origins, though the man's back was turned. ,c,,oeMark.,c,,
,c,,oeBoss,,c,, Ellis said. ,c,,oeHere's the F-111 guy.,c,,
,c,,oeAnd what can I do for you?,c,, Guru asked. ,c,,oeMajor?,c,,
,c,,oeChris Breemer, Major,,c,, the man replied. ,c,,oe524th TFS. And I'd like to know what my pod is doing in your squadron.,c,,
,c,,oe'Your' pod? Excuse me, but you're not the only unit on this base trained and equipped to use Pave Tack,,c,, Guru replied, trying to be polite.
,c,,oeWhat are you talking about?,c,, Breemer asked. To Guru, it meant that the concept of others besides F-111s using the pods hadn't occurred to the man.
,c,,oeI've got crews trained to use Pave Tack, and all of my birds have the ARN-101 DMAS, just like the 301st, 405th, and 450th, the other F-4 wings in Tenth AF,,c,, Guru shot back. ,c,,oeIf you're accusing my unit of scrounging your pod, I'd like some proof. Otherwise...,c,,
,c,,oeYou haven't heard the last of this,,c,, Breemer said angrily.
,c,,oeGot the paperwork?,c,, Guru replied politely. ,c,,oeIf not, then get the hell out of my squadron.,c,,
Breemer glared at him, then stormed out of the squadron office, right past Mark Ellis. ,c,,oeWhat was that all about, Boss?,c,,
,c,,oeF-111 driver who says we stole his Pave Tack pod. Tell me we didn't.,c,, Guru said.
,c,,oeNo, Ross and his people got it, uh, by trading with the Hill Air Logistics Center,,c,, the Exec replied.
,c,,oeOkay, get the paperwork on that. If it doesn't exist?,c,, The CO asked. ,c,,oeCreate it.,c,,
,c,,oeWill do,,c,, Ellis nodded. He knew what the CO wanted, and if things had to be....creatively designed, so be it.
,c,,oeI'll talk to our lost sheep, then if you've got stuff for me, let it wait until then.,c,, Guru said, nodding to Revlon, Hoser, and KT.
,c,,oeGotcha.,c,,
Guru nodded, then motioned to the three who were waiting outside his office. ,c,,oeYou three, come on in. We've got a few things to talk about.,c,,
The three nodded, then followed the CO into his office. They noticed that their CO had not yet gotten out of his flight gear, meaning his G-suit, and he still had his helmet.
,c,,oeOkay, you guys want to have a seat, or....?,c,, Guru asked. He wanted to make this as informal as possible.
All three looked at each other, then Hoser spoke for them. ,c,,oeWe''ll stand, Boss.,c,,
The CO nodded. ,c,,oeWhatever works for you,,c,, he said. ,c,,oeOkay, Revlon?,c,, Guru nodded at 1st. Lt. Julie ,c,,oeRevlon,c,, Cole., who had been shot down a few minutes before Hoser and KT, and her pilot hadn't gotten out. ,c,,oeWhat happened?,c,,
Revlon brushed her cropped brown hair. ,c,,oeMajor, I don't know for sure. Razor rolled in, and was lining up on some armor when we started taking fire. Next thing is, we took a hit to the nose, another round went off next to the front cockpit, then we took two more hits.,c,,
The CO nodded. ,c,,oeDid you try using the rear flight controls?,c,,
,c,,oeCouldn't,,c,, Revlon said. ,c,,oeFire warning light came on, hydraulic light was already on, and so were the others. You know the drill if that happens.,c,,
,c,,oeYeah, you get out,,c,, Guru said, recalling his own shoot-down. ,c,,oeRazor say anything?,c,,
,c,,oeNo, and I tried getting him on the IC. But the ground was coming up, so...,c,,
,c,,oeSo you had no choice but to get out, and chances are, he was either incapacitated or dead,,c,, Guru commented. ,c,,oeWhere'd you land?,c,,
,c,,oeRight near a Soviet motor-rifle regiment, so the Army told me,,c,, Revlon said. ,c,,oeThey never tried to capture me, and why, I have no idea.,c,,
,c,,oeMaybe because they were busy?,c,, Hoser ventured.
Guru looked at him, then nodded. ,c,,oeYou might be right,,c,, he said. ,c,,oeHow long were you on the ground?,c,,
,c,,oeTen minutes, because the Jolly Green and the Cobras were there pretty fast. Like they were on airborne alert or something. Cobras did good in keeping the bad guys away, and wasn't long until I was at their FOL. Then another Jolly comes in with these two.,c,,
The CO looked at Hoser and KT. ,c,,oeAll right, how'd it go with you two?,c,,
Hoser nodded at his flight leader and CO. ,c,,oeRolled in right behind Sweaty. Lined up on some of the guns, close to where Sweaty dropped, and released.,c,,
,c,,oeI was calling out altitude,,c,, KT added. ,c,,oeThen we started taking fire, and that's when we were hit.,c,,
,c,,oeWhat kind of guns?,c,, Guru asked.
,c,,oeMedium-caliber,,c,, Hoser said. ,c,,oeLooked like 57s to me.,c,,
,c,,oeSame here,,c,, KT added.
Guru turned to Revlon. ,c,,oeHow about you? Was the flak 57-mm?,c,,
,c,,oeSeemed like it to me,,c,, Revlon said. ,c,,oeBlack puffs, and that means 57 or higher.,c,,
,c,,oeOkay,,c,, the CO said. ,c,,oeYou said on the radio you took a hit to the nose and had sluggish controls. What else?,c,,
,c,,oeWe were losing fuel, and had to shut down the right engine,,c,, Hoser said. ,c,,oeMade it across the fence, then the warning panel lit up like a Christmas Tree, and it was time to get out.,c,,
,c,,oeAnd we weren't in the chutes that long when the Jolly Green arrived. The Army was coming, too. Several Humvees and Duce-and-a-halfs were coming towards that field. Guess they wanted credit for the rescue or....,c,, added KT.
,c,,oeThey thought you were Russians,,c,, Guru finished. ,c,,oeAnd wanted credit for the capture. Seeing that Jolly Green come for you should've told them otherwise. Wasn't long after you landed that the Jolly landed, right?,c,,
,c,,oeIt wasn't,,c,, Hoser said. First thing we see is the chopper, then the PJ comes over. Got hustled to the chopper right after that.,c,,
,c,,oeSame here,,c,, KT said. ,c,,oeThey loaded us up, then off we went. Got checked out there, then Doc Waters did it again when we got back.,c,,
Guru nodded, then thought for a moment. ,c,,oeOkay, Hoser, you and KT get a new bird. One of the two we just got from Japan, via McClellan. Talk to Van Loan, and he'll assign you the bird.,c,,
,c,,oeWe back on the schedule?,c,, Hoser asked, and KT nodded.
,c,,oeYou are, as of now. Be ready to go tomorrow morning,,c,, Guru said to the pair. ,c,,oeAs for you, Revlon?,c,,
,c,,oeBoss?,c,, Revlon asked. She wasn't sure of the CO's tone of voice.
,c,,oeYou're getting a new pilot. I'm breaking up the other new crew we got today, and you'll be breaking in a new front-seater. First Lieutenant Jodi Taylor is your new pilot. Talk to her tonight at the Club, and break the ice. Go over how she wants to do things, but remind her of this statistic: eighty percent of our losses are people who don't make it to ten missions,,c,, said Guru.
Revlon knew the CO was serious, and that he was speaking from experience. He'd been shot down once, and he had to break in a new GIB. ,c,,oeUnderstood, Boss.,c,,
Guru nodded. ,c,,oeOkay, that it?,c,,
,c,,oeWho won the Scud pool, Boss?,c,, Hoser asked.
,c,,oeKara will announce that tonight in the Club,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeHow's that sound?,c,,
,c,,oeSounds pretty good for somebody,,c,, KT replied.
,c,,oeIt will be,,c,, Guru agreed. ,c,,oeOkay, see you in the Club, and a reminder: Twelve-Hour kicks in for you at 1900, along with everyone else. Got it?,c,,
,c,,oeGot it, Boss,,c,, Hoser said.
,c,,oeOkay,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeThat's it. See you in a bit.,c,,
,c,,oeWill do, Boss.,c,, Hoser said.
As they got ready to leave the office, Guru remembered something. ,c,,oeWait a minute. Revlon? With you and Jodi together, that means we've got an 'unmanned' F-4. First for the squadron, and maybe a first for the Air Force, for all I know. So be careful.,c,,
,c,,oeWhat do you mean by that, Boss?,c,, Revlon asked.
,c,,oeSimple: the STORY light goes on in our visiting reporter's head. When it hits the news wires, and gets broadcast? More reporters will be showing up. If I have to, I'll have Kodak Griffith keep them at arm's length with a bullwhip. If that doesn't work? I'll have Ryan Blanchard and the CSPs keep them away so you two can do your job.,c,,
,c,,oeThanks a heap. Uh, Boss.,c,,
,c,,oeBound to happen sooner or later,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeJust take things in stride, and go with the flow.,c,,
,c,,oeAll anyone can do,,c,, Revlon nodded. ,c,,oeThat all, sir?,c,,
,c,,oeYeah,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeSee you in a few.,c,,
The trio left, and just after they did, Mark Ellis came in. ,c,,oeBoss,,c,, the Exec said. ,c,,oeGot a few things for you.,c,,
,c,,oeLay it on me, Mark. I need to get out of my gear, then get over to the Club,,c,, said the CO.
,c,,oeAircraft status report for MAG-11. We'll have eighteen for the morning.,c,,
,c,,oeShouldn't we have twenty?,c,, Guru asked. ,c,,oeThe two new birds we got today, remember?,c,,
Ellis shook his head. ,c,,oeTwo birds are due for hundred-hour checks, Kev O'Donnell says.,c,, Capt. Kevin O'Donnell was the squadron's maintenance officer.
,c,,oeOkay,,c,, the CO said, signing the form. ,c,,oeWhat else?,c,,
,c,,oeThree new airmen reported today, and one's an ex-PJ. Got busted up in a helo crash, and he couldn't requalify as a PJ, so he's a new medic for Doc,,c,, the XO said.
Nodding, the CO looked at that sheet. ,c,,oeSupply?,c,,
,c,,oeNothing special,,c,, Ellis said. ,c,,oeAnd Ross is still looking for that other....special item.,c,,
,c,,oeGood,,c,, the CO said. ,c,,oeNow, tell Don Van Loan that Hoser and KT are back on the schedule tomorrow, and they get one of the two new birds from Japan. As for the other crew? I'm giving the female pilot to Revlon.,c,,
,c,,oeBoss, that means we'll have an 'unmanned' F-4.,c,, Ellis pointed out.
,c,,oeDon't remind me, but yeah. And thanks to our reporter friends, word will spread pretty fast.,c,,
,c,,oeIt will,,c,, the XO said. ,c,,oeFirst in the squadron, probably in the whole Air Force for all I know. And the media will want to get their bite at 'em.,c,,
,c,,oeNature of the beast,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeI told Revlon that pretty much. Anything else?,c,,
,c,,oeThat's it,,c,, Ellis said. ,c,,oeReady for the Club?,c,,
,c,,oeLet me get out of my gear, then let's go.,c,, Guru said. They left the CO's office, then after Guru stopped by the Locker Room to get out of his flight gear, CO and XO headed over to the Officer's Club tent.
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