Semi-OT: Red Dawn fan fic

[Matt Wiser]

Fellows, something you don't see much in T2K: fact sheets on warships: The USN's "one-off" nuclear cruisers in the Red Dawn timeline:


The U.S. Navy's ,c,,oeOne-off,c,, Nuclear Cruisers in World War III



The U.S. Navy had three ,c,,oeone-off,c,, nuclear-powered Guided Missile Cruisers operational upon the outbreak of the Third World War in 1985, and all three saw extensive war service. From escorting convoys, to providing anti-air warfare and ASW protection for carrier battle groups or amphibious forces, the three cruisers performed as well as their conventionally powered cousins. All three cruisers survived the war, and were retired in the 1990s.


U.S.S. Long Beach (CGN-9): The world's first nuclear-powered surface warship, and the first surface warship constructed with guided missiles as the main battery. She was commissioned in 1961, and saw service in the Vietnam War. She had completed an overhaul from 1981-83 at the Bremerton Navy Yard, and was active in the Pacific Fleet on the outbreak of war.

Long Beach was at \Naval Base San Diego when hostilities began, preparing for workups prior to a scheduled WestPac deployment in May, 1986. After recalling as many crew as possible who were on leave, and taking on crew from two other ships that were in port for yard periods, the ship sailed on 5 September 1985, setting course for a rendezvous with the carrier Kitty Hawk and her battle group. She performed the role of AAW escort, defending the ship against two Backfire strikes during operations against Soviet forces in Alaska. During these operations, Long Beach became the battle group's primary AAW ship after the sinking of the cruiser U.S.S Horne (CG-30) after the second Backfire attack.

After a brief yard period, Long Beach returned to sea with the Kitty Hawk group, and participated in the Battle of Puget Sound. She assisted in the sinking of the Soviet Echo-II class submarine K-557 during the battle, and after, provided AAW cover to destroyers and frigates in the mop-up phase, dealing with Soviet stragglers. Long Beach engaged and sank the damaged Soviet cruiser Admiral Fokin (Kynda-class CG) with Harpoon SSMs after the Soviet ship was caught by air attack by aircraft from Kitty Hawk. She also covered the mop-up phase on the San Juan Islands before rejoining the carrier group.

In October, 1986, Long Beach was with Kitty Hawk when she was attacked by a three-regiment Backfire strike and seriously damaged. Though the carrier survived, she limped into San Diego with all four catapults knocked out, her hangar largely burned out, and one elevator wrecked. Long Beach was not damaged in the attack, and she escorted the carrier back to San Diego, where Kitty Hawk was declared a Constructive Total Loss and later scrapped.

With Kitty Hawk knocked out of the war, Long Beach was reassigned as part of an ASW group with the amphibious carrier Pelileu, which embarked ASW helicopters in the Sea Control Ship role, and primarily worked the convoy routes between Japan, South Korea, and the West Coast. During her convoy duty, she defended convoys from Backfire attack and also provided ASW support, taking part in the sinkings of three Soviet submarines; the November-class SSN K-42 on Christmas Day, 1986; the Foxtrot-class SS B-85 on 20 March 1987, and the Echo II-class SSGN K-94 on 8 June, 1987.

After eight months of convoy duty, Long Beach went into San Diego for a yard period, and after receiving the ,c,,oeFem Mods,c,, for female officers and crew, she returned to duty, being assigned to the Enterprise Carrier Battle Group. Long Beach participated in the carrier group's actions against the Soviet Far East and Occupied Alaska, taking part in the Kamchatka and Kurils raids, successfully defending the carrier against a strike by Backfire and Badger bombers, as well as firing Tomahawk TLAM-C and -D cruise missiles against targets in the Kamchatka Peninsula.

Long Beach then supported the carrier group's operations against Alaska, and covered the arrival of American ground forces into Alaska following the surrender of Soviet forces in the Northern Theater in October, 1989. Her next combat was during Operation FORAGER II, the liberation of Guam, before returning to San Diego in January, 1990.

One final WestPac deployment followed in 1991-2, before returning to San Diego. At that time, a decision had to be made as to whether to keep her in service as another nuclear fueling would be needed in 1994. Given the new cruiser construction underway to replace wartime attrition, the age of her nuclear power plant, and the worn out condition of the ship, it was decided to retire the ship. Long Beach was decommissioned at Bremerton Navy Yard on 9 September 1994, the thirty-third anniversary of her original commissioning. She has since been defueled and after nuclear components removed, sold for scrap.


Displacement: 14,200 tons standard, 17,100 tons full load.

Length: 721.5 feet.

Beam: 73 A, feet.

Draft: 29 feet

Propulsion: Four GE steam turbines with 80,000 shp; 2 shafts.

Reactors: Two Westinghouse C1W PWR.

Speed: 30+ knots.

Crew: 958 (65 officers, 893 enlisted), plus a Marine detachment (1 officer and 44 enlisted).

Helicopters: Landing area only for VERTREP.

Missiles; Two twin Mark 10 Mod 2 launchers for Standard-2 ER and Terrier BT-N (nuclear) SAMs

Two quad Mark 141 Harpoon launchers

Two quad Mark 143 Tomahawk ABL.

Guns: Two single 5-inch 38 DP Mark 30

Two 20-mm Phalanx CIWS

Several pintle mounts for .50 caliber machine guns or Mark-19 Grenade Launchers.

ASW Weapons: One eight-cell ASROC launcher Mark 16 (no reloads)

Two triple Mark-32 ASW torpedo tubes.

Radars:

SPS-48C 3-D Search

SPS-49 Air Search

SPS-67 Surface Search

Sonar: SQQ-23 keel mounted.

Fire Control: One SWG-2(V)5 Tomahawk FCS

One Mark 14 weapon-direction system

Two Mark 56 GFCS with Mk 35 radar

Four Mark 76 Missile FCS

One Mark 111 ASW FCS

Two SPG-49B radars

Four SPG-55B radars

Two SPW-2B radars

EW: One SLQ-32(V)3



U.S.S. Bainbridge (CGN-25)


U.S.S. Bainbridge was the U.S. Navy's third nuclear-powered surface ship, commissioned in October, 1962. A ,c,,oedouble-end,c,, ship, with missile launchers fore and aft, she had no 5-inch gun or helicopter support capability. She was in the Pacific Fleet when war began, having just emerged from a two-year modernization and refueling at Bremerton Navy Yard, and was actually at sea off Northern California when word came of the outbreak of war. She proceeded to a point off of San Francisco Bay, and proceeded to conduct anti-submarine operations. Bainbridge scored one of the Pacific Fleet's first kills, when on 5 September, 1985, she used ASROC to sink the Foxtrot-class SS B-143, 75 miles off the Golden Gate. She then formed up with the Carl Vinson Carrier Battle Group, and provided AAW and ASW screening to the carrier.

Bainbridge screened the carrier for the remainder of 1985-6, and participated in the Battle of Puget Sound, as well as raids against Occupied Alaska and the Kamchatka Peninsula. During Puget Sound, she provided AAW screening, serving as AAW ,c,,oeGatekeeper,c,, to the carrier, and successfully defended the carrier against a Backfire strike, in company with the AEGIS cruiser Vincennes. During the mop-up, Bainbridge remained with the carrier, and contributed to the sinking of the Victor-I SSN K-370, in cooperation with SH-3 helicopters from the carrier.

After a yard period in San Diego, where the ,c,,oeFem Mods,c,, were added, Bainbridge returned to sea, working as part of an ASW group centered on the amphibious assault ship Okinawa, providing ASW cover to convoys on the Trans-Pacific route. She was involved when the Okinawa group was attacked by the Charlie-I class SSGN K-212 on 27 February, 1987, north of Marcus Island, and Okinawa was hit by two SS-N-7 Starbright SSMs. Bainbridge continued to provide AAW screening while other ships picked up survivors from the burning ship. Just as the last escort moved away with survivors, the Akula-I SSN K-284 closed in and fired a Type-65 torpedo to send Okinawa to the bottom.

After returning to San Diego, Bainbridge was reassigned to the Constellation Battle Group, and remained with the carrier for the remainder of the war. She took part in raids on Alaska, Kamchatka, and the Kuriles, as well as covering the movement of forces to take the Soviet surrender in Alaska after the Armistice. Duing these operations, she sank two Soviet submarines: the Echo-I SSN K-259 on 11 August 1988, and she settled an old score, sinking the K-212 on 24 June 1989. Bainbridge was then assigned to provide AAW support for the amphibious forces taking part in Operation FORAGER II, the liberation of Guam, before returning to San Diego in March, 1990.

Bainbridge then transferred to the Atlantic Fleet, going via WestPac in June, 1991. During this cruise, she supported the cruiser Salem on an anti-piracy patrol, while also ,c,,oeshowing the flag,c,, in a cruise along the African coast, and through Suez into the Mediterranean. Her final cruise was in January, 1993, with a Sixth Fleet deployment and anti-piracy operations off of East Africa.

When she returned, the question of an overhaul and refueling arose, and, as with Long Beach, new cruiser construction, the age of the nuclear power plant, and the fact that the ship was worn out after over thirty years' service meant that retirement was the best option. After a cruise to West Africa, Brazil, and the Caribbean, the decision was taken to retire the ship. Accordingly, Bainbridge was decommissioned on 22 September, 1996, and after defueling and being stripped of nuclear components, was scrapped.



Displacement: 7,700 tons standard, 8,580 full load

Length: 565 feet

Beam: 56 feet

Draft: 29 feet

Propulsion: Two steam turbines for 60,000 SHP, two shafts.

Reactors: 2 GE D2G PWR

Speed: 30 knots

Crew: 556 (42 officers, 516 enlisted)

Helicopter: VERTREP area only

Missiles: Two twin Mark 10 Mod 6 launchers for SM-2ER and Terrier BTN SAMs (80 missiles)

Two quad Mk 141 Harpoon SSM launchers

Guns: Two 20-mm Phalanx CIWS, several pintle mounts for .50 Caliber machine guns or Mark-19 AGLs as needed.

ASW Weapons: One eight-cell ASROC Mark 16 launcher (no reloads)

Torpedoes: Two triple Mark 32 torpedo tubes

Radar: SPS-48 3-D Search

SPS-49 Air Search

SPS-67 Surface Search

Sonar: SQQ-23 bow mounted

Fire Control: One Mark 14 weapon-direction system

Four Mark 76 Missile FCS

One Mark 111 ASW FCS

Four SPG-55B radars

EW: SLQ-32(V)3


U.S.S. Truxtun (CGN-35):


U.S.S. Truxtun was the Navy's fourth nuclear-powered surface ship, built to a modified Belknap-class design, with five-inch gun mount forward and missile launcher aft. Commissioned in 1967, she was the only nuclear cruiser that had a helicopter capability, with an embarked SH-2F LAMPS I ASW helicopter. Active in the Pacific Fleet when war began, she was home-ported at San Diego, and was in port when war began.

Of the nuclear cruisers based at San Diego, Truxtun's war began with a Spetsnatz attack on Naval Base San Diego, and after the attack was repulsed, crew who were living ashore with their families reported in. The ship's power plant was started up when power from shore was cut, and once the two reactors were going, the ship's radars and weapons systems went active. Truxtun provided AAW support for the San Diego area once she got underway, firing SM-2ER missiles at a number of enemy aircraft that were over the San Diego area, and even some that were still over Mexico. She also provided NGFS to the defenders of the National City-Chula Vista area, throwing 275 5-inch rounds at Mexican and Cuban forces moving up Interstate 5. After the invaders were repulsed, Truxtun received orders to join up with the Enterprise battle group once munitions were replenished. She joined the carrier group at sea on the afternoon of 7 September, and she assumed the duties of Anti-Air Warfare Commander for the Battle Group.

Truxtun screened the Enterprise for the duration of the war, taking part in all of the ,c,,oeBig E's,c,, wartime operations, from carrier air strikes against Baja and the Mexican Pacific Coast, to operations against Occupied Alaska and the Soviet Far East. In her role as AAW Command Ship, Truxtun CIC directed the air defense of the battle group against air or missile attack, and though escorting frigates and destroyers were sometimes hit, the carrier and the ,c,,oeclose-in,c,, ships were never touched.

Truxtun thus screened the Enterprise during the Battle of Puget Sound, and during the engagement, her SH-2 helicopter sank the Soviet Juliett class SSG K-120. While engaged with mop-up, Truxtun herself fired an ASROC that crippled the Victor-I SSN K-367, which was finished off by an SH-3 from the carrier.

While Enterprise was in San Diego in between deployments, Truxtun herself was often at sea, leading local ASW groups along the Southern California coast. During two of these patrols, she encountered Soviet submarines, sinking the Foxtrot-class SS B-101 off of Catalina Island on 22 November, 1986, and a similar patrol on 11 October, 1987, sank the Victor-II class SSN K-517 off San Diego. This was the first confirmation of a Soviet submarine from the Northern Fleet being transferred to the Pacific, as two crewmen were able to escape the submarine before it went to the bottom, and were picked up by Truxtun. During this time, a brief yard period in San Diego resulted in the ,c,,oeFem Mods,c,, being installed.

Operations against Alaska, Kamchatka, and the Kuriles followed, and though she was relieved as AAW command ship by the new AEGIS cruiser Mobile Bay, Truxtun alternated as AAW ,c,,oeGatekeeper,c,, for the Big E, sharing the duty with the cruiser Arkansas. During a Kuiles raid, her SH-2 sank the Yankee-Notch SSGN K-408, and the ship herself engaged a KGB-manned Krivak IV class frigate with Harpoon SSMs, sending the Imeni XXVII Sezda KPSS to the bottom.

Truxtun covered the Enterprise during the final operations in the Pacific, including the peaceful liberation of Alaska following the Soviet surrender in the Northern Theater, and she was busy escorting amphibious ships with Marines to the Aleutians to take the surrender of Soviet forces in the islands.

Next up was FORAGER-II, the Liberation of Guam, and following that operation, the Enterprise Battle Group returned to Pearl Harbor to wait out the Armistice Flu, which had affected their home port in San Diego. After returning to a Hero's Welcome in San Diego, the ship returned to peacetime routine.

A WestPac deployment followed in 1992, with anti-piracy duty along the China Coast and in Indonesian Waters. A second WestPac in 1994 was the ship's last major deployment, with exercises with the ROK Navy, the ROC Navy, the JMSDF, and the RAN, as well as an anti-piracy cruise. During this final deployment, Truxtun supported SEAL operations against pirates, as well as providing NGFS to a SEAL operation.

The ship's age was catching up, and, as with her other ,c,,oeone-off,c,, counterparts, it was decided to retire the ship. Truxtun was decommissioned and stricken on 8 August, 1996, at Bremerton Navy Yard. She was defueled and had all nuclear components removed, being sold for scrap in 2004.


Displacement: 8,200 tons standard, 8,800 full load

Length: 564 feet

Beam: 56 feet

Draft: 31 feet

Propulsion: two steam turbines with 60,000 shp, two shafts.

Reactors: Two GE D2G PWR.

Speed: 30+ knots

Crew: 591 (39 officers, 552 enlisted)

Helicopter: 1 SH-2F LAMPS I

Missiles: One twin Mark 10 Mod 8 launcher for Standard-2ER/BTN Terrier SAMs (60 missiles)

Two quad Mark 141 Harpoon SSM launchers

Guns: One 5-inch Mark 54 DP Mk 42

Two 20-mm Phalanx CIWS

Several pintle mounts for .50 caliber machine guns or Mark-19 AGL

ASW Weapons: ASROC fired from Mark 10 launcher

Four Mark 32 torpedo tubes (four fixed single mounts)

Radars: SPS-40D air search

SPS-48 3-D search

SPS-67 surface search

Sonar: SQS-26BX bow mounted

Fire Control: One Mark-14 weapon-direction system

One Mark 68 GFCS with SPG-53F radar

Two Mark 76 Missile FCS

One Mark 114 ASW FCS

Two SPG-55B radars

EW: SLQ-32(V)3

[Matt Wiser]

Guys, some artwork showing captured American vehicles in the Red Dawn timeline. First up: an M-113:

[Matt Wiser]

Another captured vehicle: this one's a Hummer

[Matt Wiser]

And another captured vehicle: a LAV-25:

[Matt Wiser]

A captured M-109 SP howitzer in Soviet hands:

[Matt Wiser]

Another captured vehicle: this one's a Bradley in Soviet service:

[Matt Wiser]

And another captured vehicle: this one an AAVP-7 amtrac:

[Matt Wiser]

And another one: a captured M-48A5, formerly of the 49th Armored Division (TX NG):

[lordroel]

And another one: a captured M-48A5, formerly of the 49th Armored Division (TX NG):

You had to brave to drive a capture tank, the risk that you are going to be killed by friendly fire is higher than you getting killed by enemy fire.

[Matt Wiser]

And the last artwork-for a while, anyway: a captured M-1.


Any comments or questions on the art, fact files, etc.? There will be more fiction coming as well.

[Matt Wiser]

Fellows, more to come over the Thanksgiving weekend. Another AF legend drops by.

[Matt Wiser]

The idea for a mission: and more to come over the weekend:

Genesis of a Mission




335th Tactical Fighter Squadron HQ, Sheppard AFB, TX: 7 November, 1987; 1325 Hours Central War Time:


Major Matt Wiser, the CO of the 335th, was in his office. The remnants of lunch sat on his desk in a Styrofoam container, while he went over some planning material. He glanced up from a TPC chart to look at his Weapons Systems Officer, 1st Lt. Lisa ,c,,oeGoalie,c,, Eichhorn, and wondered aloud, ,c,,oeWhen's the last time we planned a mission on our own?,c,,

She looked back at him, and nodded. ,c,,oeProbably that mission we can't talk about.,c,, She was referring to a strike they had flown two days prior to PRAIRIE FIRE, and that had been highly classified. ,c,,oeBut at least they gave us everything we needed. Here...,c,,

,c,,oeHere, we've got diddly shit,,c,, the CO noted. ,c,,oeAll we've got now is some maps, a few photos that Sin Licon got for me this morning, and some educated guesswork.,c,, Captain Darren ,c,,oeSin,c,, Licon was the Squadron's Intelligence Officer, and had gotten the CO some of what he needed. ,c,,oeBut it was enough.,c,,

,c,,oeEnough for Colonel Brady,,c,, Goalie noted. ,c,,oeAnd he was impressed enough to take it up with General Olds.,c,, Marine Colonel Allen Brady was the CO of Marine Air Group 11, to which the 335th was serving under Marine OPCON. And Major General Robin Olds happened to be a living, breathing Air Force legend, an ace in both World War II and in Southeast Asia, who was visiting the base for a few days, getting a feel for how the new generation of fighter pilots-including women, was doing in a war that hardly anyone had anticipated. A saying that was common in the U.S. Military was ,c,,oeThe next guy who says he expected to fight the Russians on our soil will be the first.,c,,

Major Wiser nodded. ,c,,oeAnd now to see if General Olds will buy this. If he does...,c,,

,c,,oeIf he does, we get the intel. After he runs it by General Tanner,,c,, replied Goalie. ,c,,oeThen we fly this.,c,,
She was referring to Major General Robert Tanner, the commander of Tenth Air Force.

,c,,oeWe do,,c,, the CO said. Then there was a knock on the office door. ,c,,oeYeah? Show yourself and come on in!,c,,

The door opened, and Captain Don Van Loan, the 335's Operations Officer, came in. ,c,,oeGuru, got two things for you.,c,,

,c,,oeYeah?,c,, That was Major Wiser's call sign. ,c,,oeLay 'em out.,c,,

,c,,oeOkay, you've got a mission brief in fifteen minutes. Kara's putting the stuff together right now.,c,, Capt. Kara ,c,,oeStarbuck,c,, Thrace was Guru's wingmate and deputy Ops Officer. ,c,,oeSecond? General Olds is on his way over. He said something about you wanting to see him.,c,,

,c,,oeYou got that right, Don,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oePush that mission brief back another fifteen-no, make that twenty-minutes. This might take a while.,c,,

,c,,oeThat mission you and Goalie cooking up?,c,, Van Loan asked. Seeing both CO and GIB nod, he added, ,c,,oeWhat'd Colonel Brady say?,c,,

,c,,oeHe approved it,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeAnd he said if we needed Marine assets for the mission, he'd give them to us.,c,,

Van Loan nodded. ,c,,oeMarine Hornets for flak and SAM suppression, for starters.,c,,

,c,,oeYou got it,,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeAnd if we do this? I'll be leading, Mark will be right behind me, and you'll be behind Mark.,c,, Capt. Mark Ellis was the 335's Exec. ,c,,oeAnd every element lead is going to be involved in planning this. The people who plan it are going to fly it.,c,,

,c,,oeSweet, Boss,,c,, the Ops Officer said. ,c,,oeJust like BOLO back in '67.,c,,

Goalie nodded, then she got up off the office couch and looked out into the squadron office. She saw a familiar figure coming in. ,c,,oeGuys? General Olds at Twelve O'clock. And he's coming this way.,c,,

,c,,oeOkay,,c,, the CO said. ,c,,oeDon? Tell Kara we'll be there as soon as we can. Have her round up the rest of my flight and tell 'em the same thing.,c,,

,c,,oeWill do,,c,, Van Loan nodded. ,c,,oeAnd Boss?,c,,

,c,,oeYeah?,c,,

,c,,oeGood luck with the General.,c,,

The CO looked at his Ops Officer. ,c,,oeThanks, Don.,c,,

Van Loan nodded, then headed on out. On his way back to the Ops Office, he ran into General Olds. ,c,,oeGeneral,,c,, he said.

,c,,oeCaptain,,c,, Olds said. ,c,,oeI see you've come out of seeing the CO.,c,, He gestured to the CO's office.

,c,,oeYes, sir,,c,, Van Loan replied. ,c,,oeThey're waiting for you.,c,,

,c,,oeGood. I'd like to hear what he's got in mind. He said earlier that he had a mission concept that he wanted to talk about.,c,,

,c,,oeHe said that to me as well, sir.,c,,

,c,,oeThen I'd best see what he and his GIB are up to,,c,, Olds said. ,c,,oeYou have a good rest of the day, Captain. And good luck in the air.,c,,

,c,,oeYes, sir, and thank you.,c,, Van Loan said. He then headed on to brief his own flight.


General Olds nodded, then went to the CO's office.

Guru and Goalie saw him coming, and when the door opened, they both came to attention. Habit, they knew, and they both remembered General Tanner's remarks about unnecessary spit and polish. But still....,c,,General,,c,, Guru said.

,c,,oeAs you were, both of you,,c,, Olds said firmly. ,c,,oeI know, it's habit, and a good one to have. Major, you've taken General Tanner's words to heart about such things in a war zone, but....,c,,

,c,,oeYes, sir,,c,, Guru said. Major General Robert Tanner, the Tenth Air Force Commander, had told his commanders to ,c,,oeforget about the jumping up and down nonsense now that the shooting's started.,c,, ,c,,oeStill, when a two-star comes into a room...,c,,

,c,,oeHabit, Major,,c,, Olds recognized it at once. ,c,,oeSo, let's get to it. You've got a mission concept in mind?,c,, He said, changing the subject.

Guru nodded. ,c,,oeYes, sir. It's just that right now,,c,, he said. ,c,,oeBut....we'd like to put the hurt on Ivan's Su-24 force.,c,,

,c,,oeSome of them, anyway,,c,, Goalie added. ,c,,oeUh, sir.,c,,

Olds looked at both of them. ,c,,oeThinking of going down to San Antonio? That's where Intel thinks they're based.,c,,

,c,,oeNo, sir,,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeIt's too well defended right now, and it'd be low-level all the way. Three tanks, and that would only give us six Mark-82s or CBUs on each airplane.,c,,

General Olds nodded. He knew what the young major was talking about. ,c,,oeIf not the main base or bases, you want to hit their staging base. You do realize that there's two Air Armies in Central and East Texas, and that means three regiments of Fencers?,c,, Olds asked. ,c,,oeEach.,c,,

,c,,oeYes, sir,,c,, Guru acknowledged. ,c,,oeThe ones in East Texas are Ninth Air Force's to handle. But we can hit their staging fields in this part of the state.,c,,

,c,,oeKnow which ones they're using?,c,, Olds asked.

,c,,oeNo, sir, but we do have some ideas,,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeGoalie?,c,,

,c,,oeGeneral,,c,, she picked it up. And had his attention. ,c,,oeThere's three possibilities in this part of Texas. First, it's the old James Connolly AFB northeast of Waco. The Air Force left in the '60s, but SAC had it as a dispersal field, I believe. The second one is Gray AAF at Fort Hood. And the last one is Bergstrom AFB by Austin.,c,,

,c,,oeThese would fit, not just for capacity with the fighters based there, but also for security,,c,, Guru added.

,c,,oeWhat about civilian fields?,c,, Olds asked. There was a chance of that, he knew, and wanted to see if these two had taken that into account.

'Yes, sir,,c,, Goalie replied. ,c,,oeBrownwood Regional is a possible, as is Robert Mueller Airport in Austin, but we've hit the former several times, and they may not want to risk sending their deep-strike assets to a place we've hit several times, and could go back at any time.,c,,

,c,,oeAnd Robert Mueller?,c,,

,c,,oeIntel says it's used by fighters and transports, as well as VIP flights for the Quisling Government, sir.,c,, She was referring to the Collaborationist government the Soviets had set up in the Occupied Zone.

General Olds nodded. ,c,,oeAnd defenses?,c,,

,c,,oeThat, General, we do know,,c,, Guru said, picking up the discussion. ,c,,oeEach of the big fields has an SA-3 site, and there's also SA-2s in the vicinity-Waco, Temple, and Austin. Not to mention Triple-A in quantity, MANPADS, and MiGs. Bergstrom is also the Su-27 base in this part of Texas, and.....,c,,

,c,,oeAnd not only would you need Weasels and flak suppressors, but also a dedicated TARCAP or BARCAP,,c,, Olds finished.

,c,,oeThat we would, sir,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeColonel Brady has offered Marine Hornets to do some of both,,c,,

,c,,oeGood,,c,, Olds nodded. ,c,,oeBut you'll need Weasels, and you'll get them. Now, Major, how do you plan to fly this?,c,,

,c,,oeLow level all the way,,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeThree flights of four, and it's fast in, fast out. As for ordnance? Twelve Mark-82s or CBUs, each airplane. Plus four AIM-9s and two AIM-7s, an ECM pod, and full twenty mike-mike.,c,,

Goalie thought for a minute, then looked at both her CO and the General. ,c,,oeGeneral, Major?,c,, She asked formally. ,c,,oeI've got an idea for the third flight.,c,,

Both the General and Guru looked at her. ,c,,oeGo ahead, Lieutenant,,c,, Olds said. ,c,,oeWe're listening.,c,,

,c,,oeThe final flight comes in, but the lead element has Durandals. The first two flights catch the Fencers with their pants down, refueling and rearming, but the third's got to close the field for at least a day or two. Preferably three or four. So the lead element has Durandals to make nice, deep craters in the runways.,c,,

,c,,oeThose are used by F-111s,,c,, Guru pointed out. ,c,,oeUh, sir,,c,,

,c,,oeThat they are,,c,, General Olds said. ,c,,oeGo on, Lieutenant. I like it so far.,c,,

,c,,oeYes, sir. The final element has CBUs, but they're loaded with Gator mines,,c,, Goalie said. ,c,,oeThose put the fear of God into runway repair crews. And causes them to delay actually repairing the runways until....,c,,

,c,,oeUntil they've been cleared,,c,, said Olds. ,c,,oeSo far, so good.,c,, He looked at both of them. ,c,,oeNow, Major, what do you do to attract Ivan's attention that he sends a regiment north on a strike?,c,,

The two looked at each other. ,c,,oeSir,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeThere's three possibles that we can think of, and maybe more. First, we set up a phony Pershing II battalion. Ivan's still fixated on neutralizing any nuclear assets, and a Pershing unit is something they'd want to take out.,c,,

,c,,oeAnd you're talking using fake missile launchers, vehicles, and so on,,c,, Olds noted. ,c,,oeAnd some false radio traffic.,c,,

,c,,oeYes, sir. And the same goes for option two: a GLCM squadron.,c,,

Olds nodded. ,c,,oeIt would, Major. And the third?,c,,

,c,,oeSir,,c,, Goalie said. ,c,,oeA phony Corps HQ. Same drill as for the Pershings or GLCM. Sir, didn't the Army get a bunch of Hollywood types to handle stuff like this? You know, SFX people?,c,,

,c,,oeThey did,,c,, the General nodded. ,c,,oeGuys like John Dykstra, Stan Winston, Greg Jein.,c,,

,c,,oeWho's he?,c,, Goalie asked.

,c,,oeHe did some of the SFX work on Close Encounters and 1941,,c,, Guru said.

,c,,oeOh,,c,, nodded Goalie.

,c,,oeWhich means we'd have to get the Army involved, but they don't need to know why,,c,, Olds said. 'All right, Major: how many people here know about this?,c,,

,c,,oeGeneral, apart from the three of us and Colonel Brady?,c,, Guru asked? Seeing General Olds nod, he went on. ,c,,oeMy Exec and Ops Officer, plus Captain Thrace and the rest of my flight.,c,,

,c,,oeThey only know something's in the works, but that's it,,c,, Goalie added.

Olds nodded. ,c,,oeOkay, keep it that tight for now. When you get the go-ahead to start real planning, you can expand it. Do you have a SCIF?,c,,

,c,,oeNo, sir.,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeThis used to be an ATC base prewar, and the SAC molehole for dispersal crews? Somebody moved in there not long after we got here, and surrounded the place with concertina wire, armed guards, and K-9s. Lots of SF guys, we think. Folks with berets of varying colors, you get the idea, sir.,c,,

,c,,oeThat I do,,c,, nodded the General. ,c,,oeOkay, find a place where you can plan, and I'll get in touch with General Tanner. Not only to brief him, but also to have OSI watch you all. We're starting to hire civilian employees again, and given the PSD threat, seeing any kind of unusual activity around your squadron might get someone on the other side looking at you.,c,,

Guru knew what the General meant. The Quislings had their own secret police, the Political Security Department, with its own KGB, DGI, and Stasi watchdogs, and a PSD agent had been caught near the base a few days earlier. ,c,,oeYes, sir.,c,,

,c,,oeOkay, Major. Once I let General Tanner in on this, don't be surprised if you get a call to go out to Nellis to brief him personally. Just like I did with General Momeyer on Operation BOLO.,c,,

Both CO and GIB gulped. ',c,,Uh, yes, sir.,c,, Guru said.

,c,,oeI wish I could take your squadron back in time twenty-plus years,,c,, Olds said. ,c,,oeThis is the kind of mission we wanted to fly, and catch the North Viet Air Force on the ground. But Landslide Lyndon and the Edsel Mechanic wouldn't let us.,c,,

Guru and Goalie knew what the General Meant. Political restrictions on ROLLING THUNDER had given the men flying into North Vietnam no end of trouble. And the micromanagement from the White House and DOD had been.....frustrating, to say the least. ,c,,oeWell, sir, they were worried that if we did that, some Russian advisor would be scratched by a piece of stray shrapnel, and then we'd have World War III. Or if some Chinese flight instructor got a sprained ankle jumping down from a MiG, it'd be Korea, Mark II.,c,,

,c,,oeWell, if I was twenty years younger, I'd want to fly on this,,c,, said Olds. ,c,,oeYou'll get what you need, Major, then you'll fly this. And when-not if-you do?,c,,

,c,,oeSir?,c,,

,c,,oeYou'll have everyone who flew into Pack Six with you in spirit. Do 'em proud.,c,,

,c,,oeWe will, sir. And we'll catch those Su-24s like the Navy did Nagumo's carriers at Midway.,c,,

,c,,oeI like that. Now, I believe you've got a mission scheduled?,c,, Olds asked.

,c,,oeWe do, sir,,c,, Guru nodded. ,c,,oeAnd one more after that.,c,,

General Olds nodded. ,c,,oeThen you'd best get going. I'll see you in the Club tonight. And Major? Lieutenant?,c,,

,c,,oeSir?,c,,

,c,,oeYour older brothers and fathers who went to Southeast Asia? You'll do 'em proud. Good brief,,c,, Olds said, shaking both of their hands. ,c,,oeGood luck this afternoon.,c,,

,c,,oeThank you, sir.,c,, Guru said, and Goalie echoed him.

Olds headed for the door. ,c,,oeI'll get out of your hair. And bring everyone back today.,c,,

,c,,oeDo my best, sir,,c,, Guru said.

,c,,oeAll you can do,,c,, General Olds nodded, then he went out the door.

Both Guru and Goalie took a deep breath. ,c,,oeWell?,c,, Guru said as he gathered up his materials and put them in a locked drawer in his desk.

,c,,oeWe're going to do this,,c,, Goalie said. ,c,,oeDon't know when, but we're doing this.,c,,

,c,,oeThat we will,,c,, the CO nodded. ,c,,oeCome on. We've got a mission to brief and fly.,c,,

,c,,oeYeah. Once more unto the breach, dear friends,,c,, Goalie said.

,c,,oeJust as long as we leave out the 'Close the walls up with out dead,' crap.,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeLet's go.

And both CO and GIB left the office, knowing that their plan had a decent chance of approval. But first, they had strikes to fly.

[Matt Wiser]

The next story, and yes, this is a multipart one.

Yeager's Arrival



335th Tactical Fighter Squadron HQ, Sheppard AFB, TX, 9 November, 1987, 1150 Hours Central War Time:

Major Matt ,c,,oeGuru,c,, Wiser, the commanding officer of the 335th TFS, was in his office. He and his flight had flown two missions that morning, and all of them knew that there would be two more in the afternoon. ,c,,oeSame-old ,same-old,,c,, he muttered to himself as he went over some paperwork that had come in while he had been in the air. Much to his disgust, the elves never took care of it when he was gone, so he attacked the papers. The CO had just put the last into his OUT box when there was a knock on the door. ,c,,oeYeah? Show yourself and come on in!,c,,

The door opened and First Lieutenant Lisa ,c,,oeGoalie,c,, Eichhorn, his Weapons-Systems Officer, and girlfriend, came in, with two plastic bags in hand, and a folder tucked in between her left arm and chest. ,c,,oeWhat's the old Star Trek saying? 'Beware Romulans bearing gifts?,c,,

,c,,oeYou're not much of a Trekkie and neither am I,,c,, Major Wiser said. ,c,,oeWhat's for lunch, and what's in the folder?,c,,

,c,,oeFried chicken with Cole Slaw and mashed potatoes and gravy,,c,, Goalie replied. ,c,,oeLemonade to drink, and some not-so-good news about two WSOs,,c,, she added. Her squadron job when not flying was as Senior WSO.

,c,,oeThe food can wait two minutes,,c,, the CO said. ,c,,oeWhat's the, uh, not-so-good news?,c,,

,c,,oeFor starters, Flossy needs a new WSO for a week. Digger, somehow, slipped and fell coming down the crew ladder after they got back. Sprained his ankle pretty good, and Doc Waters says he's lucky it's not broken.,c,, Waters was their squadron's flight surgeon. ,c,,oeHe's on light duty for a week.,c,,

The CO was incredulous. ,c,,oeHow the hell did that happen?,c,,

,c,,oeNo idea, but he did it,,c,, Goalie said. ,c,,oeFlossy has someone in mind to take Digger's place.,c,,

,c,,oeWho?,c,,

,c,,oeJang,,c,, replied. Goalie. She was referring to First Lieutenant Chloe ,c,,oeJang,c,, Winters. Jang had filled in for several WSOs who had been either on leave, or had been temporarily grounded due to medical issues, and was hoping to be assigned to a permanent crew.

Major Wiser thought for a minute. ,c,,oeNow, that gives us two 'unmanned' F-4s now. After Cosmo and Revlon. Which means our newsies are going to be all over them.,c,,

,c,,oeTwo 'unmanned' F-4s in the same squadron? That'll make the news, all right,,c,, Goalie said. ,c,,oeRun with it, or do you want me to find somebody else?,c,,

,c,,oeIf Flossy wants Jang, go ahead. She's done good in temp slots, but you know as well as I do that the only way she'll get a permanent slot is if we lose somebody,,c,, the CO pointed out.

,c,,oeI'll tell Flossy, and have Jang ready to go,,c,, Goalie said.

,c,,oeHow'd she get that call sign, though?,c,, Major Wiser asked.

,c,,oeKingsley Field,,c,, Goalie replied. Kingsley Field in Oregon was the West Coast F-4 Replacement Training Unit. ,c,,oeShe was, uh, 'Just Another Non-Guy,'......,c,,

The CO nodded. ,c,,oeAnd it stuck. Say no more. Okay, Flossy and Jang it is. What else is there? Because I'm hungry.,c,,

Goalie looked at her CO-and lover. ,c,,oeMark's GIB, Kicker, is with Doc right now. Doc thinks, but isn't sure, that Kicker has the Flu.,c,, She meant First Lieutenant Kyle ,c,,oeKicker,c,, Edwards. He had gotten the call sign when his RTU classmates found out he had been a placekicker at the University of Nevada-Reno.

,c,,oeThe Flu?,c,, Guru asked. ,c,,oeThat's wonderful, and the last thing we need.,c,,

,c,,oeDoc's not sure, but...,c,, Goalie said. ,c,,oeHopefully, it's the 24-Hour kind.,c,,

,c,,oeWhich can last three or four days, sometimes,,c,, Guru added. ,c,,oeOkay, who does Mark want?

,c,,oeFridge.,c,,

,c,,oeOkay, he's asleep, right?,c,, Fridge was alternating as Night-Shift SDO.

,c,,oeHe is. Want me to have a tentmate-and Brainiac is one of 'em, to wake him?,c,, Goalie wanted to know.

The CO nodded. ,c,,oeDo it. Have him stay awake until 2100, then hit the sack with everyone else on the flight schedule. Zero-dark-thirty will be there before he knows it.,c,,

,c,,oeWill do,,c,, Goalie said.

,c,,oeOkay, let's eat.,c,,


As they ate, they talked about the two missions they had flown that morning. And how the Libyans they had flown against on the second mission were ,c,,oefat, dumb, and happy,c,, with their supply convoys. Not to mention their habit of shooting Triple-A even after the last strike bird had egressed. ,c,,oeThose guys shoot like ammo's going to be outlawed in the next ten minutes,,c,, Guru observed.

,c,,oeYeah,,c,, Goalie replied. ,c,,oeAnd they won't stop.,c,,

Then there was a knock on the office door. ,c,,oeYeah? Show yourself and come on in!,c,,

The door opened and Capt. Mark Ellis, the Exec, came in. ,c,,oeBoss,,c,, he nodded. ,c,,oeGot a message here for you. And before you tear my head off, there's been com delays all morning.,c,, He handed his CO a message form.

Guru took the form and scanned it. ,c,,oeYeager's coming. Today.,c,,

,c,,oeToday?,c,, Goalie asked. ,c,,oeThat's some advance notice.,c,,

Guru nodded, then checked the time on the message. ,c,,oeMark, this message is three hours old. What's the SNAFU?,c,,

,c,,oeNo idea,,c,, the Exec said. ,c,,oeWho's replacing Kicker?,c,,

,c,,oeFridge,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeHe'll be with you until Doc clears Kicker back. Hopefully, it won't be more than a day or two. Just hope it's not the Flu, or, if it is, he's the only one who gets it.,c,,

,c,,oeTo be wished for,,c,, Ellis said. ,c,,oeAnyway, before you ask, we've got billeting for General Yeager's people.,c,,

,c,,oeGood,,c,, the CO nodded. Then there was another knock at the door. ,c,,oeYeah?,c,,

Captain Kara ,c,,oeStarbuck,c,, Thrace, the CO's wingmate, came in. ,c,,oeBoss, Yeager's here.,c,,

,c,,oeHere?,c,,

,c,,oeIn the traffic pattern. Four F-20s and two C-130s,,c,, Kara replied. ,c,,oeShould be on the ground in a few.,c,,

Guru looked at the ceiling. He was thinking, Why now? ,c,,oeOkay, Mark? Find General Olds and let him know. He ought to be there when Yeager's people arrive.,c,,

,c,,oeHe already knows,,c,, Kara said. ,c,,oeHe was in the Ops Office when word came in.,c,,

,c,,oeGood. Oh, find our RAF Liaison Officer and bring him as well. Yeager's people might be here when the RAF comes, for all we know.,c,, Flight Lieutenant Steve ,c,,oeJack,c,, Lord was representing the RAF until a RAF detachment came to their little corner of the war.

,c,,oeGotcha, Boss,,c,, Kara said. ,c,,oeI'm gone. See you on the ramp.,c,,

,c,,oeLet's go, people,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeMark? Find Van Loan.,c,, Capt. Don Van Loan was the 335's Ops Officer.

,c,,oeHe's out. Left ten minutes ago,,c,, replied the Exec.

,c,,oeOkay, find our news people and let them know. This isn't classified.,c,, Guru was referring to an Australian news crew who was on base, and had done several stories about the 335th.

,c,,oeWill do.,c,,

The CO nodded. ,c,,oeThen let's go.,c,, He picked up his squadron baseball cap and led Ellis and Goalie out of the building, where they found Major General Robin Olds standing on the lawn, binoculars to his face, while several other pilots and WSOs were watching the inbound aircraft and talking amongst themselves. ,c,,oeGeneral,,c,, Major Wiser said.

,c,,oeMajor,,c,, Olds replied, pulling the binoculars down. ,c,,oeLooks like General Yeager's brought some nice airplanes.,c,,

,c,,oeYes, sir,,c,, the CO replied, putting on his cap. ,c,,oeThings will be....interesting while he's here. You do know, sir, that there is a directive from the Chief of Staff barring him from combat, and you, as well, sir?,c,,

,c,,oeI do, Major,,c,, Olds said. ,c,,oeNothing in that about taking a check ride, though.,c,,

,c,,oeNo, sir. Just as long as it's behind the lines,,c,, Major Wiser reminded the General. ,c,,oeSir.,c,,

,c,,oeBoss,,c,, Kara said. ,c,,oeOh, General, didn't see you, sir. Brought our RAF cousin.,c,,

,c,,oeSir!,c,, Flight Lieutenant Lord said.

,c,,oeReady to meet the guy who was the fastest man alive at one point?,c,, Guru asked.

Lord nodded. ,c,,oeOf course, though personally? I think Winkle Brown is the best test pilot of all time, in terms of types of aircraft flown.,c,, He was referring to Royal Navy Captain Eric Brown, who was Britain's best test pilot, who also held the record for all-time carrier landings, ever.

,c,,oeWe can argue that in the Club tonight,,c,, Olds said. He turned, and saw there was a decent group of 335th crews gathered. ,c,,oeLet's go meet Yeager.,c,,

,c,,oeYes, sir.,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeYou heard the man. Let's go.,c,,

[Matt Wiser]

Part II:


Sheppard AFB, Texas; 1215 Hours Central War Time:


Near the transient ramp, a number of aircrews were gathering as the four F-20s broke into their landing pattern. There was a mix of Air Force from the 335th, Marines from MAG-11, and even a few Navy from VA-135, an attack squadron flying A-7As reactivated from AMARC, and all were watching as the F-20s came in and landed, followed by the two support C-130Es. The new arrivals taxied up to the transient ramp, and Marine ground crew were waiting. After shutting down, the canopies on the new popped open, and the pilots climbed down. One of them was much older than the two young men and one woman, and everyone knew who that was. Yeager.

As people went over to have a look, Major Wiser surveyed the three single-seat Tigersharks and the lone two-seater. All had kill markings on the side, though it was easy to tell General Yeager's bird: all of his were WW II-era German crosses. As the welcoming party assembled, a Hummer pulled up, and out came another AF officer. Colonel Richard Purcell was the base commander, running the Provisional Air Base Group tasked with running the day-to-day functions of the base, getting more of the prewar infrastructure up and running, and generally staying out of the hair of those who were doing the actual flying. But protocol demanded he show up. As he spoke with General Yeager for a few moments, Major Wiser noticed one thing about Colonel Purcell: he was what the Air Force called ,c,,oean unrated weenie.,c,, Someone who was not a rated pilot, navigator, officer aircrew, missileer, or even having jump wings. Though he had several of those in his squadron, like Sin Licon, his intelligence officer, or Kev O'Donnell, his maintenance officer, and they were not only valued subordinates, but also good friends, Colonel Purcell came across as an asshole who resented the fact that he had never been able to earn wings. Fortunately for all of the squadron commanders, Colonel Purcell reported to Tenth Air Force, and the Air Base Group was not in the chain of command for the flying units, and that meant that they dealt with him only when necessary, and Colonel Allen Brady, the CO of MAG-11, did most of the dealing.

After Colonel Purcell paid his respects, General Yeager came over to those who he had come to see and show off the F-20. And he wasn't surprised to see a familiar face among those waiting for him. ,c,,oeRobin Olds, as I live and breathe,,c,, Yeager said, sketching a salute and shaking General Olds' hand.

,c,,oeBeen a while, Chuck,,c,, Olds said. ,c,,oeThey reactivated you, just as they did me.,c,,

,c,,oeBut I didn't get another star,,c,, Yeager grinned. ,c,,oeI'll take running the F-20 program over a second star any day.,c,,

,c,,oeNo doubt,,c,, Olds said.

,c,,oeGeneral,,c,, Colonel Brady said. ,c,,oeWelcome to Sheppard.,c,,

,c,,oeGlad to be here, Colonel,,c,, Yeager nodded. He surveyed the aircrews who had come to see the F-20. ,c,,oeThey're young,,c,, he noted.

,c,,oeThey always are, General,,c,, said Brady. He remembered his own CO back in Vietnam saying the same thing. ,c,,oeHere's the senior AF flight officer here, Major Matt Wiser. He runs the 335th TFS.,c,,

,c,,oeMajor,,c,, Yeager said.

,c,,oeGeneral,,c,, Major Wiser said. ,c,,oeWelcome to Sheppard. It's an honor and a privilege.,c,,

,c,,oePleased to be here, Major,,c,, Yeager said, shaking Guru's hand. ,c,,oeGeneral Tanner's told me some things about your squadron. All of them good, by the way.,c,,

,c,,oeThank you, sir.,c,, Guru replied.

After General Yeager met the other squadron commanders, people began having a look at the aircraft.

,c,,oeGeneral, with all due respect, this just looks like a souped-up F-5,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeThey're not bad, sir. But I'm a Phantom Phanatic, born and raised.,c,,

,c,,oeDouble-ugly rears its head, I see. You playing air-to-ground, or have you done some in the air-to-air arena?,c,, Yeager asked. He took a look at the 335th's CO. His own CO in World War II had been even younger.

,c,,oeEight kills, sir, plus four probables,,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeMy GIB, Lieutenant Eichhorn-,c,, he pointed to Goalie, who was talking with the only female pilot Yeager had brought with him-has five. I see you still have your World War II score displayed.,c,,

General Yeager nodded. ,c,,oeGot that 'no combat' order, but you never know. Wherever we fly? We're always armed. Two Sidewinders and two Sparrows, each airplane.,c,,

Guru nodded himself. ,c,,oeYou never know when you'll run into a recon element, a strike flight, or MiGs doing a fighter sweep.,c,,

,c,,oeYou're right. By the way, Your old GIB is still at Kingsley Field, I hear.,c,,

,c,,oeTony Carpenter? Haven't heard from him in a while. What's he up to, sir?,c,,

,c,,oeHis instructor tour's almost up, then he's headed to the 3rd TFS at Clark. Somebody's got to watch Cam Ranh Bay, and so...,c,,

',c,,General, I can think of worse places to be in a war.,c,,

Yeager grinned. ,c,,oeThere is that.,c,,

When they got to the single-seaters, Guru remarked, ,c,,oeYou have some aces, sir, if you don't mind my saying.,c,,

,c,,oeThey made it because they were naturals behind the stick, but the 474th got rushed into combat just in time for Wichita. Not much time for workups or anything like that in peacetime. This squadron had eighteen planes and pilots when Wichita got going. By June? They were down to ten aircraft and thirteen pilots. One of the replacements? She's flying the two-seater. Captain Morgandorffer had four in the A-7, mostly helos, but a MiG-29 jumped her at Wichita and overshot. She took the Sidewinder shot....,c,,

,c,,oeAnd splashed him. Did you recruit her for the program, sir?,c,, Guru asked.

,c,,oeNo, she volunteered. Though something's bothering her, and I can't put a finger on it, Major. She doesn't have a problem splashing Russians, but when it's Cuban? She turns into a fighting tigress.,c,,

,c,,oeGeneral, this may be none of my business, but has anyone asked her?,c,,

,c,,oeNo, but somebody ought to. Before she makes that one mistake....,c,, Yeager's West Virginia twang made that perfectly clear as it trailed off. One's first mistake in combat was often the last.


While Yeager and the CO were talking, other aircrews were going over the aircraft. Kara, Flossy, Sweaty, Cosmo, and several other crews in either Air Force or Navy flight suits were talking with the object of General Yeager's and Major Wiser's conversation.

When Captain Morgandorffer told those listening the F-20 could carry up to 7,000 pounds of ordnance on its wing and fuselage stations, in addition to two Sidewinders on the wingtips, Flossy was incredulous. ,c,,oeThat's all you can carry?,c,,

Sweaty Blanchard, who led the second element in the CO's flight, was even more direct. ,c,,oePiece of junk,,c,, she muttered, and several Marines-both F-4 and Hornet drivers, nodded agreement.

Two of the GIBs in the CO's flight were even more direct in their assessment. Brainiac, who was Kara's WSO, turned to Preacher, who did the same for Sweaty, and said, ,c,,oeWartime expedient.,c,,

,c,,oeNo arguing that. They build those things, and keep them after the war? We're out of a job,,c,, the ex-seminary student replied.

,c,,oeThere's the F-15E coming, so we're safe.,c,,

Mark Ellis, the Exec, was talking with Capt. Jeb Pruitt, one of the two primary demo pilots. ,c,,oeThese look good, but chances are, they're headed for the Guard and Reserve after the war. If we don't sell them off on the open market.,c,,

,c,,oeMaybe,,c,, Pruitt replied. ,c,,oeLet's wait and get to the 'after the war' first. By the way, who do I see about doing some horse-trading?,c,,

,c,,oeThat would be Master Sergeant Ross,,c,, the XO told him. ,c,,oeHe's not just our senior NCO, but the, uh, 'scroungers' report to him.,c,,

Pruitt nodded. ,c,,oeOkay. Maybe we can talk deal.,c,,

Ellis regarded the young captain. He did look awful young for his age, but he reminded himself that the Air Force had rolled back the educational requirement for pilots and navigators to two years of college. Then there were people who held their age pretty well, and Pruitt could be one. ,c,,oeYour call,,c,, he said as some Marine mess people brought sandwiches and drinks for the new arrivals. ,c,,oeHope you don't mind a piece of advice.,c,,

,c,,oeYeah?,c,,

,c,,oeStay away from the pork tri-tip, or the suggestion thereof,,c,, Ellis said.

Pruitt looked at him, then grabbed two of the suspect sandwiches and a bottle of Pepsi. ,c,,oeLove these,,c,, he said, and the XO shook his head.

,c,,oeYou've got a cast-iron stomach.,c,,


Meanwhile, Guru was taking a look at the cockpit of General Yeager's bird. He looked at the two multifunction displays and the HUD, noting that the familiar dials and gauges in the F-4 were merely backups. The CO turned to General Yeager. ,c,,oeSir, where's the slot for the quarter?,c,,

Hearing that, Yeager let out a laugh. ,c,,oeMajor, you're not the first person to say that. Nor will you be the last.,c,,

,c,,oeGeneral, if you don't mind my saying, because this is your baby, but I can see some issues right off the bat,,c,, Major Wiser said as he stood to get out of the cockpit.

,c,,oeGo ahead, Major.,c,,

,c,,oeSir, first of all: ordnance capacity. We can carry more ordnance overall, and more types. Second? Range is less than the F-4, F-15, or F-16. Third? Single engine. Lose the engine and you go skydiving.,c,,

,c,,oeNoted, Major, and again, you're not the first to raise those issues. The ex-IIAF boys up in Amarillo were just as vocal. Though guys who were F-5 vets back in the old country are looking forward to a transition,,c,, Yeager said.

A couple of minutes later, Kara came over to where General Olds, Colonel Brady, and Guru were talking. ,c,,oeWell, Captain?,c,, Guru asked. ,c,,oeWhat's your take on these?,c,,

,c,,oeIf I get through this war, and these things show up at Nellis as aggressors? I'm going to clean up,,c,, Kara said. ,c,,oeI'll love going up against these things.,c,, And the tone of her voice showed one thing to the three senior officers. Overconfidence.

,c,,oeBe careful, Captain,,c,, General Olds reminded her. ,c,,oeThese birds have potential, and they can bite you.,c,,

,c,,oeGeneral, I'll go along with that,,c,, Brady said. ,c,,oeThese puppies remind me of the F-8. A small, nimble, and deadly dogfighter.,c,, For a moment, Brady recalled the LTV F-8, which had the best kill-loss rate of any tactical fighter in Southeast Asia. Eighteen North Vietnamese MiGs-including four MiG-21s, for only three losses in air-to-air combat. The Navy had reactivated some for use on the Essex-class carriers, but other than that....

Guru nodded. ,c,,oeDon't count your chickens until they're hatched, Kara. Keep that in mind.,c,,

,c,,oeAlways,,c,, Kara replied.

,c,,oeGood,,c,, the CO said. He went over to find Goalie and the other WSOs, and,to his surprise, found the last person he expected. Major Frank Carson was the most despised and loathed officer in the squadron, and yet, he and his element were going over one of the single-seat F-20s. He made his way in that direction to rescue the others, but stopped when he heard the loathed Major talking like a mentor instead of a martinet.

,c,,oe....not meant to be fighter-bombers like our F-4s. They're small, nimble, and nasty little dogfighters, And with Sparrow, they have a long reach. If used properly, they can be formidable,,c,, Carson was saying. And the CO was wondering if he was hearing right.

,c,,oeThey look like F-5s,,c,, Lieutenant Melissa Brewster, who was Capt. Sean Hennings' GIB, said.

,c,,oeThey are, but don't let that fool you. I had a classmate in the Aggressors pre-war, and he made his share of F-15 and F-16 jockeys look stupid,,c,, said Carson. ,c,,oeThey've got a better radar than the F-5, the APG-67, similar to the F-16's radar, and it's good. You'll face these things as aggressors at Red Flag when the war's over, and I'll bet money on it.,c,,

Guru heard that, and slipped away before Carson noticed him. Was Frank turning over a new leaf? Or did the skunk have an ulterior motive, like asking to transfer to the F-20 program? He doubted the former, but the latter? He had a nagging suspicion that was Frank's real motive. If Carson couldn't get the 335th, but a newly formed F-20 squadron? Guru decided to raise the issue with both General Olds and General Yeager that night. As he walked back, he nearly ran into Goalie. ,c,,oeWell? What's your take?,c,,

,c,,oeGlad these aren't replacing the F-4, because I'd be out of a job, along with every other GIB,,c,, Goalie replied. ,c,,oeThe F-15E, now......,c,,
,c,,oeDown, girl,,c,, the CO said. ,c,,oeThose puppies are at least a year away, maybe two.,c,,

She looked at him. ,c,,oeStill, that's what we're shooting for.,c,,

,c,,oeIt is.,c,, Then Capt. Don Van Loan, the Squadron's Ops Officer, came over. ,c,,oeDon, you missed all the fun.,c,,

,c,,oeToo bad, but I'm looking for Sin Licon. Got a mission to debrief,,c,, said the Ops Officer. ,c,,oeOh, this is for you,,c,, Van Loan added, handing the CO a briefing packet.

,c,,oeFigures,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeOkay, Don. Thanks.,c,, The CO then went over to where Colonel Brady was, talking with General Olds. Both were watching as General Yeager was being interviewed by Jana Wendt and the crew from 9 News Australia. ,c,,oeColonel, I hate to be a party pooper, but I've got a mission coming up.,c,,

,c,,oeYou, me, and everybody else,,c,, Brady said. ,c,,oeOkay, people!,c,, He said, addressing the crowd. ,c,,oeTime to get back in the game, because the war didn't take a break because we did.,c,,

Hearing that, the crowd began to break up, and Guru waved Kara over. ,c,,oeKara, get our flight together. Five minutes.,c,, He handed her the briefing packet.

,c,,oeGotcha, Boss,,c,, replied Kara. ,c,,oeI'm gone.,c,,

Guru nodded, motioned both the XO and Chief Ross to follow him, then went to General Yeager, who had finished his brief turn for the cameras. ,c,,oeGeneral,,c,, Guru nodded.

,c,,oeI heard,,c,, Yeager said. ,c,,oeYou've got a mission.,c,,

,c,,oeYes, sir,,c,, the CO replied. ,c,,oeCaptain Ellis will escort you and your officers to Officer Country, show you around, that sort of thing. Chief Ross will do the same for your enlisted folks.,c,,

,c,,oeThanks, Major,,c,, Yeager said. ,c,,oeWe'll stay out of your hair best we can.,c,,

,c,,oeThank you, sir,,c,, Guru replied.

,c,,oeAnd Major?,c,,

,c,,oeSir?,c,, Guru asked.

,c,,oeKick a few and take a few, and bring everyone back,,c,, Yeager said with due seriousness.

,c,,oeWe'll do that, sir, and the latter?,c,, Guru asked. ,c,,oeDo the best I can.,c,,

,c,,oeAll you can do,,c,, Yeager told him. ,c,,oeGood luck.,c,,

,c,,oeThank you, sir.,c,, Guru said. He headed on back to the squadron's offices, and found Goalie waiting. ,c,,oeGame time again.,c,,

,c,,oeAny idea where?,c,, Goalie asked.

,c,,oeKara's got the packet. Time to get back in the game,,c,, Guru told his GIB.

,c,,oeJust as long as the other team doesn't score.,c,,

Guru nodded. ,c,,oeSeconded. Time to brief, then we fly.,c,,


335th TFS HQ: 1245 Hours Central War Time:


Guru and Goalie were headed to their briefing room when they came across Flight Lieutenant Steve ,c,,oeJack,c,, Lord, their RAF Liaison Officer. He had been sent ahead to lay the groundwork for a detachment of RAF F-4s that would be hopefully coming to Sheppard in a few days, and he was already getting along well with the USAF crews. ,c,,oeJack,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeHave a look at the new arrivals?,c,,

Lord nodded. ,c,,oeQuite, Major,,c,, he said. ,c,,oeOf course, the RAF hasn't had anything like this in a long time, and a dedicated dogfighter may be a good thing to have. ,c,,oe

,c,,oeOr an Aggressor,,c,, Goalie noted. ,c,,oeIf we keep any of these after the war, they probably go to the Aggressor squadrons. There's one at Bentwaters, I believe. Or there was, prewar.,c,,

,c,,oeStill,,c,, Jack agreed. ,c,,oeThey still do the Aggressor role, but also as local interceptors.,c,,

,c,,oeGlad to see they're earning their pay,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeTalk to General Yeager?,c,,

,c,,oeI didn't, unfortunately,,c,, Lord said. ,c,,oeI've heard he had some unpleasant experiences with RAF personnel back in the day. I did talk to one of the demo pilots-nice chap by the name of Clancy. Looks like a good one, but he seems awfully young.,c,,

,c,,oeGeneral Olds and General Yeager said the same thing about us,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeWant to sit in on a mission brief?,c,,

,c,,oeBe glad to,,c,, Jack said.

Guru nodded. 'Oh, you did see Doc Waters about a flight physical?,c,,

,c,,oeI did, and I passed. With flying colors.,c,,

,c,,oeGood,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeNow you can do some flying with us. From the back seat, though, since you're not E qualified.,c,,

,c,,oeUnderstood.,c,,

Nodding, Guru, Goalie, and Jack went to the briefing room Guru's flight used. When they got there, the rest of the flight were waiting. ,c,,oeAll right, people, let's get the next show on the road.,c,,

,c,,oeWhere to?,c,, Sweaty asked.

The CO looked at Kara, who tossed him the packed. He opened it, and spread out some recon photos and then grabbed a navigation chart. ,c,,oeHere's the deal. We're headed down to the Nicaraguan sector east of the Brazos.,c,,

,c,,oeNice,,c,, Kara said. ,c,,oeThose guys don't shoot much.,c,, Word was getting around that the Nicaraguans' enthusiasm for the war had cooled significantly since the summer and PRAIRIE FIRE.

Guru nodded. ,c,,oeNo, but the folks we're going after? Much different story. The target is a supply dump, and it's Libyan.,c,,

,c,,oeThose guys shoot as if there's going to be no tomorrow,,c,, Hoser pointed out, and his GIB, KT, nodded agreement.

,c,,oeYeah, and guess what? This target is close to the Brazos, which means the East Germans on the west side will shoot across the river,,c,, Guru told them. ,c,,oeAnd there's this: the Libyans and Nicaraguans don't exactly get along, and there's a regiment of Soviets in between them.,c,,

,c,,oeSwell,,c,, Brainiac said.

,c,,oeWhat's the defenses?,c,, Kara asked.

,c,,oeAt the target? The usual, with ZU-23s, those quad ZPU-4 machine guns, plus MANPADS,,c,, replied the CO. ,c,,oeThe Nicaraguans do not have heavy SAMs, but the Libyans just south of them do. We may get SA-6 or SA-8, add the East Germans across the river, with either divisional level or Army-level assets, and then there's the Soviets. It's a motor-rifle regiment, and you know what that means.,c,,

,c,,oeSA-9 and ZSU-23-4,,c,, Goalie nodded. ,c,,oeThis could be a rough ride.,c,,

,c,,oeNo doubt,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeAnd no Weasels, because they're all committed. So we go in low and fast, and rely on our ECM pods. Element leads have an ALQ-119, as usual, and wingmates have the ALQ-101.,c,,

Heads nodded at that. ,c,,oeOrdnance?,c,, Sweaty wanted to know.

,c,,oeTwelve Mark-82 Snakeyes, each bird. Four Sidewinders and two Sparrows, full twenty-mike-mike, and two wing tanks,,c,, replied Guru. ,c,,oeAnd the Sparrows are still the E models.,c,,

,c,,oeThat's just great,,c,, Kara spat. ,c,,oeWhat about General Olds and the help he was trying to get?,c,,

Guru nodded. General Olds had been told of their Sparrow problem, and was working through Tenth Air Force to see about getting them AIM-7Fs, Sparrows that actually had a decent chance of working. ,c,,oeHe's working on it. He has informed General Tanner, and Tanner's trying to break the logjam.,c,,

,c,,oeSo, in terms of air-to-air?,c,,

,c,,oeAvoid combat, unless we come across a recon element or a strike flight. Or if we get jumped,,c,, the CO said. ,c,,oeIf you can take a Sidewinder shot at a chopper? Go ahead.,c,,

Hoser looked at his CO. ,c,,oeMiGs, Boss?,c,,

,c,,oeMiG-29s are confirmed at Gray AAF and Bergstrom, while MiG-21s and -23s are at James Connolly AFB at Waco, along with both Waco and Temple airports. Brownwood Regional has MiG-21s, and those are East German, by the way. And you'll like this: Bergstrom has Su-27s and that's now confirmed. So remember your anti-Flanker drill.,c,,

,c,,oeGet down low, do a Doppler break, and scream for help from AWACS,,c,, noted Sweaty.

,c,,oeAnd pray that a 'teenage' fighter's around,,c,, Preacher added.

,c,,oeBailout areas?,c,, Hoser asked. ,c,,oeSame as before?,c,,

The CO nodded. ,c,,oeAnyplace rural and away from the roads. Jolly Green's had good luck in this sector, so hole up, wait until dark, and they will be coming,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeBefore you ask, weather's still good, but that may change in a few days.,c,, He surveyed his flight. ,c,,oeAnything else?,c,,

,c,,oeWhat about those F-20s?,c,, Sweaty wanted to know. ,c,,oeThey going into combat?,c,,

,c,,oeDon't be surprised if those young pups General Yeager's got driving them decide to take a side trip down to the front lines,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeIn fact, I'd expect it.,c,,

Kara looked at her CO and flight lead. ,c,,oeAnd Yeager?,c,,

,c,,oeThere's a 'no-combat' directive that applies to both him and General Olds,,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeComes right from the Chief of Staff himself.,c,, Though he was privately wondering how long that would hold up. Given how the 335th-and many other units in Tenth Air Force, often would fold, spindle, bend, or mutilate such directives, regulations, etc. in order to produce results.....

,c,,oeWe'll see how long that lasts,,c,, Brainiac said.

,c,,oeWe will,,c,, the CO nodded. ,c,,oeAnything else?,c,, Heads shook no. ,c,,oeAll right, let's get back in the game. Gear up and meet at 512.,c,,


After gearing up, Guru and Goalie headed outside, and there, they found Maj. Dave Golen, their IDF ,c,,oeObserver,c,, who had done a lot more than 'observe'. He was flying combat missions on a daily basis, and not only had he become an ace, he had bailed out almost everyone in the squadron from a tight spot at least once. As both Guru and Goalie could attest, for Dave had shot MiGs off them at least twice. ,c,,oeDave,,c,, Guru said.

,c,,oeGuru,,c,, Golen said. He nodded in the direction of his wingmate, Flossy. She was talking things over with her temporary GIB, Jang. ,c,,oeLooks like Flossy and Jang are talking things over.,c,,

Guru took a look, and both Flossy and Jang were in a serious conversation. ,c,,oeI'd say so. Remember, this won't be for just a day. When you took Hoser's place? You were in my flight for a week.,c,,

,c,,oeI do,,c,, Golen replied. ,c,,oeSo....you're going out.,c,,

,c,,oeWe are,,c,, the CO said. ,c,,oeYou going down to the Nicaraguan sector?,c,,

,c,,oeYes, as a matter of fact.,c,,

,c,,oeOkay, what's your mission code?,c,,

,c,,oeMustang. You?,c,, Golen asked.

,c,,oeCorvette,,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeIf you hit trouble, holler. We'll be there.,c,,

,c,,oeI'll say the same for you,,c,, Golen said. ,c,,oeGood luck.,c,,

,c,,oeYou too.,c,,


When Guru and Goalie got to his aircraft's revetment, the rest of the flight were there. ,c,,oeSaw you two with Dave Golen,,c,, Kara said. ,c,,oeThey going with us?,c,,

,c,,oeNo, but they'll be around. If we hit serious trouble, they'll be there,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeOkay, gather around. It was time for his final instructions.

,c,,oeUsual procedures on the radio?,c,, Sweaty asked.

Guru nodded. ,c,,oeMission code to AWACS and other interested parties. Call signs between us, and there's one other thing, people.,c,,

,c,,oeAnd that is?,c,, Kara asked with due seriousness.

,c,,oeDo not get complacent. These may be Libyans, but they can put a lot of lead in the air, so do NOT underestimate them,,c,, the CO said. ,c,,oeTreat them as if they're Cat I Soviets. Got it?,c,, The CO saw heads nodding at that. ,c,,oeOkay, anything else?,c,,

,c,,oeHow many more today?,c,, Hoser asked.

,c,,oeThere should be time for one more,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeIf it's CAS, maybe two. That answer your question?,c,,

Hoser nodded. ,c,,oeJust wish the weather guys were wrong and we were getting something in.,c,,

,c,,oeYou, me, and everyone else,,c,, the CO said. ,c,,oeThat it?,c,, Heads nodded in the affirmative. ,c,,oeOkay, time to fly. Let's hit it.,c,,

The flight members headed to their aircraft, and Guru and Goalie went to 512, the CO's mount. They found Staff Sergeant Mike Crowley, the Crew Chief, waiting, while the ground crew got out of the way. ,c,,oeSergeant,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeShe ready to rock?,c,,

,c,,oeMajor,,c,, Crowley replied, snapping a salute. ,c,,oeFive-Twelve's ready, sir. Time to go to work.,c,,

,c,,oeIt is that,,c,, Guru said. He and Goalie did their preflight walk-arounds, then, after Guru signed for the aircraft, both climbed aboard and strapped in. They went through their cockpit checks, and as they did, Guru asked, ,c,,oeYou think Yeager's going to bend that 'no-combat' rule?,c,,

,c,,oeWouldn't you?,c,, Goalie replied. ,c,,oeEjection seats?,c,,

,c,,oeArmed top and bottom, check yours,,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeYou know what? In his shoes, I might, just to show that I still have what it takes.,c,,

,c,,oeBe careful of what you wish for,,c,, she reminded her CO and lover. ,c,,oeOkay, Arnie and INS ready to go.,c,, That meant the ARN-101 DMAS and the INS system.

,c,,oeFinal checklist complete?,c,,

,c,,oeIt's done,,c,, Goalie said. ,c,,oeReady for engine start.,c,,

Guru nodded, then gave a thumbs-up to his Crew Chief, who gave the ,c,,oeStart Engines,c,, signal. First one, then both, J-79 engines were soon up and running. After the warm-up, Guru called the tower. ,c,,oeTower, Corvette Lead with four, requesting taxi and takeoff instructions.,c,,

,c,,oeCorvette Flight, Tower. Clear to taxi to Runway Three-Five-Lima. Hold prior to the Active.,c,,

,c,,oeRoger, Tower, Corvette Lead rolling,c,, Guru gave another thumbs-up to his Crew Chief, who then signaled the ground crew to pull away the wheel chocks. Then he gave the CO the 'taxi' signal, and Guru taxied 512 out of the revetment. As Guru cleared the revetment, Sergeant Crowley snapped a salute, and both pilot and GIB returned it.

Guru taxied to the runway, and the other three F-4s in the flight followed. They were actually number three in line, and when they got to the holding area, the flight held up so that the armorers could remove the weapon safeties. After a C-130 came in, it was time for Guru to call the tower. ,c,,oeTower, Corvette Flight requesting clearance to taxi for takeoff.,c,,

,c,,oeCorvette Lead, Tower. Clear to taxi for takeoff. Winds are Two-six-seven for five,,c,, the controller replied.

,c,,oeRoger, Tower,,c,, Guru said. He taxied 512 onto the runway, and Kara followed in 520. After a quick check, both Guru and Goalie gave Kara and Brainiac a thumbs-up, and their wingmates returned it. Then it was time. ,c,,oeTower, Corvette Lead requesting clear for takeoff.,c,,

As usual, the Tower didn't reply on the radio, but flashed a green light. Clear for Takeoff.

,c,,oeCanopy coming down,,c,, Guru said. Both he and Goalie pulled their canopies down and locked them, and at the same time, Kara and Brainiac did the same. Then Guru applied full power, released the brakes, and 512 thundered down the runway and into the air, with 520 right with them. Thirty seconds later, it was Sweaty's and Hoser's turn, and once airborne, Corvette Flight formed up and headed south for the tanker track and their pre-strike refueling.

[Matt Wiser]

And the next part:


Over Central Texas, 1335 Hours Central War Time:


Corvette Flight was headed south, following the boundary between the Nicaraguan II Corps and the Cuban 2nd Army, which was on their right. So far, not a sign of any kind of air-defense activity from the Nicaraguans, though the Cubans off to their left were active. But the strike flight's ingress at low altitude, coupled with the fact they were on a command boundary, meant that no one was shooting at them. Yet. But the RWR display showed a radar well off to the south, and that meant a likely Red AWACS, a Mainstay. ,c,,oeMainstay's likely got us,,c,, Guru said.

,c,,oeNothing we can do about that,,c,, Goalie replied. ,c,,oeOne minute to turn. Cleburne coming up.,c,,

,c,,oeRoger that,,c,, replied Guru. They had hit targets around Cleburne, including its airport, several times in the past, and though weakened, the AAA there could be a problem-if the Nicaraguan gunners were alert. ,c,,oeVisual on the town,,c,, he called. The town was the actual turn point.

,c,,oeAnd.....turn.,c,, Goalie called.

Guru put 512 into a right turn, and headed due south, with the rest of Corvette Flight with him as they flew right over Cleburne.

In the town, the Nicaraguan garrison commander was the Major commanding the 33rd Motor-Rifle Regiment, 3rd Mechanized Rifle Division. He happened to be the highest-ranking officer in town after the out-of-shape Colonel who had the job previously had been killed a couple days earlier in an Yanqui air strike on the airport. Now, he was finding out that the headaches the man had to deal with were numerous, and one thing he had learned, was that the locals, while surly and largely uncooperative, had not engaged in any serious guerrilla activities, and conducting any kind of reprisals was the last thing he wanted. The Soviets also had a garrison in town, a regimental HQ from a Soviet Army Rear-Area Protection Division, and the Russians were content to stay in the towns where their men were stationed, patrol the roads, and by and large, be content with doing just that. For once, the Soviets and the Nicaraguans were actually agreeing on something-which,since the American Summer Offensive, had been a rare thing.

Now, the Major was talking with his Regimental Political Officer, as well as the Mayor, and both were trying to assure the Mayor that the previous commander's policies would continue. Then the four F-4s came over and made their turn to the south, and to the Major's chagrin, the AA batteries only started shooting after the Yanqui aircraft had flown past. Not just that, but many of the local garrison that he had inherited were running for cover, and the locals were cheering. The Major turned and saw his Political Officer with an ice-cold stare. ,c,,oeComrade Captain?,c,,

,c,,oeComrade Major, I suggest we set a few examples for this....blatant disobedience.,c,,

,c,,oeNO. The last thing we need is guerrilla activity, and any kind of reprisals will only fuel that sort of fire.,c,, The Major glared at his Political Officer. Why the Personnel Department sent the man to his command was beyond imagining. The Captain did look good on paper, but now.....


,c,,oeTwo minutes to Lake Whitney,,c,, Goalie called from 512's rear seat. ,c,,oeThat's the next turn point.,c,,

,c,,oeRoger that,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeSo far, so good.,c,, Nothing other than that Red AWACS was on his RWR display. ,c,,oeAnd nothing across the river.,c,,

,c,,oeThat'll change,,c,, replied Goalie.

The landscape flew by as Corvette Flight maintained its heading south. It wasn't long until the lake appeared. ,c,,oeTurn point coming up.,c,,

,c,,oeCopy...,c,, Goalie said ,c,,oeTurn in five, four, three, two, one....NOW!,c,,

Guru put the F-4 into a hard right turn, and did a 180. Now, they were headed north, and right for the Route 174 bridge over the Brazos, and though they had briefly gone into the East German sector, they were now just east of the river, and the Nicaraguan and Libyan AOR. ,c,,oeOne minute.,c,,

,c,,oeRoger that,,c,, Goalie replied. ,c,,oeSet 'em up?,c,, She meant the ordnance control panel. They had a dozen Mark-82 500-lb bombs with Snakeye retarders.

,c,,oeGo. Everything in one pass,,c,, Guru replied.

Goalie worked the switches, then said, ,c,,oeAll set.,c,, She checked the INS. ,c,,oeThirty seconds.,c,,

,c,,oeCopy.,c,,

The bridge came into view, and then the East Germans on the west side started to shoot, while the Nicaraguans were slow to react at first, but there were tracers coming up from both sides of the river. ,c,,oeBridge ahead,,c,, called Goalie. That was their pop-up point.

,c,,oeGot it,,c,, Guru replied. He got on the radio. ,c,,oeFlight, Lead. ,c,,oeSwitches on. Music on, and stand by to pull.,c,, That meant to arm their ordnance and turn on their ECM pods.

,c,,oeCopy, Lead,,c,, Kara called.

'Three copies.,c,, Sweaty.

,c,,oeRoger, Lead.,c,, Hoser.

,c,,oePull in five, four, three, two, one, PULL!,c,, Goalie called

Guru put 512 into a power climb, and at the same time, turned on his ECM pod. As he climbed, he looked to the north, just shy of the Twelve O'clock position, and not only did he see a bend in the river, but to the north of the bend, was their target. ,c,,oeGot it. Target in sight.,c,,

,c,,oeReady back here,,c,, Goalie said.

,c,,oeRoger that,,c,, replied Guru. ,c,,oeFlight, Lead. Target in sight.,c,, He pitched down and rolled to the left.


At the supply dump that was Corvette Flight's target, a Libyan Army Captain was not in a good mood. While the site was seemingly well defended, with the East Germans across the river, and not only his own guns, but also Soviet and Nicaraguan air-defense assets, no one seemed to know who was in charge when it came to air defense, and that worried him. Then there were his laborers. Not only were they Libyan Army personnel under punishment, but there were also Mexicans who had been recruited for labor service and no one knew any Spanish. A Cuban officer who spoke Arabic was supposedly assigned to him as a liaison, but the man was nowhere to be found. He would have preferred forcibly pressing locals into labor service, but the Nicaraguan Corps Commander had flatly refused the request, and the Soviets, to his surprise, had backed the Nicaraguans. Shaking his head, he surveyed his depot, with supply trucks in the vehicle park, and supplies stacked where planned for easy access. Everything the brigade would need was here: ammunition, fuel, rations, everything. He turned to the south, and saw a sight that chilled him. Aircraft coming in, and they weren't friendly. ,c,,oeAIR ALARM!,c,, He shouted, then jumped into a slit trench.


,c,,oeLead's in hot!,c,, Guru called as he rolled in on his bomb run. As he did, Guru lined up part of the dump along with what looked like a couple of office trailers. As he came in, he saw the Triple-A batteries were silent. He'd have a free ride, but the others would get some flak. Guru lined up a row of supply pallets and some trucks......,c,,And...and....HACK!,c,, He hit the pickle button, and a dozen Mark-82s came off the racks. Guru pulled up and away, and as he did, he noticed at least one of the flak batteries had started shooting. ,c,,oeLead off safe.,c,,

The Libyan Captain huddled in the trench, along with some of his men, as Guru's F-4 flew past, then the bombs detonated. Dust and debris landed in the trench, and one of his men was actually killed when a piece of a truck, hit by a bomb, landed on the man's head, killing him instantly. One thing he knew, was that American aircraft didn't attack alone. He poked his head out of the trench, and looked around. Several sets of supplies had been blown apart, but no fuel or munitions, Allah be praised, though several trucks were now burning wrecks or had been blown apart. The Captain looked to the south, and saw another speck and smoke trail coming in, and getting larger. He ducked back into the trench.

,c,,oeSHACK!,c,, Goalie called from 512's back seat. ,c,,oeGot a secondary, I think.,c,,

,c,,oeWhat'd we hit?,c,, Guru asked as he banked left to pick up the Brazos River and head north.

,c,,oeNot sure.,c,,


,c,,oeTwo's in hot!,c,, Kara called as she rolled in on her bomb run. She noticed where the CO's bombs had gone off, and only one secondary, so she decided to lay her bombs to the right of where Guru had put his. As Kara came in, she noticed the Triple-A was starting to come up, and just like previous strikes, the Libyans were shooting, but not very well. Even an SA-7 came at her from head on, with no chance of guiding, and flew harmlessly by. ,c,,oeSteady....and....HACK!,c,, She hit the pickle button, sending a dozen more Mark-82s onto the target. She pulled up and headed on out, following the CO, and called, ,c,,oeTwo's off target.,c,,

In his trench, the Libyan Captain heard Kara's F-4 come in, and in its wake, more explosions. This time, there were several more, as either fuel or munitions had been hit. He stuck his head up, and saw what looked like fuel drums exploding, and spreading fires. Before he could do anything, someone pulled him back into the trench. More aircraft, or was it just the fires and explosions?


,c,,oeGOOD HITS!,c,, Brainiac yelled from 520's back seat. ,c,,oeWe got secondaries!,c,,

,c,,oeAny guess as to what?,c,, Kara asked as she turned to follow the CO, and gave a flak battery a wide berth at the same time.

,c,,oeFuel, looks like.,c,,

Kara nodded as she picked up the CO. ,c,,oeGood.,c,,


,c,,oeThree's in hot!,c,, Sweaty yelled. She came in, and saw where Kara had put her bombs, and noticed that the vehicle park looked to be undamaged. Sweaty decided to remedy that oversight, and lined up a concentration of trucks in her pipper. Just as the CO had said, the Libyans were shooting, and they were doing a lot of it. Sweaty ignored the flak, and lined up the trucks in her pipper. ,c,,oeSteady....steady, and NOW!,c,, She hit the pickle button, and released another dozen Mark-82s down on the Libyans. As she pulled up and away, Sweaty gave the call, ,c,,oeThree off target.,c,,


The Libyan Captain heard Sweaty's plane come in, and the trench shook again as bombs exploded in its wake. He poked his head up, and noticed the vehicle park, where his supply trucks were parked. Several had been tossed aside like toys from the bombs, while others were twisted, burning wrecks. And a bomb had landed near a fuel bladder meant for the trucks, and the bladder had exploded, drenching still more trucks-along with some supply pallets, with burning fuel. He started to get out of the trench, then he glanced to the south, and froze. Another American plane was coming in, and two of his men pulled him into the trench.

,c,,oeSHACK!,c,, Preacher yelled. ,c,,oeGot some secondaries!,c,,

,c,,oeHow many?,c,, Sweaty asked as she jinked to avoid some flak. These Libyans may not be good shots, but they sure as hell put a lot of lead in the air.

,c,,oeGot a few,,c,, replied Preacher.

Sweaty grinned beneath her oxygen mask. ,c,,oeGood enough for me,,c,, she said, then she picked up the Brazos and headed north.


In his F-4, Hoser made his call, ,c,,oeFour's in!,c,, As he rolled in, he not only saw the flak, but also the smoke from where not only Sweaty, but Kara, had put their bombs, and he picked out what looked like some fuel tanks. Hoser decided right then to make that go away, and he lined the tanks up in his pipper. ,c,,oeSteady, steady.....and...HACK!,c,, Hoser hit his pickle button, releasing his twelve Mark-82s onto the target. He pulled up and away, jinking as he did so, and called, ,c,,oeFour's off safe.,c,,


At the dump, the Libyan Captain heard Hoser's Phantom fly past, and then more explosions followed in its wake. He never knew what hit him as some fuel tanks and drums were hit, not only sending plumes of smoke into the air, but drenching their immediate surroundings with burning fuel, and that included his trench. The Captain and those others in the trench were turned into human torches......


,c,,oeSHACK!,c,, KT yelled. ,c,,oeBig secondaries!,c,,

,c,,oeAny idea what?,c,, Hoser asked as he jinked to avoid flak. He and KT had been shot down once already, and for sure, that was an experience neither wanted to repeat.

,c,,oeLooks like you hit some fuel,,c,, she replied.

,c,,oeFair enough,,c,, said Hoser. ,c,,oeTime to get out of Dodge.,c,,


Just as Hoser's F-4 was coming off target, a UAZ-469 jeep was approaching the supply dump. Besides the driver, the only other occupant was a Cuban Army Captain, and he was suddenly wondering what kind of hell he'd gotten himself into. An Arabic Studies major at the University of Havana with hopes of joining the Foreign Service, he'd been suddenly plucked out of his studies, given an eight-week officer training course, and then sent to Texas. Someone had found his area of study in his dossier, and suddenly, he'd been promoted to Captain and made a liaison officer with the Libyan Expeditionary Force.

Now, as the jeep drove down this road called F.M. 1242, both occupants saw something that chilled them. American aircraft had hit the supply depot, and left fires and destruction in their wake. Just as they got to the depot, the antiaircraft batteries were firing wildly, and an F-4 flew right overhead, then turned to the northwest. Counting themselves lucky, the Cubans got out of the jeep, as the AA guns were still firing and no Imperialist aircraft in sight. Shaking his head, the Captain started looking for a Libyan officer. Time to get some order out of this mess, and he was thinking something else. What do I have to do get a transfer away from these people?


In 512, Goalie heard Hoser's call. ,c,,oeGood. Four in, four out.,c,,

,c,,oeNot yet,,c,, Guru reminded her. ,c,,oeStill got a game on.,c,, He was following the Brazos, and there were the U.S. 67 and then the U.S. 377 bridges over the river, and there would be flak at both. If he led the flight along the east side of the river, the Nicaraguans on that side wouldn't likely shoot, but the East Germans on the west side more than likely would. ,c,,oeTwo, where are you?,c,,

,c,,oeGot eyeballs on you,,c,, Kara replied as she joined up with the CO. ,c,,oeOn your Five.,c,,

Guru glanced to the Five O'clock position, and saw 520 pulling in alongside. ,c,,oeRoger that,,c,, he said. ,c,,oeWarlock, Corvette One-one,,c,, Guru called the AWACS. ,c,,oeSay threat?,c,,

,c,,oeCorvette One-one, Warlock,,c,, the AWACS controller replied. ,c,,oeThreat bearing One-six-seven for fifty-five. Medium, closing. Second threat bearing One-seven-five for sixty-eight. Medium, closing. Third threat bearing One-niner-eight for eighty. Medium, closing.,c,,

,c,,oeWarlock, Corvette. Copy,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeSay bogey dope?,c,,

,c,,oeCorvette, Warlock, stand by.,c,,

,c,,oeAin't got all day,,c,, Goalie muttered.

,c,,oeCorvette, Warlock. Threats bearing One-six-seven are four Fishbeds. Threats bearing One-seven-five are two Flankers. Threats bearing One-niner-eight are four Fulcrums.,c,,

,c,,oeCopy, Warlock,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeHow long to the fence?,c,, He asked Goalie. The 'fence' meant I-20 and the front lines.

,c,,oeTwo minutes,,c,, she replied.

,c,,oeRoger that,,c,, said Guru. ,c,,oeWarlock, Corvette. Can you have a reception committee waiting if they get too close?,c,,

,c,,oeAffirmative, Corvette,,c,, the AWACS replied.


Corvette Flight kept going north, though when they got to the U.S. 67 bridge, they did draw flak from the west side, while the Nicaraguans only fired after they had gone past. And the same thing happened at Granbury and the U.S. 377 bridge. As they got closer to the I-20, the bandits continued to close. ,c,,oeCorvette, Warlock. Threat bearing One-seven-five for thirty-five. Medium, closing.,c,,

,c,,oeWarlock, Corvette,,c,, Guru replied. ,c,,oeGet the Eagles on the bandits, if you can.,c,,

,c,,oeRoger that, Corvette.,c,,


Just as Corvette Flight reached the I-20, the F-15s flashed by overhead. They heard over the radio as the F-15s engaged the Su-27s, splashing one, and as the MiG-21s came in to assist, two of the Fishbeds were also downed. Then they reached the tankers, and hooked up for their post-strike refueling. Corvette Flight then came off the tankers just as Mustang Flight arrived, and they waited for their friends to tank up, then all six Phantoms headed for Sheppard.

When they got there, both flights had to wait for outgoing traffic, Marine, AF, and Navy, before things cleared for them to land. As they taxied in, the crews noticed the TV crew filming them. ,c,,oeEver think that'd change?,c,, Goalie asked Guru

,c,,oeNo, and want to bet they've shot enough that postwar, some of it's going to be stock footage for who knows how many documentaries?,c,,

Hearing that, Goalie laughed. ,c,,oeThat's a bet even Kara won't take.,c,,

,c,,oeNo kidding.,c,,

The flight taxied into their revetments, and when Guru got to 512's he noticed their RAF liaison was waiting. Guru taxied into the revetment, then got the ,c,,oeShut down,c,, signal from Sergeant Crowley. Then he and Goalie went through the post-flight checks, while the ground crew brought the crew ladder. Then Guru and Goalie climbed down, and did a quick post-flight walkaround. After that, they went over to where Sergeant Crowley was waiting. ,c,,oeSergeant,,c,, Guru said.

,c,,oeHow'd it go, Major?,c,, Crowley asked, as he tossed both the CO and GIB a bottle of water. ,c,,oeAnd Lieutenant?,c,,

,c,,oeMade a supply dump go away,,c,, Guru said. Then he downed half the water. ,c,,oeAnd taught some Libyans a lesson.,c,,

,c,,oeAbout staying home,,c,, Goalie added.

,c,,oeWant to bet they didn't learn, Ma'am?,c,, Crowley asked.

,c,,oeTheir problem.,c,,

,c,,oeMajor, how's my bird?,c,, Crowley asked the CO.

,c,,oeShe's working like a champ. Whatever you're doing? Don't change it,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeThere's time for one more, so get her turned around ASAP.,c,,

The Crew Chief nodded. ,c,,oeYes, sir!,c,, He turned to the ground crew. ,c,,oeYou heard him. Let's get the CO's bird ready for one more.,c,,

,c,,oeStill want to bump him up in the R&R Rotation?,c,, Goalie asked her pilot as they walked to the revetment's entrance, where Jack Lord was waiting.

,c,,oeIf I can,,c,, Guru admitted. ,c,,oeI'd love to, but he still might turn that down. If he does that, then making him a Tech Sergeant instead is something he can't refuse.,c,,

Goalie nodded. Nobody that she had heard of turned down an extra stripe. That meant some more money in the allotment checks one sent home. ,c,,oeWell, here's our RAF visitor,,c,, she said, changing the subject.

,c,,oeHow'd things go, Guru?,c,, Lord asked. ,c,,oeAnd, Goalie? How'd you get that call sign anyhow?,c,,

,c,,oeWell, Jack,,c,, Goalie said. ,c,,oeEvery instructor at the RTU tried to, uh, score with me, if you know what I mean. I fended all of them off, and somebody said, 'You're like a soccer goalie.' So they stuck me with it.,c,,

,c,,oeAnd we made a supply dump go away,,c,, added the CO. ,c,,oeAnd taught some Libyans a lesson.,c,,

Jack nodded. ,c,,oeI take it the lesson was 'you should have stayed home?',c,,

,c,,oeSomething like that,,c,, Kara said as she and Brainiac came over. ,c,,oeNice one, Boss.,c,,

,c,,oeGood job yourself,,c,, Guru said. Then Sweaty and Preacher, along with Hoser and KT, came over as well. ,c,,oeNice work, Sweaty. You and Hoser.,c,,

,c,,oeThanks, Boss,,c,, replied Sweaty. ,c,,oeHad some big secondaries. Righteous ones, as Preacher likes to say.,c,,

Hearing that, Jack Lord turned to Goalie. ,c,,oeHow did he get that call sign?,c,,

,c,,oeEx-seminary student,,c,, Goalie told him.

Dave Golen, Flossy, and their GIBs came over next. ,c,,oeGuru, how'd things go with you?,c,,

,c,,oeSupply dump down in the Libyan AOR. You?,c,, The CO replied.

,c,,oeFound a supply convoy headed north on one of those Farm-to-Market roads,,c,, Golen said. ,c,,oeWe turned it into a junkyard.,c,,

Flossy added, ,c,,oeA burning one.,c,,

,c,,oeHow'd you and Jang work out?,c,, The CO wanted to know.

,c,,oeI'd fly with her anytime,,c,, Flossy said, and the object of that attention was beaming. ,c,,oeWhen Digger goes on R&R? I'd like her in the back seat again.,c,,

,c,,oeDone,,c,, Guru said. ,c,,oeJang? You keep this up, because sooner or later, you'll be in a permanent crew.,c,,

That was music to Jang's ears. ,c,,oeI've been waiting for that, Major.,c,,

,c,,oeYour time's coming,,c,, the CO assured her. ,c,,oeOkay, people, we all need to debrief, get some food inside us, and check our desks. We've got time enough for one more, then we can hit the Club.,c,,

,c,,oeSpeaking of which,,c,, Kara said. ,c,,oeAnybody notice how young two of those F-20 drivers look?,c,,

Flossy nodded at that. ,c,,oeNoticed that myself. Two of 'em look like eighth-graders in flight suits.,c,,

,c,,oeDidn't the Air Force reduce the educational requirement for pilots and navs to two years of college?,c,, Goalie wondered aloud.

The CO nodded. ,c,,oeThey did. Chances are, those two did just that. We'll sort that out later, as in 'after the war' later. Come on, let's get the debriefs done, then remember what I told you.,c,,

With that, the crews headed back to the squadron offices, because it wouldn't be long until the last mission of the day.