Read Viper Pilot: A Memoir of Air Combat Online
Authors: Dan Hampton
politics and, 167
propaganda leaflets in, 301
return of U.S. troops from, 303
sandstorms during, 2–3, 4–5, 9, 13, 185–88, 191–211, 215, 217, 220–22, 229
as solving Iraqi domestic problems, 177
statistics about, 300–301
U.S. Air Force deployment in, 306
and U.S. invasion of Iraq as act of terrorism, 184
U.S. successes in, 301–2
U.S. as winner of, 303, 305
veterans of, 305–6
weather role in, 215, 218–19, 229–30
See also
sandstorms;
specific mission
Iraqi Air Defense, 237
Iraqi Air Force, 79, 83, 147, 182, 218–19, 283, 284
Iron Hand missions, 24
Israel
Egyptian relations with, 110–11
Iraqi relations with, 180
Israeli Air Force, 54, 110, 138
Jackson, Mike, 155
jamming
in Desert Storm, 82, 301
development of anti-SAM weapons and, 18, 26–27
Iraq War and, 233, 269, 289, 297
Iraqi defense measures and, 146–47
Jell-O parties, 144
JEREMIAH (call sign), 217–18, 229, 257
Jeremiah Weed drink, 63, 87
Jet Fuel Starter (JFS) system, 102–3
Johnson, Lyndon B., 18, 26, 27
JRAY (call sign), 62
JSTARS jets, Iraq War and, 216, 218
“Juice” (Iraq War wingman), 294–95, 296, 298–99, 300
Karbola Gap (Iraq), 229
KARI (integrated air defense system), 146–47
KARMA (AWACS Iraq War call sign), 280, 290, 291, 292, 295, 296
KC airplanes.
See
tankers
Keirn, Richard “Pops,” 19–20, 21, 22
Kennedy, John F., 18
Kerrison Predictor, 15
Khan Bani Sad Air Field (Iraq), U.S. attack on, 269–77
Khobar Towers (Dhahran Air Base), attack on (1996), 149–53, 154
killboxes, in Iraq War, 176, 217, 244, 279, 282, 290
Kirkuk, Iraq, 83–85, 145, 290
Korat Air Base (Thailand), 24
Korean War, 16, 286
Kosovo, 2, 54, 155, 157–58, 174, 245
Kuwait
air-to-air refueling and, 190
Desert Shield and, 144
F-16 flights to Dhahran Air Base and, 119
Iraq relations with, 144
Iraq War and, 13, 190, 194, 196
Iraqi invasion of (Desert Storm), 65, 67
oil resources in, 147
sandstorm landing and, 194, 196
as USAF base for NFZ enforcement, 143
See also
Desert Storm
Kuwait International Airport
empty gas tank problem and, 187
sandstorm landing and, 194, 198
Lajes Air Base (Azores), 302
Lamb, Al, 25
landings.
See
type of landing
LANDROLL target-tracking radar, 54–55
language differences, 104–5, 118, 122–23
LAPEL (Iraq War call sign), 232, 235, 236, 242–56, 257, 280
LASER (Desert Storm call sign), 73, 74
laser-guided bombs, 137, 141
Laws of Armed Conflict,
186
Lead-In Fighter Training (LIFT), 39, 40
license to kill, in Iraq War, 6
Life Support Shop, 128
The Line (32nd Parallel), in Iraq War, 176, 178
line-abreast formations, 170
lineup card, 75, 243
Lips (Incirik pilot), 92, 93, 94–95
Local Area Orientation (LAO), 49–50
London
Daily Mirror,
136
“loose deuce” formation, 171
low-altitude flying, 53–54, 55, 214, 286
Low Blow radar, 235
LUGER (Iraq War call sign), 1, 7–8, 12, 186, 192–94, 196, 242–44, 249, 250, 257
Luke Air Force Base (Arizona), 43–45
MAGIC (call sign), 62
Major Commands
of U.S. Air Force, 126–27
See also
specific command
MAKO (Egyptian test flight call sign), 103, 104
man-portable systems (MANPADs), 55, 76, 146, 289
Manning, Scott “Zing” (Iraq War ELI Two call sign), 232, 244, 261, 262, 266–68, 271–77
maps, in Iraq War, 2, 219, 285, 290
Marines, U.S.
Baghdad attacks and, 215, 232, 237, 241, 279
beginning of Iraq War and, 183
at Nasiriyah (Iraq War), 1–13, 179, 185, 190, 210, 211–12, 213–14, 215, 229, 306
Saddam Hussein statue and, 285
in Vietnam, 18–19, 21
MARK point, 195
Mass Brief time, 84
Maverick missiles
Fighter Weapons School instruction and, 137
in Iraq War, 4, 6, 245, 289, 292–99, 301
Mission Qual checks and, 129
McDonnell Douglas, 28
McGee, Michael B., 213–14
McNamara, Robert, 26, 27
medals
awarding of, 304
for Desert Storm, 154
memories, Hampton’s views about, 308
Messerschmitt 109, German, 16
MFD.
See
Multi Function Displays
MiG jets
briefings about, 83
Desert Storm and, 67, 68, 71–72, 73, 75, 76, 78, 79, 84
“dual” training incident and, 121, 122
in Egypt, 114, 121
in Iraq War, 171, 172, 176–77, 182, 188, 222, 226, 233, 282, 291
in no-fly zones, 147
U-2 flights and, 17
UAVs and, 304
Vietnam War and, 20, 245
military, U.S.
adaptability of, 147
careerists in, 154
decorations in, 154
entrenched doctrine of, 124–25
Hampton’s views about, 124–25, 306
leadership of, 183
loyalty and accountability in, 154
in 1990s, 141–67
warrior mentality in, 306
See also
specific branch
Milk Lake (Iraq War), 219, 220–21
Minimum Safe Altitude (MSA), 198
missiles.
See
type of missile
Mission Commander, 84, 138
Mission Employment (ME), 138–39
Mission Planning Cell, 83
Mission Qualification, 56, 59, 63
Mission Qualification checks, 129–30
Mobility Shop, 128
MONTY.
See
ROMAN (Iraq War call sign): sandstorm landing and
Moody, Dave “MooMan,” 86–87, 89, 307
Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) areas, 143–44
Morocco, Nellis threat array and, 138
Morón Air Base (Spain), Hampton stopover at, 164–66
Moseley, T. Michael, 212
MOSES (call sign), 62
Moshen (Egyptian pilot), 122–23
Mosul (Iraq)
debriefing and planning after attack on, 80–85
Hampton’s first combat mission over, 66–80
Iraqi defense of, 145
oil fields in, 290
MOXIE (Iraq War call sign), 169, 171, 173, 174, 175, 182
Mubarak, Hosni, 109
Multi Function Displays (MFD), in Iraq War, 226, 233, 249, 268, 294, 298
MUSKET (Iraq War call sign), 291, 292, 293, 295, 300
name tags
at officer’s clubs, 85–86
TAC, 39
“Naming” ceremony, 61–63
Nasiriyah (Iraq)
Hampton talks with woman about battle at, 306
Iraq War and, 1–13, 145, 179, 185–88, 190, 210, 211–12, 213–14, 215, 229
Iraqi defense of, 145
Mission Report about attack on, 211–12
sandstorm near, 185–88
U.S. Marines near, 1–13, 179, 185, 190, 210, 211–12, 213–14, 215, 229, 306
National Guard, Saudi, 151
National Guard, U.S., 305
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
in Cold War, 46
Desert Storm and, 113
Nellis threat array and, 138
and quality of pilots, 47
SA-6s and, 64
Spanish antiwar protests and, 165
Navy, U.S.
Cold War planes of, 48
Iraq War and, 180, 216–17, 280
Oerlikon cannons and, 16
Vietnam War and, 21
in World War II, 16
Nellis Air Force Base (Nevada)
Desert Storm preparations at, 65
FWIC at, 132, 133–40
threat array at, 138, 139–40
Neutral Air Combat Maneuvering, 135
Neutral Basic Fighter Maneuver, 134
night flying, Hampton’s views about, 176–77
night-threat reactions, 171
night vision goggles (NVG)
Iraq War and, 171, 176, 196–97, 201
sandstorm landing and, 196–97, 201
94th Fighter Squadron, 126
Ninth Air Force, U.S., 127
Nixon, Richard M., 28
no-fly zones (NFZ), 142–43
Nobel, Alfred, 16
North American Aviation, 22
nose up incident, 122–23
Numbered Air Forces (NAF), 127
nursing homes discussion, 123–24
Oasis (Beni Suef compound), 119–20
Oerlikon cannons, 16
Offensive Air Combat Maneuvering, 135
Offensive Basic Fighter Maneuver, 134
offensive jamming pods, 18
Office of Military Cooperation, Egyptian, 109
Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), 151
An Officer and a Gentleman
(movie), 40
Officer’s Club
characteristics of, 85
at Incirik Air Base, 85–97
non-fighter men at, 89–90
warning of attack on, 90–91
173rd Airborne Brigade, 290
Operation Allied Force.
See
Kosovo
Operation Arc Light (Vietnam War), 18
Operation Flaming Dart (Vietnam War), 18
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
See
Iraq War
Operation Iron Hand (Vietnam War), 24
Operation Linebacker (Vietnam War), 28
Operation Linebacker II (Vietnam War), 28
Operation Rolling Thunder (Vietnam War), 18, 26, 27
Operation Thunder Run (Iraq War), 232
operational Air Force, organization of, 45–46
Operations Group Commanders, 210
OPIE (call sign), 62
Orca (Desert Storm pilot), 70, 73, 74–76, 81, 82, 86, 87
Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), 127
Pamplona (Spain), running of bulls in, 63–64
Paris Peace Talks, 28
Patch Night, for FWIC, 139
patches, TAC, 39
Patchwearers.
See
Weapons Officers
Patriot missile
mistaken launching of, 81–82, 86, 87
sandstorm landing and, 201
in Turkey, 81–82, 83, 86, 87
PEACE VECTOR (PV) program, Hampton assignment to, 109–20
Pentagon, 9/11 attack on, 160–61
piddle packs, 4, 117, 211
pilots.
See
fighter pilots
The Plan (Air-Tasking Order “Frag”), 84
politics
Iraq War and, 167
“shock and awe” and, 183
POW camp, Hampton in mock, 41–42
Powers, Francis Gary, 17, 20
Predators (UAVs), 291
Prince Sultan Air Base (Saudi Arabia)
Gamblers departure from, 302
grounding of Hampton at, 211–13
Hampton as based at, 166–67, 182–84, 211–15
Iraq War and, 166–67, 182–84, 191–98
return from Nasiriyah attack and, 191–98
77th Fighter Squadron at, 164, 166–67
Professional Military Education, 124, 130
Project Weasel, 21, 22–23
propaganda leaflets, 301
psychological games, in mock POW camp, 42
“pushing,” 202, 204
radar
blind spots/”notches” in, 53
Iraq War and, 168, 233, 264, 265
Iraqi defense measures and, 146
See also
radar homing and warning receiver; Threat Warning Receiver;
type of radar
radar homing and warning receiver (RHAW), 18, 21–22, 25, 26–27, 55
Radar Warning Display (RWD), sandstorm and, 196
Radio Baghdad, 180
Rafha Air Base (Saudi Arabia), 191
Raki (Turkish liquor), 89
RAMROD (Iraq War call sign), 217, 218, 227–29
Ramstein Air Base (Germany), 45
Range Control Officer (RCO), 63
Raytheon, 225
RAZOR (Desert Storm call sign), 67, 68, 72
Reagan, Ronald, 177
Red Flag Mission Debriefing System (RFMDS), 138–39
refueling
air-to-air, 79–80, 118–19, 178, 185–91
combat, 79–80
in Iraq War, 178, 185–91, 228, 250, 257, 282, 283, 290
See also
tankers
rejoin points, in Iraq War, 175–76, 249, 293
Republic Aviation, 25
Republican Guards, Iraqi, 215, 227–28, 229, 242
Restricted Operating Zones, 46
Rew, Bill “Kanga,” 212–13, 214–15, 257, 292, 298, 307
“rifle” (shooting a Maverick missile), 245
The Right Stuff
(movie), 39
ROLAND missiles, 55, 201, 232, 281, 296
Rolling Thunder air campaign (Vietnam War), 18, 26, 27
ROMAN (Iraq War call sign)
Nasiriyah attack and, 2–9, 11, 12, 213–14
sandstorm landing and, 186, 187, 188, 191–208
Rumaila oil fields (Iraq), 179
runways, Russian versus American, 101
Russia/Soviet Union
Egyptian relations with, 101, 114, 122
entrenched military doctrine and, 124
Iraqi relations with, 109, 146
Kosovo and, 155
low-altitude flying and, 53
mobile SAMs and, 54
need for U.S. replacement threat for, 142
Powers U-2 flight and, 17
and training as fighting the last war, 43
Vietnam War and, 19, 26
See also
Cold War
RWR.
See
Threat Warning Receiver
SA-1 SAM, 17
SA-2 SAM
Desert Storm and, 68–69, 71, 83
development of anti-SAM weapons and, 21–22, 23, 24, 25
as fixed site, 54
in Iraq War, 168, 169, 178, 265, 292, 295–98, 300, 301
Iraqi defense measures and, 146
low-altitude flying as counter tactic to, 53–54
“notches” in, 53
training of Wild Weasels to fight, 23
U-2 flights and, 17–18
Vietnam War and, 20, 21–29
SA-3 SAM
in Desert Storm, 72, 74, 83
in Iraq War and, 168–72, 174, 175, 178, 181–82, 233–35, 237, 244, 246–49, 252–54, 256, 257, 265, 266, 282, 291, 292, 301
Iraqi defense measures and, 146