Chains of Command

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I’ve been out of the go-fast kerosene-burning flying game for six years now, so it was time to go back to school. When you want to know about the F-111 weapon system, there is only one place to go, the world’s one-stop Aardvark base: the Twenty-Seventh Fighter Wing, Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, NM, and go talk to its commander, Brigadier General Richard N. Goddard. Thanks to him and his people, I was able to get reacquainted with the swing-wing bomber I loved so much.

Very special thanks go to Lieutenant Colonel John L. Carnduff, Jr., commander of the 428th Fighter Squadron “Buccaneers,” probably the “final resting place” for the FB-111A bombers I flew (now called the F-111G), and three of their fine crew dogs, Captains Rich “Hawkeye” Pierce, Tom “LaBrush” Lacombe, and Dirk “Hutch” Hutchison. These gentlemen got me back in the F-111G simulator, gave me an introduction to the new systems, and then got me back to where I belong — hand on the “goat turd,” eyes in the “feed bag,” checking offsets and shacking targets. It was good to be back in the cockpit again. Many thanks for your time, your help, your ideas, and your inspiration.

Thanks to the following members of the Twenty-Seventh Fighter Wing for their help: Captain Michael M. Pierson, Wing Chief of Public Affairs at Cannon AFB, and SSgt. Fred Espinoza, for setting up a wonderful three-day tour of the Wing’s units and personnel; Captain John Ross, TSgt. James Wilkins, and SSgt Tim Jung of Field Training Detachment 528, for their help in understanding the upgrades and changes to the F-111 weapon system’s avionics; Major Stephen Hearne and First Lieutenant Gary Gross of Wing Logistics, for teaching me about some of the problems and challenges of unit deployment and mobility; Lieutenant Colonel John Hill, commander, and the men and women of the 522nd Fighter Squadron “Fireballs”; Lieutenant Colonel Dale “Muddy” Waters and the instructors of Detachment 2, USAF Fighter Weapons School, for giving me a taste of flying the F-111F into combat and for answering questions on the F-111 weapon delivery system; and TSgt. Michael Madson and Mr. Kirk Dusenberry of the PAVE TACK laser-pod maintenance shop.

Thanks to the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron, McClellan Air Force Base, CA, for information and help in formulating the missions and understanding the role of the F-111 and other tactical aircraft in combat, especially Lieut. Colonel Jack Leslie, squadron commander, and Major Steve Webber, Captain Pat Shaw, Captain Russ Smith, Captain Dan Warren, and Mr. Bob Perkins.

Thanks to Ronald J. Kopa for information on the inner working of a Strategic Air Command command post during a crisis situation. I served with Ron at Mather AFB, CA, and he taught me a lot about command-and-control procedures in the Air Force. It was good to get back with him after ten years.

Thanks to Pamela Nault, Chief of Media Relations, Air Force Reserve Headquarters, Public Affairs, Robins AFB, GA, for information on service in the Air Force Reserve; to my good friend Colonel Tom Hornung, USAF (Ret.), former Director of Public Affairs — Western Region, Secretary of the Air Force, USAF, for arranging visits to McClellan AFB, CA and Cannon AFB, NM for F-111 research; and to Bill and Harriet Fast Scott, for information on Russia and the city of Moscow.

Special thanks to Jack Hokanson, Media Relations, Sacramento Air Force Logistics Center, McClellan AFB; Colonel Dwight Bass, Chief Flight Surgeon, and Captain Dolly Grise, Flight Surgeon, McClellan Air Force Base, for their help and insight into accident physiology and physiological problems associated with women pilots flying in combat; and to Royal Australian Air Force Commander Philip Campbell for information on the Australian RF-111C aircraft and reconnaissance tactics.

For their help and inspiration, I wish to thank my friends Lieutenant General Robert Beckel, USAF (Ret.), former commander of Fifteenth Air Force, and Lieutenant General Donald O. Aldridge, USAF (Ret.), former vice commander of the Strategic Air Command, for their special insight on potential world conflicts that could affect national security.

Thanks to Lieutenant Colonel Chris Anastassatos, Director of Public Relations, Nevada Air National Guard, for arranging a visit to the 152nd Reconnaissance Group in Reno, NV, that flies the RF-4 Phantom II reconnaissance bird, for their help in understanding reconnaissance systems and tactics; to Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Bath, RF-4 pilot of the 152nd Reconnaissance Group, for detailed information about tactical reconnaissance sensors, cameras, and flight profiles; MSgt William Sjovangen for a tour and explanation of the facilities and photointelligence labs; MSgt Richard Evans for a detailed explanation of the reconnaissance cameras and the film in the Sensor Shop; and CMSgt Mike Patterson of the Image Interpretation department.

Some of the details of the Aurora spy plane are courtesy of aviation expert Bill Sweetman, from his article in Popular Science magazine, March 1993.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I must extend my sincere thanks to my wife, Jean, for helping me over the rough spots in developing these stories; to George Coleman, Vice President, executive editor at G. P. Putnam’s Sons; and Natalee Rosenstein, senior executive editor at Berkley Publishing, for their help in hammering the final story into shape; and to my friend and executive assistant Dennis T. Hall for his support and assistance. The errors are all mine, but a lot of the credit goes to them.

June 20, 1992–March 15, 1993