Welcome!
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The first
unit I was assigned to was the 450th Flight Training Squadron (FTS), part of the
323rd Flight Training Wing based at Mather Air Force Base California. The
450FTS's job was to take freshly commissioned 2nd Lieutenants and turn them into
qualified Navigators. The circumlum included dead reckoning, radar, celestial,
and tactical navigation. My training started in November of 1980 and completed
in June of 1981 with the award of Air Force Navigator wings. While in training
we were allowed to complete a "dream sheet" of assignments. I decided that
being a back seater in a fighter was cool but my 6'2'' frame didn't fit well in
tight cockpits. I opted for larger accommodations such as the B-52. At
graduation it was announced that I has received my first choice assignment.
What wasn't said was that the assignment was to Minot AFB, ND. I was
disappointed, all that work for a assignment to Minot. Minot turned out to be
lots of hard work, good flying and many recreational opportunities |
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I was part of
Class 81-15, the 15th class to graduate in 1981. Each class had it's own patch
designed by one of the class members. Back in 81 Star Wars was very popular and
this patch shows the triumph of good over evil (Yoda over Darth Vader), the dark
side and the light side, and celestial navigation over the INS (Inertial
Navigation System (Nav-in-a-box)). My thanks to Lt. George Linka for designing
such a creative patch. George was also assigned to Minot. Were are you today,
George? |
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After
receiving Navigator wings, the next unit was the 453rd FTS. All Electronic
Warfare Officers had the "opportunity" to graduate from the 453rd. This
training was filled with radar and jammer theory, beeps and buzzes, tactics, and
more useless information than useful information. Electronic Warfare Officers
have been nicknamed crows for the black secretive work they do. The T4
simulator on the previous page illustrates the extent the AF went to entrain the
black ideals to us. To the outside world crows were supposed to know how to jam
police speed radar, but those speed radars were never purchased by our enemies
so it was never covered. |
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Upon
arriving at Minot I was assigned to the 23rd Bomb Squadron. I had little
choice, it's the only bomb squadron on the base. This is an interesting patch
with the bombs entering the volcano, 2 on the left and 3 on the right. In the
history of the unit, while it was stationed in Hawaii, the squadron bombed a
volcano to divert lava flow from a populated area. Hence the patch. The 23rd
flew the B-52H bomber and had it's plate full of conventional (iron bomb) and
strategic taskings. Life at the 23rd revolved around at three week cycle: one
week on alert (sleep with aircraft poised for immediate bombing missions) and
two weeks of training flights and simulator work.
Today's version of the patch show the bombs being ejected from the volcano.
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This is the
patch of the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB ND. The 5th BMW is the parent unit of the
23rd BMS. When I was assigned to be the Wing Electronic Warfare Officer I moved
from the 23rd to the 5th. This patch has much symbolism on it. I've been told
that in today's kinder and gentler Air Force it is the only unit patch with the
winged skull of death on it.
My duties as Wing EWO included SIOP planning, flight training management, flight
and simulator instruction, and good ole ALERT. |
The
following is from the 5th Bomb Wing 65th Anniversary Celebration program.
Significance of
Wing Emblem |
"The 5th
Bombardment Wing was organized at Luke Field, (now Ford Island), Oahu, Territory
of Hawaii, on 15 August 1919.
The bull's head was derived from the family crest of Lieutenant Frank Luke, one
of the first heroes of military aviation.
The wing death's head and the green and black shield represent the militant
mission - warfare. The series of lobes down the center represent clouds,
completing the theme of war in the clouds.
The motto is is an English rendition of an Hawaiian phrase meaning "Guardians of
the Upper Realm". It is an ancient expression used by Hawaiian warriors as a
battle cry and refers to two birds "Kiwaha" and "Halulu" which in historical
mythology were regarded as birds of state, or guardians of the realm.
This emblem represents the heraldic statement that this wing was formed at Luke
Field as an unit of the original Air Service for the purpose of waging war in
the clouds to guard our nation." |
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One of the
"special" opportunities I was able to participate in was Bomb Comp 1983. Each
bomb wing selected 2 of its top crews to compete by flying a series of missions
designed to see who could Bomb, Jam, Refuel and Navigate best. In order to win
the competition, the flight crew had to be good, the aircraft maintenance had to
be superb, and luck had to be repeatedly on your side. Many years later I
believe that luck was the primary element that determined outcome. On one our
missions I remember flying over the competition area and hearing a FB-111 from
the 509th aborting low level; I thought tooo bad, they'll never win now (they
had won many times before). As we entered low level our radar suddenly went
blank: no radar, no low level, no way to win. Luck was not in our favor. Later
that night we did some high level bomb runs and ECM runs. The ECM runs were a
mess, the jammers didn't want to center, and my timing was all off. Despite my
uneasy feelings the scores were ok.
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At the
awards ceremony at Barksdale AFB our crew received an award for the best high
level bomb scores. Upon returning to Minot AFB our crew was on alert within 12
hours. In the big picture Ron Reagan was paying us to be on alert not playing
Bomb Comp.
In hindsight Bomb Comp was fun, lots of work and much flying, most of all it
broke the the fly and alert life style rut. During the 1984 Bomb Comp I was a
staff puke training the 1984 select crews and in 1985 I was a Numbered Air Force
staff puke traveling from base to base making sure the crews were ready for
competition |
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