Tailhook Daily Briefing

“Give the NAVY guy the AIR FORCE CROSS!”

Sent to me from JR Davis,

This is a pretty good story passed along from Frank Tullo a retired CAL
pilot who was a "Thud" driver during the early days of "Rolling Thunder".
Those "Thuds" were some machine.

Michael Cooper wrote a great article in the Summer Mig Sweep about a Joint  Navy/Air Force Hunter Killer mission to knock out SAM sites near Hanoi on October 31, 1965. I was one of the F-105 Thud pilots on that mission and here's what I remember of that day. SAM Hunter-Killer Mission By: Gary Barnhill…

___________________________________________

During an F-105D combat tour out of Takhli, Thailand in 1965, Russian SAM (SA-2 Surface to Air Missiles) had begun to appear in North Vietnam.
Previously, we had driven over our targets unmolested at 18,000 feet to begin a dive bomb attack. The newly arrived SAM's canceled out our high altitude sanctuary and forced pilots down low, where anti-aircraft fire was intense. (Takhili Photo courtesy Jimmy Butler)

We begged permission to take out the proliferating SAMs before they got to us. Request denied. Prez Lyndon Johnson feared it might hurt the Russians' feelings since they provided the SAMs to North Viet Nam.

One day our base commander, a colonel who did not fly combat missions, bravely announced: "We" are going after the SAM's. Captain Mike Cooper,
showing more guts than tact, called out from the back of the room, "What's
this 'we' crap, Colonel, are you going along in the F105F two-seater. Getting shot at everyday tends to loosen up one's military decorum.  

Navy LCDR [Trent Richard] Powers landed his A-4E at Takhli carrying his own 500 lb bombs. Powers was the XO of the USS Oriskany's VA-164 squadron. The Navy had sent their very best. Powers knew this was a big time White House directed mission, and dangerous. (Photo below courtesy of VA-164.org)

Takhli scheduled two outstanding Flight Commanders. Mike Cooper would lead a flight of four Thuds from the 334th TFS, with mates: Jim Butler, John Stell and Lee Adams. Gayle Williams would lead four from the 562nd: Gary Barnhill and two others whose names escape me. Each Thud would carry 8x750 lb. bombs. (This was in the days before "smart" and "dumb" bombs.)   This joint Navy/Air Force mission briefing was more like a focus group.
Powers wanted to fly across the target level at 50 feet and skip bomb it. We
preferred to dive bomb, using a pop-up from the deck to create a dive bomb
run. That made it tougher for the ground gunners to track us. No sweat,
since Power's would be first across the target and out of the way, his flat
pass would not conflict with our dive-bombing.

These were called "Dooms Day missions", because invariably someone got shot down from the heavy defenses around Hanoi. Did guys shy away from these missions? Are you kidding? Your best friend would lie, cheat and screw you to get your slot on a Dooms Day mission.

Power's plane had a magic black box, well, what passed for magic, circa 1965. Actually it was similar to the old coffee grinder ADF (Direction Finder). A needle would point in the general direction of a SAM site, when and if the SAM was in the SEARCH mode. Operator skill required.

We launched, joined up, refueled and headed North only to find a solid overcast at the let down point. It was a No-Go. Or was it? Power's pulled the Thuds into a tight nine-ship "V" formation and descended into cloud. No one would have criticized him one bit if he canceled for weather and returned to base. He pressed on.

Nearing the target, we finally broke out of cloud and went to the deck. No longer a "formation", now just a gaggle of bomb-laden Thuds strung out in
loose single file. At one point, there were hills on both sides and overcast
above making a sort of tunnel. I got slung into cloud during a turn and
immediately punched the nose down desperately hoping for valley beneath and
not hillside. I remember thinking; I'm NOT going to miss this (mission) for
anything. I flew so low over a guy driving a farm tractor that he leapt to
the ground. He was doin' about two knots, we were doin' 550. When they are
shooting at you: Low is good...Fast is good.

My plane was hit by small arms fire causing some yellow caution lights to glow, as we screamed low level towards the target.

The Thud was well built. Once, when all Thuds were grounded do to several inexplicably blowing up, someone suggested giving them to the Army for use as tank crushers. Taxi a Thud over a tank and collapse the ear...crushing the tank. Another joke suggested painting Thuds yellow and using them for ground power units. Rumor was: Republic was going to make the Thud out of cement, but they found out steel was heavier.

We didn't know the SAM's exact location, but hoped the Navy's magic black box could point the way. We were the goats, tethered to lure the lion out into the open for the kill. Until that day, it was a big deal when just one or two SAMs were launched. Now they were firing SAMs like artillery. Fifteen is the number I remember. It's what they mean by: "All Hell's Broken Loose".

Powers calmly transmitted; "I've got 'em on my nose...starting my run". He flew directly over the target at tree top level and was literally disintegrated by withering ground fire.

My turn. I lit the burner and popped up to about 7500 feet, Power's emergency locater beacon screeching in my headset. As the nose came up, I clearly remember saying aloud to myself, "Oh crap, I don't want to do this".

During that brief dive bomb run, which seemed an eternity, there was a sharp knocking sound, like a fist on a door; it was enemy ground fire hitting the plane. I instinctively shouted into my oxygen mask: "Stop It. Stop It".

Years later, a VA shrink would explain that utterance was related to the trauma of a severe belt whipping when I was ten. Got my feet wet in the snow on the way home from school. My Dad held me tightly by the wrist beat my buns and legs with a leather belt. Shrink said I had no evidence at age 10, or on the bomb run that either event was survivable. In both cases, my mind thought I would die. It both cases, I pleaded hopelessly: "Stop It. Stop It".

The anti-aircraft hits caused multiple red and yellow emergency lights to blink incessantly, I transmitted my intention to get to the water off Haiphong before ejecting. Radio chatter was understandably chaotic. Each Thud pilot was individually living his own Hell, jinking violently to get away from the unrelenting ground fire.

Alone and doing 810 knots on the deck (that's right, Buddy, 810 knots) I
slowly overtook a Navy F-8 Crusader as if passing a car on the freeway. We
exchanged gentle pathetic waves as if to say: "Oh, Hi there, don't know you,
but hope you're having a nice day?" I swear it was the most surreal moment
of my life.

Still on the deck, but now over the safety of Gulf of Tonkin water, a sort of euphoric invincibility set in. If I ejected over the water, the Navy would surely pick me up. But the fire warning light had gone out, so I strafed a couple of boats capable of capturing downed pilots. The Vulcan fired six thousand rounds a minute. That's one round of 20 millimeter every 37 inches, literally a stream of lead. It sounded more like a Hoover than a machine gun.

Decided there was no reason to jump out if this bird was still running. Did that last month and it scared the crap out of me. On the radio now, with precious little fuel remaining I was begging for a tanker. Made radio contact with a KC-135 somewhere in cyberspace. Following a terse debate challenging HIS priorities, we got together with barely any fuel reading on my gauge.

Made it back to Takhli. Gear, flap and flight control problems but landed in one piece.

Had hits all over the plane, except the extremely vulnerable underbelly engine area. It required 4,000 man-hours of work just to ferry it somewhere else for repair.

I pleaded with the base commander to award Power's the Air Force Cross. He didn't like the idea. Reminded me that the Navy had their own Navy Cross
and handled their own decorations. I pushed my point as if we were equals.
Don't you get it; the USS Oriskany lost their top guy while USAF gets a big
headline back home. Power's brilliant leadership was why the mission
succeeded! “Give the NAVY guy the AIR FORCE CROSS!”

The colonel wasn't a fighter pilot. He didn't get it.

General George Simler flew in from headquarters to have a beer with the
guys on the mission. Sitting at the sorry-no-ice-today, O'Club bar, Simler
and I were hangar flying like two young cadets. He was that kind of General.

I passionately pitched Simler on awarding the Air Force Cross to Powers. He loved it, instantly. Turned and said dismissively to the Base Commander:
"take care of that, Colonel".

Navy LCDR Powers received the Navy Cross… Posthumously.

A DFC awarded that day could have described any of the pilots on the mission:  Thunderchiefs...Hunter-Killer mission...against Surface to Air Missiles...deep within hostile territory...low level high speed run...encounter withering ground fire...pressed the attack...dropped bombs in heart of target complex... remarkable mission...overwhelming odds...skill...aggressiveness...

An old man who served in WWII told his grandson,

"I was never a hero, but I served with many who were."

That's how I feel. The most remarkable characters in my life were the heroes I was honored to fly with in 1965. They didn't all come home. Nam was not a very glamorous or patriotic war, but every fighter pilot I knew put his life on the line as if it were.
   

Regards, Frank Tullo

Mayport is One Step Closer to Getting a CVN

Mayport, FL has been carrier-less since the departure of the conventional powered USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) in March of 2007.  However, decisions are being made that will change that.  From Navy Office of Information

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations & Environment, B.J. Penn, signed a Record of Decision for the Mayport Homeporting Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Jan. 14.

The Navy's decision is to implement the preferred alternative, which is to homeport a single nuclear powered aircraft carrier (CVN) at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Mayport, and to complete associated infrastructure modifications. These include dredging, infrastructure and wharf improvements, and construction of CVN nuclear propulsion plant maintenance facilities.

The Norfolk business community has petitioned numerous times to keep all the carriers in Southern Virginia, however Jacksonville, has also made it clear that they want and would support the permanent basing of a CVN in Mayport.  Certainly any economy would benefit greatly by the addition of a carrier… adding 3,500 sailors and their families to a community usually boosts an economy in a hurry.  But it appears, at least publically, that this decision is being made on pragmatic necessity as well as Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter makes clear:

"We have studied this issue very carefully and considered multiple factors.  This allows the Navy to obtain the benefits of fleet dispersal without negatively impacting our carrier capability or operations. Homeporting a carrier in Mayport best supports the Navy's mission and safeguards our nation's security needs."

Many have been critical of placing all of the Navy’s East Carriers in one proverbial Basket, and welcome the decision to move ahead with basing one in Mayport.

Homeporting a CVN at NAVSTA Mayport reduces risks to fleet resources in the event of natural disaster, manmade calamity, or attack by foreign nations or terrorists. This includes risk to aircraft carriers, industrial support facilities, and the people that operate and maintain these crucial assets.

Mayport allows for advantages of fleet dispersal and survivability without impacting operational availability.

Especially since Mayport is equidistant to the majority of training ranges as well as being actually closer to many others.  For more on the Enviromental Impact Statements go here: http://www.mayporthomeportingeis.com/

Marines Select Aviators for F-35B Testing

 

Pilots selected for F-35 Training Squadron:

• Maj. James Bardo, MCAS Yuma
• Maj. Shawn Basco, Headquarters Marine Corps Aviation Branch
• Maj. Steven Gillette, MCAS Yuma
• Maj. John Ryan, MCAS Yuma
• Maj. Chad Vaughn, MCAS Miramar
• Capt. Mark Noble, MCAS Yuma

More here: [link]

Gays to Serve Openly in the Military?

So says the Obama Administration.  In a breaking news story…

From Fox News:

WASHINGTON —  President-elect Barack Obama will allow gays to serve openly in the military by overturning the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy that marred President Clinton's first days in office, according to incoming White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

The startling pronouncement, which could re-open a dormant battle in the culture wars and distract from other elements of Obama's agenda, came during a Gibbs exchange with members of the public who sent in questions that were answered on YouTube.

"Thadeus of Lansing, Mich., asks, 'Is the new administration going to get rid of the "don't ask, don't tell policy?'" said Gibbs, looking into the camera. "Thadeus, you don't hear a politician give a one-word answer much. But it's, 'Yes.'"

The current “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy was enacted by the Clinton Administration when he marched into a firestorm of controversy during his initial days in office when he tried to outright remove the policy of no gays in the military.  His compromise, became “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.”  Which, for the most part, has worked fairly well but Politicians cannot bear to leave a sleeping dog lie.

Clinton, who initially sought to overturn the longstanding ban on gays in the military, ended up enacting the "don't ask, don't tell" policy as a compromise that made it illegal for commanders to ask about the sexual orientation of service members, who were also barred from announcing they were homosexual. If a service member's homosexuality becomes known anyway, he or she is expelled.

Again, this initiative is being instigated by a never having served ideologue, completely unfamiliar with military operations and conditions, and will most likely stir up a storm of controversy that the Military wants no part of right now.  Once again the Military will be demonized as the bad guy in this debate. 

For Gays this is seen as a victory for their cause.  Many gays have served in the US Military, but have felt suppressed if they every wanted to state their preference.  They want the opportunity to serve their country without prejudice toward their orientation.  For gays it is not a matter of “tolerance,” it is “acceptance.” 

For years, Obama has said he generally opposes the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Last summer, he told a gay magazine he can "reasonbably" see it being repealed. But that was a far cry from Gibbs' unequivocal promise that the policy will indeed be ended.

Well, it promises to be interesting.  Most people who pick fights with the US Military do not fare to well.

USS George H.W. Bush CVN-77 Comes Alive!

"... And now, Officers and Crew of the USS George H.W. Bush man our ship and bring her to life!"

 

And with a vaulted "AYE AYE Ma'am!" the crew of the USS GHW Bush responded to the long awaited order from Dora Bush Koch, the ship's sponsor, and did just that, brought the US Navy's newest aircraft carrier to life.

It was a pleasure to serve witness on this historic, bright, brisk January morning as the crew of CVN-77 charged aboard their newly designated United States Ship.  The pride was apparent as many crew members not only ran aboard to man their stations but had the pleasure of double timing past the official party on "El-2!"  Much to the President's and the namesake former President's delight.

The weather for this occasion was rare in GHW's history, for once the earlier forecast of showers and cold were not to be.  We the 20,000 witnesses were greeted by crisp breezes full of sunshine! Unlike the christening, and other shipyard battles against hurricanes.  We were all thankful!

As I sat listening to the favored remarks by the likes of Secretary of Defense Gates, and CNO, Admiral Roughead, I couldn't help but think about the pride this plank owning crew must feel in reaching this hard worked for goal, and the sense of relief mixed with anticipation of the missions to come.  For this day closed but one chapter in the long story that will be USS George H.W. Bush.

I especially had an appreciation for George W. Bush as he got to watch his father's pride pour forth as a grateful nation recognized the accomplishments, and more importantly the dignity of the former Naval Aviator from Milton, Massachusetts, as we commissioned the most recognizable piece of US sovereign territory in his name.

I had the honor of sitting with my father, himself a Naval Aviator and former Commanding Officer of the Carrier USS Midway, as he watched with knowing acknowledgement toward the efforts and accomplishments of USS Bush's first CO.  Dad's eyes beamed as a reminiscent smile crossed his lips when Captain Kevin O'Flaherty assumed proud command of the vessel he and his crew worked so many o' long hour to bring to life.  Dad too was thinking of the many adventures still to come for this man and his crew.

Well done USS George H. W. Bush, it was an honor and a privilege to be witness to your commissioning.

Fair winds and following seas...

Note: All photos were taken by John Carmichael, Editor Tailhook Daily Briefing.

Soon To Be USS George H. W. Bush

YHS (that's "Your Humble Scribe..." been asked a few time what that means) will be reporting this weekend pier side at the commissioning of the Navy's latest addition to the fleet.  The soon to be USS George H. W. Bush (CVN-77).

Not sure what to expect, but I'll have many details (and the obligatory photos) upon my return.  Watch this space...

I've been to many commissioning ceremonies in my past including the re-commissioning of the USS New Jersey back in December 1982 ("The Gipper" himself was there for that one) but I have not had the privilege of witnessing a carrier "Come to Life."  It promises to be intriguing.

More soon...

-JC

You Design It!... Logo for NAVAIR's Centennial

Are you a budding artist? Do you love Naval Aviation?  And are you aware that NAVAIR will officially be 100 years old in 2011?

Kinda makes Grampaw Pettibone look like a toddler!

Well, Commander Naval Air Forces is fully aware of this and plans are already being made to celebrate the Centennial in grand style.  But, CNAF needs your help and is soliciting for submissions for the logo of the Centennial.

Here's the poop...

Commander, Naval Air Forces is accepting fleet-wide submissions for the official logo of the Centennial of Naval Aviation, which will be celebrated during 2011. The chosen design will be publicly unveiled with recognition given to the artist and will become the official logo for this monumental celebration. The logo will appear publicly in all types of print and video media, advertising applications, official documents, and merchandise. Submissions are encouraged from personnel fleet-wide.

1. All submitted designs will become property of the Dept. of the Navy. Designs should be:
  A. Distinguishable in both color and black and white formats.
  B. Easily recreated in a variety of sizes (from mugs to banners).
  C. Easily recognizable.
  D. Representative of Naval Aviation in both history and current spirit.
  E. Formatted as (.jpg), (.gif), or (.tif) preferred, but all accepted.
  F. Submitted with artist's name, command, and contact information.
2. Deadline for submissions is January 30, 2009.
3. Submissions should be made via e-mail to: [email protected]  or by mail to: COMNAVAIRPAC, Centennial of Naval Aviation (N00CoNA), PO Box 357051, San Diego, CA 92135-7051.

So get your ideas in, only 24 shopping days left!  I know I'll be heating up my Photoshop skills!

-JC

We Haven't Heard from THIS Cat in Awhile...

Some philosophical words on the now few gone years of retirement... Hard to believe it was a mere 2+ years ago...

I wonder if any TAILHOOKERS can relate?

Flightdeck Friday: History of Carrier AEW (II)

Project Cadillac (Part II)

Project Cadillac was more than just a program to develop radar – it would develop an entire AEW system. Radar, IFF, relay equipment, shipboard receivers, and airborne platform. Such an undertaking would be ambitious enough in peacetime, at the height of a critical stage in the war it bordered on a divine miracle.

February 1944. In Europe the invasion of Italy is well underway and the Battle of Monte Casino engaged. Eisenhower establishes SHAFE headquarters in Britain.   The RAF drops 2300 tons on Berlin, the 8^th AF begins the “Big Week” bombing campaign and Soviet troops continue the offensive begin at Novgorod and Leningrad.   In the Pacific US forces have landed and captured the Marshall Islands and have moved on to Eniwetok Atoll. In the south, MacArthur’s forces have begun Operation Brewer in the Admiralty Islands.   The tide, ever so imperceptibly, is turning in favor of the Allies. 

In Japan, Commander Asaiki Tamai asked a group of 23 talented student pilots, whom he had personally trained, to volunteer for a special attack force. All of the pilots raised both of their hands, thereby volunteering to join the operation.

In the US, the fruits of scientific research and technological prowess were starting to manifest – high altitude bombers, Essex-class carriers, jet engines, the beginnings of nuclear weapons. At the MIT-RL, proposals were forwarded for an ambitious program to develop an AEW system that would be deployed with the fast carrier forces in the Pacific. It was envisioned that the system would be in pace for the projected invasion of the Japanese homeland, slated for sometime in early 1946. Following a series of meetings with reps from the Navy’s Bureau of Ordnance (BuOrd) the Navy formally requested the National Defense Research Committee (NDRC) to establish the project. Ultimately, the project would include 9 of MIT-RL’s 11 laboratories, BuAer, BuShips, Naval Air Modification Center, Philadelphia, Naval Research Lab, several Navy contractors and Radiation Lab subcontractors and over 160 officers and men. The project was eventually given the code name of Cadillac, the name of the highest mountain in Maine and site of some of the developmental relay work.

CONOPS

As originally envisioned, Cadillac would consist of two sections: one airborne and the other shipboard (see CONOPS illustration). The airborne unit would carry the APS-20 radar, IFF and VHF comms and relay equipment, acting as an airborne radar and relay platform for the ship. Back on the ship, the radar picture from the airborne unit would be relayed via a VHF video data link and displayed on a dedicated PPI (Plan Position Indicator) scope. Communications with far-flung fighter CAP would also be relayed through the airborne unit. Sorting out friend from foe would be via the newly developed IFF or Identification Friend Foe system which relied on an aircraft responding to electronic “challenge” signals with a coded pulse train. The airborne unit would also have the ability to display ownship’s radar picture and have a limited capability to control fighters, but this was planned to be a fall-back capability.

Aircraft. The aircraft chosen was the only carrier-based aircraft large enough to accommodate the 8-foot radome and 2,300 lbs of associated equipment. Stripped of turret, armor, and armament, a TBM-3 Avenger served as the initial platform for Cadillac. Besides the Cadillac equipment, the XTBM-3W was modified to include an engine driven high power generator, additional tail stabilizers, addition of a crewman position in the aft fuselage and over 9 separate antennas on the fuselage, tail, and wings.

Airborne System. The AN/APS-20, developed as part of the Cadillac program, was a 10cm set that had a peak power output of 1 megawatt and a 2m-second pulse. The design of the APS-20 radar was so sound that variations of this same radar would see use well into the 1960s on a variety of USN, USAF and allied AEW platforms, until it was ultimately replaced by the E-2’s APS-96/120 series among others. The IFF system was built around the AN/APX-13 with a very high power (2 kW) transmitter and one of the most sensitive receivers in this type application. It was designed to enable ID of targets on both the (then) Navy standard A and G bands at ranges comparable to the radar. To “pipe” this information back to the ship, the AN/ART-22 relay-radar transmitter, broadcast the picture back to the ship on a 300 mc frequency. The radar synchronizer also synchronized the IFF and relay signals, encoding their outputs to ensure reception even in an environment characterized by heavy enemy jamming and intrusion. Remote operation of the airborne system from the ship was made possible by the AN/ARW-35 receiver, AN/ARC-18 shipboard relay and the use of a modified flux gate valve to stabilize and orient the radar display to true North (ed. note – not altogether different from the system that was used in the E-2 almost 2 decades later). All this, of course, was in addition to the usual compliment of voice comm., IFF, and flight/navigation gear. Space, as one can see from the cutaway, was at a premium, even in the large-bodied Avenger.

Shipboard System. The shipboard system primarily consisted of relay (which included omnidirectional or a horizontal diversity receiver), decoding, and shipboard signal distribution equipment. The signal was passed to 2-3 PPI scopes, located in CIC. In CIC, the picture was merged with that of the ship in a manner that eliminated motion induced by the AEW platform – in other words, a ground-stabilized picture oriented to true north. That picture could be expanded to a 20nm view for detailed examination of sectors of interest. When tied together with voice communications, the implications of this capability were astounding.

Let us step back for a moment and review what the CONOP and “to be” Cadillac system would provide. Expanded radar coverage, in theory out to 200 nm. Positive identification of friendly aircraft in that volume of surveilled airspace. The ability to effect positive control of interceptors well closer to expected enemy marshalling points. Detect and track friendly and hostile surface units (including snorkeling submarines). Finally, the ability to bring all this information together and display it in CIC enabling informed decision-making from unit up to Fleet level. We who have been fortunate enough to have operated in the age of modern AEW aircraft, digital data links and automated detection and display systems take these for granted. It is not until one or more elements are removed that their intrinsic value is appreciated. This was something the Royal Navy painfully re-discovered during the war to reclaim the Falklands/Malvinas. That the concept, much less the hardware and integration of these many disparate elements was conceived and executed in a wartime situation says much about the technical verve and capabilities of this band of naval and civilian scientists, engineers and operators. The process of how this was brought to reality and IOC will be the subject of the next installment.