Day 1: 17 Jan 1991

17 January 1991 (Thursday): DAY 1

GENERAL:

v Coalition Bombing Campaign begins against Iraq at 12:50 AM Saudi time.

v Washington DC 1850 EST

v Operation Desert STORM officially begins at 2:38 am local in Bagdad, as

Apache's first attack at 02:38 am.

v No losses are registered with the first waves

v 51 out of first 52 Tomahawks fired hit their targets, 132 launched the 1st day

v Soviet Forces in the Southern TVD are called to Alert

v Iraqi artillery starts the Saudi refinery at Khafji burning.

v Turkey authorizes its bases for use by US/NATO forces to attack Iraq

v 17th becomes the 1st legal day for the Gulf Combat Zone

CALL SIGNS:

v Fighters: Cannine names (Setter 41)

v Weasels: Color names

v Tankers: Fish names

v Stealth: Weather associated names

AIR WAR:

v War starts at 02:38AM when Apache helos take out (2) Air Defense Radars

in Western Iraq to help in the opening up of "corridors" into Bagdad.

v The USAF utilized ground launched BQM-74C Target Drones in the first waves

of the War to bring up Iraqi Radars for pre-emptive HARM launches

v Voice of America reports AAA fire and bombs exploding in Bagdad at 03:00

v At 08:00 local, 8 x F-117's depart Tonopah for the Gulf to augment force

v McPeak's Briefing notes 8 x Kills credited on Day 1

v Data totals: 03 x Mirage F-1's, (1) Mirage F-1 Probable

05 x MiG-29 Fulcrum's

01 x F/A-18 possible fractricide or loss to Iraqi Foxbat

v 48 x aircraft arrive in Incirlik with the 7440th TFW(P)

- includes 35 x F-16C's from 401st TFW out of Spain

v The Iraqi Air Force flew 116 sorties

v Numerous HARM's used and 1st combat use of ALARM

- Iraq has 16,000 SAM launchers and 7,000 AAA pieces

... 7000 Radar missiles

... 9000 IR missiles

... 800 fighter aircraft

v 668 x strikes for participating allied fighter bombers during 1st evening

- 530 (79%) USAF

- 90 (13%) USN/USMC,

- 24 (4%) UK

- 12 (2%) French

- 12 (2%) from Saudi Arabia

- 750 sorties in the first 7 hours

- 1000+ sorties in the first 14 hours

- 1200+ sorties in the first 21 hours

- 1500+ sorties in the first 24 hours

v 2 00 + HARM's fired by the USAF & USN during the 1st Wave, also ALARM's fired

v The first F-111F to drop bombs on Libya (70-2391), also led the first Desert

Storm mission. Of all F-111 sorties only one aircraft received damage with a bullet hole in the tail.

v 160 x KC-135 and KC-10A tankers were on station

v USN launched 228 combat sorties from six carriers, 90 on ATO

v First Strategic Targets were to be all CHEM/BIO/NUC Facilities:

- Mosul/Erbil/Kifkuk/Ninevh/Nimrud in the North

- Samarra/Bagdad/Nippur/Lagash/Uruk/Ur/Basra in the South

- Centers of Command, Government, and National Utilities

- SAAD-16 NUC/BIO/CHEM Facility

- an R&D plant at Mosul

- Iraqi Air Force Headquarters

- Iraqi Ministry of Defense Building

- Project 124 & DO-1 (SCUD B Al Hussein upgrade) plant at Al Hillah

- Missile Components Factory in Karbala

- Al Qain Uranium 235 production plant

- Bagdad National Communications Center

- Headquarters Buildings

- (4) airfields around Iraq

- (30) Static SCUD launching sites at H2 and H3 airfields

v There were 31 total NBC Targets on the first night

- 03 nuclear targets

- 10 biological targets

- 18 chemical targets

v RSAF No 7 Squadron with GR1 Tornado, Commanded by LtCol Saeed

- Saudi Flak-Suppression flight went 15 minutes ahead of a UK package attacking an Iraqi Airfield Complex with 3 parallel runways. LtCol Sultan, a former F-15 pilot and 1st 1000 hr Tornado pilot, pressed on

- alone from a flight of three after the others missed tankers

v The Saratoga Air Wing hit Al Taqaddum aircraft hangers with LGB's

v The Kennedy Air Wing followed hitting the MiG Maintenance Depot

v Marine A-6's from Shiek Isa hit a railyard SE of Basra

v 38 x USAF/Navy/RSAF a/c package hit Shaibah Airfield near Basrah

v 53 x F-111F's, flying in flights of 4 and 8, hit chemical bunkers at H3, Salman Pak,

and Ad Diwaniyah Airfields

v Other packages hit airfields and control towers at Jalibah and Balaad Southeast in Iraq and Ali al Salem and Ahmed al Jaber in Kuwait.

- half of the attack force on Ali al Salem veered away due to intense AAA

F-117 HIGHLIGHTS (17Jan/Day 1):

v At 02:51 local, the 1st bomb from an F-117 flown by Maj Greg Feest

(who later also droped the 1st bomb in JUST CAUSE) hit the Radar Integrated

Operations Center, also called Iraqi Air Force Interceptor Operations Center

(IOC), 65 miles SW of Bagdad or 150 miles inside Iraq. The IOC was a key link

between border radar sites and the Air Defense Headquarters in Bagdad.

- target was housed in a hardened bunker in a town called Nukhayb

- Maj Feest used 1 x GBU-27 penetrator 2000 lbs bomb

- watching the 1st bomb impact the bunker, he noted that the doors blew off

- his second bomb was used on a target in Western Iraq, his wingman followed

- F-117's attacked targets in sequential streams of one after one, each

with an allowed time over the target area (around one minute trail)

- After their targets were hit, sections of F-117's would rejoin for

post attack tanking and the long track home to Khamis Mushait

- tanker tracks ran perpindicular to the Iraq border and F-117's were

dropped off at the "north" end of the track, closest to their targets

v F-117's then attack the Telecommunications Center in the heart of the city.

v 37th TFW Commanded by Col Alton C. Whitley, Jr. (19 combat missions)

- the 415th TFS Commander by LtCol Gretchel

- the 416th TFS Commanded by LtCol Greg Gonyea

v Capt Marcel Kerdavid received a Silver Star for gallantry during Day 1

v Day 1/Wave One: 0022 hrs, 10 x F-117's from the 415th TFS

- engine start for the 415th TFS at 23:00 on 16Jan

- Scored 13 hits with 17 PGM attempts (76%)

- Bagdad Integrated Air Defense Weapons Operations Center (ADWOC)

- Integrated Air Defense Center (IOC) and Ground Control Intercept (GCI) site

at Nukhayb (Maj Feest's target)

- The Telecommunications Center in downtown Bagdad ("The AT&T Building")

- 2 x Air Defense Sector Operations Centers (Headquarters)

- Iraqi Air Force Headquarters in Bagdad

- Joint Integrated Operations Center & GCI Radar Facility at Al Taqaddam

- Telephone Switching Center at Ar Ramadi and two more in Bagdad

- Integrated Air Operations Center at Al Taji

- Military Facility at North Al Taji

- the Presidential Grounds at Abu Ghurayb

v Day 1/Wave Two: 12 x F-117's from 415th TFS (3) and the 416th TFS (9)

- Scored 10 hits with 16 PGM attempts (63%)

- repeat strike on the Iraqi Air Force Headquarters in Bagdad

- repeat strike on Air Defense Sector HQ's

- repeat strike on the Telephone Exchanges in Bagdad

- repeat strike on the Al Taqaddum Integrated Air Ops Center & GCI facility

- repeat strike on Military Facilities at North Al Taji

- repeat strike on the Presidential Grounds at Abu Ghurayb

- Salmon Pak Troposcatter Station

- Habbaniyah Troposcatter Station

- Television Transmitter Station in the Bagdad Area

- International Radio Transmitter in Bagdad

- The Presidential Bunker in Bagdad

- Rasheed Airfield

- Joint Integrated Operations Center & GCI Radar Facility at Ar Rutbah

- Satellite Communications Terminal at Ad Dujayl

v Day 1/Wave Three: 8 x F-117's from undefined units

- Scored 5 hits with 16 PGM attempts (31%)

... very bad weather considered key to poor effectiveness

- Salmon Pak Chemical/Biological Facility hit by Maj Mike Mahar

... first bomb missed, a/c distracted by SAM near miss

- Nukhayb Sector Operations Center (SOC)

- Ad Diwamiyah Sector Operations Center (SOC)

- An Nasiriyah Sector Operations Center (SOC)

- Ash Shuaybah Headquarters Facility

- Qabatiyan Headquarters Facility

- Karbala Ammunition Storage

v Lockheed Horizons: We Own the Night, Issue 30, May 1992

"Targets attacked in Bagdad during those opening hours included the headquarters and operations centers of the Iraqi Air Force, Ministry of Defense, Intelligence Service, Secret

Police, National Air Defense, Republican Guard, and the Ministries of Military Production

and Propaganda. Also hit were command bunkers, a wide variety of communications and electrical power centers, military facilities, bridges, an oil refinery, a railroad yard, and a

SCUD missile assembly factory." (page 3)

KILLS: (8) Kills recorded: 3 x F-1 Mirage and 5 x MiG-29 and 2 x MiG-29's from Fratricide

- 1 x MiG-29 Fulcrum by an F-15C,. 33rd TFW ("EG")

... Capt Jon K. Kelk (31), Call Sign "JB"

... Aircraft 85-0125, 58th TFS, 33d TFW(p) from Eglin AFB

... Engagement logged by AWACS at 03:15 am local time

... Joined the USAF in Feb 81, 2000+ total hours, only 170 in the F-15C at the time he deployed, flew 250 combat hours and logged 50 missions

... PENZOIL FLIGHT

v #1 Capt Rick Tollini

v #2 Capt Larry Pitts

v #3 Capt Jon Kelk

v #4 Capt Mark Williams

... A second fourship led by Capt "Cheese" Graeter would be West of them.

Total of 20 x F-15's were sent up as a lage Sweep Wall, 8 x from the

1st TFW, 4 x from 36th TFG (Bitburg), and 8 x from 33rd TFW.

They were on line from Kuwait to Jordan and set to go in 20 minutes

behind the exiting first wave of strikers.

... Tollini's fourship was part of a plan to capitalize on the "confusion" caused by the Stealth F-117's first impacts on targets which would cause the Iraqi AF to scramble their air defense alert pads. As the Command & Control was beaking down it would leave many MiG's vulnerable and they could be taken out by the F-15's.

... Sent North early, got 100 nm ahead of Gaeter's flight, location was Northeast of Radif al Khafi Wighway Strip, Southeast of Mudaysis AB, and North of Wadi al Khirr (New)

... Patrolling at 30,000 ft, picked up target at 40 nm as they were around 60 nm North of the Saudi-Iraqi Border, target at 8 to 9 Kft

... Wasn't sure that it was hostile, but target was climbing steadily

... headed directly towards the F-15 PENNZOIL Flight

... Around 35 nm RWR indications verified that the MiG was locked on and the AWACS was still unable to confirm it was a "Hostile"

... Kelk interrogated the target and did not get a "Friendly" reply

... At 15 to 18 nm Kelt fired a single AIM-7 (FOX 1), then maneuvered into his wingman popping chaff.....he still was locked-up by the MiG

... Williams was also getting RWR indications for 20-25 nm's, so they both weaved and dropped chaff

... Kelk then attempted to jettison his extenal tanks, but they did not go.

... in the vacinity of Mudaysis

... Kept the target within the radar FOV for illumination, but never heard an AWACS ID of the target as HOSTILE.

... Pitched back at 10 nm, saw purplish streak on the horizon, that began to sparkle, which could have been a missile launched or a fieball

... RWR indications stopped and no radar targets left on scope, continued on mission towads Bagdad, turned West and recovered

... Kill was verified the next day by Intell

... 1 x AIM-7 (Sparrow) expended, HIT and Kill

... (HO)N Head-On Night Shot

... Kill verified by CENTCOM and Officially awarded by TAC

... SYSTEMS & OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS:

v extenal tanks failed to jettison

v SMS failed to indicate that an AIM-7 was launched

v AWACS could not confirm the MiG-29 as a "Hostile"

- 2 x F-1EQ Mirage's by an F-15C Eagle, 33rd TFW ("EG")

... 58th TFS, 33rd TFW(p), based from Eglin AFB, Florida

... Capt Robert E. "Cheese" Graeter (33)

... Eleven years in the USAF, over 2400 hrs in F-5E & F-15's

... flew 236 combat hours in 45 missions

... achieved 2 KIlls, the second one was a maneuvering suicide

... Aircraft 85-0105 with engagement time of 03:30 am local

... Western positioned fourship on Eagle Wall with Rick Tollini's Flight

v #1 Capt "Cheese" Graeter

v #2 1/Lt Scott Maw

v #3 LtCol Bill Thiel

v #4 1/Lt Robert Brooks

... Activity called 50 nm North, Radar contacts at 26-27 nm.

... Simultaneous call by AWACS that Bandits were taking off and now

Southwest of Mudaysis AB......figured out that it was same group

... Target just took-off, climbing, accelerating, and turning left

... Sort at 20 nm netted 2 x targets, locked-up on Lead TGT at 15 nm

... Graeter was at 20,000 ft, the target was at around 7,000 ft which was around 4,000 ft AGL with second target in Trail

... Fired 1 x AIM-7 inside of 10 nm, timed ot at 4 nm, KILL

... Head-On Night Shot, HO(N), with look-down, big explosion and long flash at right 2:00, and a second big explosion around 15 seconds later

... Turned out to be 3 x F-1's, thought to be a raid package heading for

Dhahran Air Base. Middle F-1 hit the ground after lead was Killed

... Ended up in-trail with third escaping F-1, elected to not use burner

and let him go to be safe from ground fire and SAM's

... Kill verified by CENTCOM and Officially awarded by TAC

... SYSTEMS & OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS:

v Should have chased down third F-1, too cautious

v Could not get the time to do a complete onboard ID (SA saturation)

- 1 x F-1EQ Mirage by an F-15C Eagle, 33rd TFW

... same pilot, Capt R.E. "Cheese" Graeter, second Kill

... F-1 maneuvered into the ground after the 1st one was Killed

... Kill verified by CENTCOM and Officially awarded by TAC

- 1 x Mirage F-1 downed by suicide attacking an EF-111A

... 390th ECS of the 48th TFW(p)

... Aircraft 66-0016, from RAF Lakenheath

... Capt James A. "JD" Denton (pilot), and Capt Brent D. "Geat Brandini"

Brandon (30) (EWO)

... Brandon had 400 hours in the EF-111A flying 150 combat hours in 28 missions in both the F and EF models

... Mirage gave chase to EF-111A over Western Iraq, fired 1 missile, as the Raven headed for the deck, but an F-15 was after it

... EF-111A evasive break to low altitude using chaff/flares

... hard right turn to supersonic speed

... Mirage tried to follow and crashed

... but, the KILL, was awarded to Graeter

... John Deur reports that the USAF now feels that the F-1 that crashed is the same one awarded to Graeter in a maneuvering suicide

... Since Graeter got a Silver Star for two kills, will they ever consider the accomplishments of Denton and Brandini

... SYSTEMS & OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS:

v first jet went down on start, spare had same problems, third jet had problems but took it

v taped over excess cockpit lighting to pevent glare

v elected to not post-strike refuel and ended up at Taif when it was fogged in, diverted to Jeddah in front of a B-52 recovery and fouled the runway with damaged nose wheel steering. Took

about 60 people to push the jet clear

- 1 x F-1 Mirage by an F-15C Eagle, 71st TFS/1st TFW ("FF")

... Based at Dhahran Air Base

... Capt Steven Wayne "Tater" Tate (28)

... Had 1000 hrs in the F-15, flew 190 combat hours in 35 missions

... aircraft 83-0017, returned to Langley on 8Mar91

... 71st TFS, 1st TFW (Langley AFB) at King Abdul Aziz AB (Dhahran)

... Took off as a four-ship at 01:30 am, 1 hr to border & tanker

v Capt Steve Tate #1.....Low CAP

v Capt Bo Merlack #2

v Capt Daman Harp #3.....High CAP

v Capt Mark Atwell #4

... Air-to-Air Mission Commander for a SEAD/Strike Package of

F-111F/F-15E/B-52's that had both F-4G Weasel and EF-111A support and the F-117's were also involved in front

... 50 nm South of Bagdad set up counter-rotating CAP with sections stacked at 30,000 ft and 10,000 ft. with CAP's oriented towards two known threat axes, 1st contact SE but was an F-111

... External Tanks were jettisoned before AWACS ID'ed the F-111

... AWACS called targets to the NE heading towards the High CAP and

the Strike Package....it was 03:20 am

... AWACS alerted him that F-1's were chasing his #3

... Locked Up on a F-1 at 8,000 ft., at 16 nm and confirmed by EID

... Target was heading West, at 12 nm, heading straight for the F-4G's

... met all ROE conditions, then fired Fox 1 at 12 NM, (1) AIM-7 and it became a KILL with F-Pole at 4NM, target didn't maneuver

... Head-On Night Shot HO(N) that resulted in huge fireball

... AAA/SAM's, bombings, HARM's, etc. all lighted the night

... I-Hawk had targeted Tate and he was maneuvering to avoid it

... Kill verified by CENTCOM and Officially awarded by TAC

... Tate was assumed to be the 1st USAF pilot to get a kill during

Desert STORM, however post-War debriefings showed he had the 4^{th Kill. Capt Jon "JB" Kelk (32) shot down his Fulcrum at}

03:10 AM on the 17th (local). Maj Robert "Cheese" Graeter

got the 2nd Kill with an AIM-7 against an F-1 Mirage and then a

2nd Mirage crashed without Graeter firing a shot giving

him the 3rd Kill also. Tate's kill came at 03:54 to 04:00 am ... Tate got a DFC and Graeter got a Silver Star.

... SYSTEMS & OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS:

v entire flight appeared to be picture perfect

- 2 x MiG-21 Fishbed C/J-7A's downed by a USN F/A-18C's from

VFA-81 "Sunliners" of CVW-17 deployed aboard USS Saratoga

... LCdr Mark "MRT" Fox (34), number three in a division of F-18's

... Fox had 2700 hrs in the A-7 and F-18, and added 100 combat hours

... AA401/163508 with the engagement at 14:00 in the afternoon

... flight under E-2C (#600) control from VAW-125 after an

ESM cut was achieved by an EP-3E from VQ-2 that was on

station in the Red Sea, 40 miles north of the border

... division package configured with (3) Mk-84's, CL Tk, (2)AIM-9M, FAMMO Gun, + an ALQ-167 Pod

... Fox was launched as an airborne "spare", but six plane strike ended up as a division launch with 3 x aborts and 1 x spare

> Cdr Bill "Maggot" McKee (XO of VFA-81) DIV Lead

> Lt Nickolas "Mongol" Mongillo (pilot VFA-81)

> LCdr Chuck "Bouncer" Osborne (OpsO VFA-83)

> LCdr Mark Irby "MRT" Fox (OpsO of VFA-81)

- launched as Spare with (4)Mk-84's & no-ALQ pod

> LCdr Callaghan, VF-103, F-14 TARPS Post Strike Recce

... as they approached target area the (4) Hornets were near line

abreast with Mongo/Maggot/MRT/Bouncer (L to R), set A/G

switches an encountered a 100 kts jet stream westery

... VAW-125 "Tiger Tails" control from the Saratoga

... "400 Bandits on your Nose at 15", call from E-2C

... MRT radar lock-on supersonic MiG-21 Head-on, Selected SW

... 1 x AIM-9M good tone, FOX, HIT, and KILL

... lost sight of AIM-9 and quickly fired AIM-7, seconds later

the AIM-9 HIT and obtained the KILL and a few seconds later

HIT again by the AIM-7

... Forward Quarter Day Shot

... 1 x AIM-7 HIT (seen going thru wreckage)

... F-18 with bombload in package

- 1 x MiG-21 Fishbed C/J-7A by a USN F/A-18C

VFA-81 (same mission)

... Lt Nick "Mongol" Mongillo

... locked-on trailing targetv at 8 NM, EID at 4.5 NM as MiG-21

... 1 x AIM-7, FOX at 4 NM, HIT, KILL

... Forward Quarter Day Shot

... After Kills Division got more contacts at 20NM but decided to ]

continue to their primary target and air-to-ground

... SYSTEMS & OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS:

v LtCdr Steve Minnif, F-18 lost all COMM/NAV which allowed LtCdr "MRT" Fox to make the launch as a "spare"

v 2nd F-18 could not transfer centeline drop tank

v 3rd F-18 lost cabin pressurization priot to reaching the Iraq

border and air-aborted

v six plane mini-strike ended up as a fourship

v F-18's carried ALQ-167 pod (anti-SA-6) because of deficiencies in the ALQ-126 internal system

- 1 x MiG-29 Fulcrum by an F-15C, 58th TFS/33rd TFW (Eglin AFB)

... Capt Charles (Chuck) J. "SLY" Magill

... based at Tabuk Air Base, .58th TFS "Gorillas"

... USMC Exchange pilot with 58TFS

> graduate of TOPGUN and WTI Instructor

> flew 50 missions during SHIELD & STORM, over 2000 hrs

> 400 hrs in 7 months, 105 in JAN, 138 in FEB

> the only Marine Aviator to score a Kill during the Gulf War

Ø when the 58th TFS deployed from the 33rd TFW (Eglin) pilots from the othe two squadrons, the 59th and 60th TFS, joined in

... Aircraft 85-0107 with the engagement logged at 16:30

... led an eight-plane fighter sweep the day after the first night of the war

... engagement occurred West of Bagdad in heavy SAM area

... Kill verified by CENTCOM and Officially awarded by TAC

... "Sly" was Leading (2) Four-ships on the 1st Day Strike

UNION Flight (lead four-ship)

v Capt Charles Magill #1 (ended War with 1 Kill)

v 1/Lt Mark Arriola #2

v Capt Rhory Draeger #3 (ended War with 2 Kills)

v Capt Tony Schiavi #4 (ended War with 1 Kill)

... 1400 launch, (2) four-ships, tanker rdv, and AWACS control

... escort mission for an F-16 Strike Package targeted on the Bagdad

Nuclear Research Facility Main Reactor Building

> F-16's were to use a loft technique

> overall not successful

> F-117's finally were said to destroy target complex

> Silver Stars awarded to F-111F crews cited that they

were the ones to take out the main reactor on the next day

(Air Force Times, 17Jun91, pg9-10)

... AWACS advised that a section of MiG-29's were on CAP south of the target which was Al Taqaddum Airfield

> "Union Flight Bandits SW, Bagdad, medium altitude"

> three lakes on the West side of Bagdad, they were SW

of the southern most lake, 80 NM distant from them

... Magill took (3) other F-15's to south of the airfield and

directed the other division to Sweep north, was at 13,000 ft.

... "Sly's" fighters pushed after the MiG-29's, AWACS confirmed only two bandits and they had four good radars

... during run to target airfield several SAM's were fired, the

smoke trails were sighted and the aircraft jettisoned their external fuel tanks, maneuvered (steep break), with no-hits

... Fulcrum's turned south towards "Sly's" formation, picked them

up on radar and assessed them in echelon formation with one

stacked high, bit both were below the F-15's altitude

... "Sly" descended low, so they were worried about hand-held SAM's and AAA, but passed the threat area with high speed

... MiG's turned North together, "Sly" accelerated towards them,

at this time they are around 40 NM away, and Draeger thinks

that they might be low on gas

... MiG-29's appeared turn back towards the F-15's

... "Sly" fires 2 x AIM-7's just as #3 fired 1 x AIM-7

v did "feel" the missile eject with a "clunk"

v 17 NM lock-ups

v Draeger locks-up on the Western MiG

v Draeger noted they fired AIM-7M's

v MiG's had gone from 13,000 ft to 500 ft

v Draeger see's MiG's and Sparrows come together

v executed a defensive beam-turn after Fox

... 1/Lt Arriola covered the formation

... Sly was able to see the MiG's as the AIM-7's closed, watching Draeger's missile his target, creating a massive fireball

... Sly's 1st Sparrow hit the second MiG's right wing, the 2nd Sparrow impacted the firball

... (#1) AIM-7 HIT right wing from Head-On and KILL

... (#2) AIM-7 went into the fireball from Head-On, HIT

... MiG pilots were not seen to eject

... more SAM's were fired on egress, F-16's hit target

... Sly cleared the second four-ship to continue home on their own

... had to go directly through F-16 package, feared fratricide

finally jettisoned their CL tanks

... used all of their chaff and decoys, final egress at low altitude

... this was the second engagement for the 58th TFS, at around the

same time of the day

... on the next day, Sly's wife Lisa gave birth to a daughter Caitlin

- 1 x MiG-29 Fulcrum downed by an F-15C

... member of the 58th TFS "Golden Pride" of the 33rd TFW

(Eglin AFB) but deployed to the Gulf with the 58th TFS "Gorillas"

... one of the augmentation pilots fom the 59th and 60th TFS

... Capt Rhory R. Draeger (33)

... had 1800 hrs in fighters, 275 combat hrs in 50 missions

... #3 wingman to Capt "Sly" Magill, and ended War with 2 Kills

... 85-0119, based at Tabuk AB in Western Saudi Arabia

... A morning mission for a noon strike West of Bagdad

... AWACS control by Capt Sheila G. Chewning, called 2 x MiG-29's CAP'ed just Southwest of Bagdad

... first contact 60° Right at 60 nm, checked turned them to 20° Right

... overflew SA-8, got indications, maneuvered and jettisoned tanks

... re-formed on vector, maneuvered from 15,000 ft to 5,000 ft

... target apparently on a CAP, hot at 40-50 nm, then cold

... target continued descending to 500 ft, Draeger now supersonic at 20K,

just South of Al Taqaddum Airfield and targets turned back into them

... 1 x AIM-7 KILL, Head-On (Day), Look Down

... Draeger shot first, Magill fired two missiles 5 seconds later

... could see all missiles at 10 nm, checked turn, impact at around 7 nm

... by this time Draeger was at 200 ft looking up at the MiG-29's

... Draeger hit the Southeastern guy, Magill hit the Northwestern guy

... Kill verified by CENTCOM and Officially awarded by TAC

... SYSTEMS & OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS:

v too much noise and confusion in the cockpit, after Magill dropped his wing tanks, the fuel gauge went to zero and Bitchin Betty was screaming throughout the combat

v (1) aircraft from Magill's formation air aborted...this was not

mentioned in the Gulf Air War Debrief book, pg 62.

- 1 x F-1 Mirage by an F-14A Tomcat

... 1 x AIM-54C Probable

... also possible fratricide on a USN A-6E

... this situation remains unverified and unexplained

- 1 x MiG-29 Maneuvering Suicide and 1 x MiG-23 Fratricide:

v Pilot: Capt Richard T. Bennett, WSO: Capt Daniel B. Bakke

was a Flight Leader with the 335th TFS & flew 58 x missions,

see Air Force Magazine, Jan 93, pg34

v crossing the Iraqi border he could see massive AAA after F-117's strikes had been realized

v past Bagdad to hit SCUD fixed-sites around H-2 in Western Iraq

v 12 x F-15E's in trail utilizing FLIR visual tracking for 2 nm to 6 nm spacing

v About 80 nm out, 3 x Flogger's and 2 x Fulcrum's were "up" and coming towards them trying to intercept the formation in pitch-black darkness with marginal weather

v Was "spiked" on RWR by MiG-29's several times as they were looking (sampling and sorting) for the end of the train flying at 100 ft and 600 knots. Demonstrated some very good initial set-up and sort.

v All of the F-15E's could "see" the MiG's on Radar, but elected not to shoot for fear of giving away their formation

v 1 x MiG-29 came down the left side of the trail formation. Attempted to roll in on the F-15E, 6 nm in front but hit the ground.

v F-15E pilots got a FLIR ID confirmation of a MiG-29

v A second F-15E had radar contact on another MiG-29 coming down the right side of the train. The MiG-29 had a lock-on, therefore the pilot fired 1 x AIM-9L but the missile went stupid and missed.

v The Flogger's stayed higher looking for the F-15's with their IRST's and GCI was assumed to be operating.

v The MiG-29 lost lock on the F-15E that fired the Sidewinder, assumed to be in the Beam at the time, but appeared to lock up on one of the Flogger's which were higher in altitude. MiG-29 was assumed to be in an Automatic Mode.

v Flogger's were at least 2000 feet higher

v The MiG-29 shot a missile and destroyed a MiG-23 Flogger

v This was originally reported as: Lead accidently shot down his wingman MiG-29 Fulcrum over Western Iraq as the formation attempted to intercept US strike aircraft. The formation was heading north when the wingman became positioned in a turn in front of flight lead. The radar system might have been in a auto-acquisition mode and locked on the MiG-29. Pilots are trained to fly with their triggers depressed to beat the ID circuits and interlocks in getting a committed missile off the rails faster. So it is possible that this condition caused the Lead to shoot the Wingman with a missile. Around 30 seconds later, the flight leader flew into the ground a few miles away from where the wingman hit. Neither pilot was seen to eject. This technique by the MiG-29 pilots utilizes a friendly IFF interrogator to prevent

firing circuits from being energized. In a quasi-Dogfight mode, the MiG-29 has an auto-acquisition mode that employs a box scan in the forward area with acquisition out to around 10 NM. The Iraqi's might have not had the IFF "ID" check in the aircraft and simply the leader locked on the wingman and a missile went off.

LOSSES:

v No Losses are recorded the first waves during the first night

v Iraq claimed that (44) coalition aircraft were downed

v 1 x F/A-18C from CVW-17 off of the USS Saratoga, pilot KIA

- VFA-81 "Sunliners", BURNO 163484, "AA" Side Number 403

- First reported downed by multiple SA-2 and/or SA-6 missiles, 5th missile may have finally hit him, but debate still still on

- LCdr Micheal Scott "Spike" Speicher (33) of Jacksonville, Fla.

- CENTCOM confirmed SAM loss (22Feb91)

- Wingman saw impact and aircraft go down, 1st US Combat Loss

- F/A-18's carried ALQ-126B internal jammer, ALR-67 RWR, and ALE-39 Chaff/Flare dispensors

- The 29Jul91 "Inside the Navy" (Tom Breen) said that Industry, Navy,

and Congressional sources agree that Spiecher was downed by an Iraqi

MiG-25 Foxbat using an AA-6 ACRID Missile. Weaknesses in the ALR-

67 RHAW System with the F/A-18 might have been a factor in not

being aware of the MiG-25.

... 16Sep92, story surfaced again in the news media out of a New York Times article written by Mark Crispin Miller (a professor of media studies at Johns Hopkins University) where a "senior Navy Intelligence Officer, Capt Carlos Johnson, said "we were pretty sure at the beginning" that the F-18 flown by Speicher was downed by an Iraqi MiG-25 Foxbat. Furthermore, Commander Mike Anderson, and USN pilot in the area of the downed F-18, said that permission was not granted by AWACS for his flight to attack the Foxbat that was under surveillance prior to Speicher being hit. This might have something to do with Horner's insistance that the F-15's be the only air-to-air players and all other aircraft refrain from seeking out any Iraqi aircraft.

- Rick Atkinson, in his book "Crusade: The Untold Story of the Persian Gulf War" (pg 47), mentions that Speicher was downed by a MiG-25 that slipped through the AWACS gap. The MiG-25 was speculated to have seen the flash of the HARM fired by Speicher (Rick notes that Speicher was in an F-14, no!) and then closed to kill him with a missile which presumes he had a visual on him and used an IR missile.

v 1 x British GR-1 Tornado on a Runway Strike in Iraq

- based with the Composite Squadron at Tabouk

- Downed after dawn (in daylight) on a 8 x aircraft Loft Bomb Attack against Ar Rumaylah Southwest Airfield

- Carrying 8 x Mk-83 1000 lbs Bombs

- 200 ft ALG, 600 kts, 4 miles from target, 4-G pop-up, 1500 ft release, pull towards egress tightly and down

- After drop, heading outbound HIT by Shoulder fired IR SAM

- Engine Fire after hit and crew ejected, initial reports said AAA

- GR1 ZD791/BG, No XV Squadron

- crew MIA, then confirmed POW, returned

- FltLt John Peters (Pilot)

- FltLt Adrian Nicholl (Nav)

v 1 x UK GR-1 Tornado was lost on JP233 attack on runway

- Lost during the evening of the 17th January

- JP233 atatcks against Tallil (twice), Shaibah, Ubaydah Bin Al Jarrah,

Wadi Al Khirr, and Al Asad (2nd attack)

- GR1 ZA392/EK, No 617 Squadron, No 3 aircraft in flight of four

- This crew had just completed their attack against Al Shaibah when 40 to

50 seconds into the egress a fire-ball was seen on the ground

- Wng Cmdr Nigel Elsdon was pilot, KIA

- FltLt Max Collier was the Nav, KIA

- no other flight members saw enemy fire, assumed he hit the ground

- this was the only Tornado that was killed delivering JP-233 and the cause appears to be disorientation, almost a minute after the attack

v 1 x UK GR-1 Tornado...damaged (ZD744)

- Bird Strike, aircraft recovered and was repaired

v 1 x Italian GR1 Tornado downed

- conditions were not discussed but believed to be Ground Fire

- (1) Composite Squadron of 18 x Tornado IDS Stike Aircraft were sent

from three Italian units on 25 Sep 90

... Operation "LOCUST"

... Commanded by Col Mario Redditi

... 6 x Tornado aircraft each from three squadrons

> Gioia Del Colle (Bari Province)

> Ghedi (Brescia Province)

> Piacenza

- based at Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE with F-16's from Shaw AFB

- Capt Maurizio Cocciolone

- Capt Mario Bichirloni

- on an air interdiction mission in Southern Iraq

- 8 x Italian Tornado's took off, one aborted before the refueling rendezvous,

6 x more could not refuel and returned with bombs, one went to the target

and was shot down

v 1 x A-6E Intruder from VA-35 "Black Panthers" off of the USS Saratoga

- aircraft Burno 161668, side number 510, "AA", "RAYGUN 510"

- 6 x Intruder strike to attack H3 runway in Western Iraq

- strike was planned at low altitude all the way at night

- H3 was light up with thousands of flares

- avoided at least 2 x SAM's but the 3rd hit behind the cockpit

- became the 2nd US Combat Loss

- Lt Jeffrey N. Zaun (28), PILOT, became POW, released 4 Mar 91

... Cherry Hill, N.J., USNA 1984

- Lt Robert Wetzel (30), WSO, became POW, released 4 Mar 91

... N.J. Inst. of Tech, 1985

... broke his arm and collar bone in ejection

- reported in Air Forces Monthly lost on 19Jan91

- Approach Magazine, Sep-Oct 91, pg 24:

- "We turned the IP 30 miles away at 450 kts, flying below 500 ft"

- "...the Iraqi's lit up the airfield with parachute flares, creating the

most bizarre display of pyrotechnics Wetzel had ever seen"

- "SAM's few around the strike force, there was heavy AAA"

- "...saw a missile go off in front of us....a missile to the right at 2:00,

turned into it and dropped chaff. We were hit. The back of the Aicraft

was on fire."

- "We ejected through the canopy at 400-500 kts. Our helmets were

ripped off. I lost my gloves & watch. Jeff's survival gear was ripped

off. We had flail injuries, Wetzel could not use his arms."

- They both landed on a 20 ft mound, were plotting when an Iraqi vehicle

found them and spotlighted them

- Wetzel had both wrists injured, was operated on putting plates and screws

in his arm, he was eventually moved to the "Bagdad Biltmore"

v 1 x A-6E initially reported missing after combat damage

- but was just NORDO

- A-6E, 158539, "AA" 502, VA-35, CV-60

- aircraft eventually returned to Saratoga and took the barricade

- damaged beyond economic repair and dumped: 3rd US Combat Loss

v 1 x Kuwaiti A-4KU from the provisional surviving unit at Dhahran AB

- hit by ground fire over Kuwait

- Maj Muhammed Sultan Mubarak was captured

v 4 x French Jaguar's were damaged on their strike against Ahmed Al

Jaber Air Base in Kuwait, out of a small package of eight.

- one hit by an SA-7, both engines caught fire, but pilot landed at Jubail

- engine hit by shell frag and caused divert to Jubail

- canopy penetrated by 14.5mm round, pilot recovered wounded

- flight control system hit, pilot returned to Al Asha

v 1 x F-111F collided with a KC-135 tanker over Saudi Arabia. The crew had

just completed tanking and were moving down and right. Fearing traffic the

pilot started to climb striking the KC-135 in the side and tail, both aircraft

damaged, but recovered. It was the WSO's call out of conflicting traffic below them.

Apparently the pilot then became concerned about the new traffic and entered a climb.

The F-111F struck the KC-135 causing damage to the left side of the tanker and to

the tail and right wing of the F-111F. Reportedly, the F-111F sustained damage to

4 of 5 right wing spars, the vertical stab tip and bullet and the flux valves. Damage

to the KC-135 included the nose landing gear door, number 2 engine cowling

and a vertical tear in the fuselage which resulted in the tanker losing cabin

pressurization. The costs are estimated to be $332,000 to the F-111F and

$330,000 to the KC-135. The mishap is classified as a Class B Mishap

($200,000 to $1million). 70-2384 was not repaired until after the cease fire.

SCUDS:

v (8) SCUD's impact in Tel Aviv and Haifa area, 7 injured.

v (1) SCUD launched at Dhahran and intercepted by Patriot

CASUALTIES:

v (3) USMC and (1) USN injured in bunkers in Saudi from Iraqi artillery

near the Kuwaiti border.

Gulf War 1991 Chronology

Day 1: 17 Jan 1991