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enemy threat. The F-15Es were unable to find or engage the target due to the<br />
very poor weather in the target area. The MEF then sent a flight of A-10s<br />
that again were unable to find or engage the target due to worsening<br />
weather. Ceilings were estimated at 8000' and visibility was down to a couple<br />
miles. Since it was an emergency situation as passed by Cyclops (controller),<br />
we then sent Roman 75, flight of F-16CJs. The flight of F-16CJs was able to<br />
find and destroy the target. Due to the poor weather, Roman 75 had to<br />
execute a low altitude strafe against the target, the only way at the time to<br />
destroy the target.<br />
Two other flights were unable to find or engage the target after many<br />
attempts under these very difficult wartime conditions. The flexibility,<br />
tactical expertise, and calm under intense pressure demonstrated by Roman<br />
75’s flight was above and beyond the call. This professional action of the<br />
flight lead under very poor weather conditions and in direct contact with the<br />
enemy ground forces saved 3rd Battalion from the reinforcing enemy forces.<br />
Lt Col Mike McGee<br />
V Corps EASOC Airboss<br />
Dep Cmdr for Joint Integration<br />
4 EASOG<br />
This guy didn’t even have the balls to come see our squadron depart for home<br />
after the war ended. Fortunately, these types of people were rare and a marked<br />
contrast to officers like Kanga, Storm’n, and Ops Group Commander at Ali-al<br />
Salem. True professionals, they focused on combat missions and using their<br />
positions to actually help those doing the fighting. I’d love to see that colonel from<br />
Kuwait again, to shake his hand and buy him a drink.<br />
But the war didn’t stop for the weather. This was a reality the Iraqis were slow<br />
in grasping, and it cost them dearly. They hoped to use the dust to obscure their<br />
movements and move into position for coordinated counterattacks. It’s a good<br />
thought, and worked in 1944 for the Germans, but it wasn’t going to stop a military<br />
that could see through bad weather and had satellite tracking.<br />
In the end, after marching bravely out of their fortified positions with flags<br />
waving, the so-called elite Iraqi troops got the hell beaten out of them.<br />
I believe that the sight of the arrogant, goose-stepping Republican Guards<br />
limping back into Baghdad convinced other military units, and, above all, the<br />
civilians, that Saddam’s grip on Iraq was loosening. Consequently, there would be
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