1 - The Black Vault

PRAETORIAN STARSHIP
to depart in EC-130E aircraft 62-1857 and 62-
1809. Their formation flights (call signs Imber
38/39) refueled just east of Bermuda and con -
tinued on to Lajes Field, Azores. Uttaro and Brenci
(call signs Imber 52/53) departed Hurlburt
Field in EC-130E aircraft 62-1818 and Combat
Talon 64-0565, respectively, and headed for
the Bermuda refueling track en route to Lajes
Field.
Oliver’s crew was assigned Combat Talon 64-
0562 and departed Hurlburt Field the next evening
at 2100 local time. Using call sign Quaff 45,
Oliver refueled just east of Newfoundland and
proceeded on to Rhein Main AB, where Ferkes
had landed earlier the previous day. Twenty-four
hours after Oliver departed Hurlburt Field, the
last crew to depart northwest Florida was Meller’s
crew, flying Combat Talon 64-0572 under
the call sign Mossy 17. Meller was bound for
Rhein Main AB on the same routing as Ferkes
and Oliver. Aboard Meller’s aircraft was Pinard.
Thus, three Combat Talons transited Germany,
while the three EC-130Es and one Combat Talon
passed through the Azores. 105 The objective was
to converge on Wadi Kena and Masirah Island
from diverse locations to avoid arousing suspicion.
Mid-April marked the kickoff of the annual
Flintlock special operations exercise held in
Europe. Bradley and his two 7th SOS Combat
Talons had redeployed from Wadi Kena on 8
April and were scheduled to participate in the
Flintlock exercise. When the three 8th SOS Talons
passed through Rhein Main AB, Bradley’s
squadron was already deploying to the United
Kingdom, so the additional aircraft did not raise
any questions. Ron Jones, the 7th SOS director
Photo courtesy of J. V. O. Weaver
Mission aircraft deployed to Masirah Island. Combat
Talon 64-0565 is in the foreground, with the three EC-
130s and the three additional MC-130s parked in line.
of operations and a participant in the Son Tay
POW raid, met each plane as it arrived and took
care of billeting and aircraft servicing. Observant
7th SOS flight-line personnel did notice that more
Combat Talons were on the ramp than were assigned
to the squadron, but they knew from experience
not to speculate or openly comment to
others.
With Turczynski having the green light to proceed
from Diego Garcia to Masirah Island, on 19
April Jubelt’s crew departed the base for the
seven-hour flight. Upon landing at Masirah Island
the aircraft was directed by the control
tower to an isolated location adjacent to a dirt
strip on the east side of the airfield. A JTF liaison
officer had arrived the day prior and had
made the necessary arrangements to beddown
the aircraft. After shutdown Turczynski found
two large wooden crates filled with cots for his
men. Turczynski’s men set about constructing
the first portion of the tent city that the rescue
force would use for the next several days. The
wooden tent stakes could not be driven into the
rock-hard ground, so the JTF liaison officer procured
steel stakes from the base. With much effort
and hard work, the dark green canvas was
raised on the tent poles. The tents had been designed
for the moist, cool climate of central
Europe. In the hot, arid climate of Masirah Island,
the temperature inside the tents soared.
The following day, 20 April, the other two 1st
SOS aircraft, commanded by Fleming and Pearson,
flew from Diego Garcia to Masirah Island.
Also on 20 May Turczynski launched Jubelt’s
crew on a diversionary sea surveillance mission
just as he had done at Diego Garcia. A daily routine
of flying sea surveillance missions was es -
tablished that continued for the next three days
leading up to mission launch. 106
From both Lajes Field and Rhein Main AB, 8th
SOS mission aircraft flew nonstop to Sigonella
AB, Italy, where each crew was met by Blum (the
liaison officer provided by the 7th SOS to brief
mission crews and to arrange servicing for their
aircraft). From Sigonella AB the seven aircraft
flew the identical routes that Bradley’s 7th SOS
aircraft had been flying for the past three months.
To an observer the aircraft were part of the ongoing
exercise that had been taking place in southern
Egypt. Tharp and Lewis were in the first mission
aircraft to land at Wadi Kena on 20 April, with
Uttaro and Brenci following one hour behind
them. Vaught, Kyle, and the rest of the JTF also
arrived at Wadi Kena on 20 April. To reduce radio
214