1 - The Black Vault

OPERATION JUST CAUSE
were empty. Therefore, all missions were planned
to land with a minimum of 4,000 pounds of fuel
remaining, plus the required fuel reserves.) With
13,000 pounds remaining and within 30 minutes
of daylight, the FARRP operation was discontinued
reluctantly, and the aircraft was readied for
takeoff. The heavy fuel hose was disconnected
from the SPR manifold and left at the FARRP site
along with additional ammo from Davenport’s
Talon. With takeoff clearance received, Thigpen
taxied north on the active runway and made a
180-degree turn at the Pan American Highway
intersection. The number five SOLL II C-130E
had onloaded casualties earlier and already had
departed the airfield. As Thigpen’s Talon lifted off
approximately 2,000 feet down the runway, enemy
tracers were seen off the nose of the aircraft. The
crew transitioned immediately to the 250-foot
terrain-following mode to minimize exposure to
the small-arms threat. Within seconds, the Talon
was out over the dark Pacific and away from enemy
fire. The aircraft made a slow right turn to
the north en route to the northern coastline and
to the “white” tanker track. There were 11,000
pounds of fuel remaining at that time. 36
Before departing Rio Hato, Thigpen’s radio operator
(Bonck) had coordinated IFR requirements
with the ABCCC aircraft controlling the operations
at Rio Hato. Thigpen was to refuel at 13,000
feet and onload 35,000 pounds of fuel, which was
enough to fly nonstop to Hurlburt Field. As the
Talon approached the white tanker track, at least
10 fighter aircraft were on the same refueling frequency
and also on guard channel, and all were
looking for a tanker. The radio chatter was similar
to the Vietnam War years when there were
continual tanker anchors established over Laos
and out over the Gulf of Tonkin. Ross had replaced
Thigpen in the left seat of the Combat
Talon , and Abbott was in the right seat. As the
Talon continued north, the fuel gauges showed
10,000 pounds remaining. There was no tanker in
sight, and soon the aircraft would have to divert
to Howard AB for fuel. Scanning outside the aircraft,
the crew visually acquired a tanker below
and slightly to the left of its track. The tanker
was at approximately the same airspeed as the
Combat Talon but at about 6,000-feet altitude.
The navigator made several calls on guard channel
after the tanker did not answer on the designated
refueling frequency. Descending in an S
turn, Ross maneuvered the Combat Talon to join
with the tanker. As the Talon approached the KC-
135 from the aft quadrant, it was visually apparent
that the tanker was prepared to deliver fuel at
200 KIAS. In precontact another call was made on
guard, but the tanker still did not answer. Perhaps
due to radio failure on the tanker aircraft,
the two crews could not communicate with each
other. The boom operator gave Ross a forward
light, indicating that he was ready to refuel. Ross
smoothly moved into the contact position and onloaded
35,000 pounds of fuel before disconnecting.
Without any verbal contact with the tanker, the
Talon crew had gotten its gas and was on its way
back to Hurlburt Field. The remainder of the
flight home was uneventful, although everyone on
board was exhausted from the previous night’s
operation. 37
Upon landing at Hurlburt Field, Maj Gen
Tomas Eggers and Brig Gen Jim Hobson met the
aircraft as it parked in front of the 8th SOS operations
building. It was 1000 local on 20 December
1989. Gallagher and his crew had landed hours
before and had already departed the area for a
much needed rest. Davenport and a portion of his
crew were at Howard AB in crew rest with the
aircraft undergoing a number four propeller
change. The squadron had performed well during
the operation and would be called upon again in
the following days to support JSOTF operations
in Panama. 38
H-Hour Operations across Panama
As the Combat Talon formation was bearing
down on the Panamanian coastline, combat operations
in Panama already were under way.
Sporadic firing started near Albrook Air Station
well before the established H hour. To preserve
tactical surprise, CINCSO (General Thurman)
ordered the JTF-South commander (General
Stiner) to move H hour up to 0045 for those
forces stationed in Panama. Just before the new
H hour, the legally elected Panamanian president
(Guillermo Endara) and his two vice presidents
(Arias Calderon and Billy Ford) were
sworn into office. Initial combat operations in
Just Cause were begun by forces assigned to the
JSOTF under General Downing. Task Force
Black fast-roped into Cerro Azul and removed a
critical component of Panamanian TV Channel 2’s
transmission facility, thus disabling the pro–
Noriega station. Task Force Black was also tasked
with surveillance of the Pacora River Bridge and
interdicting movement across it. The bridge was
situated between the Torrijos/Tocumen International
Airport and Fort Cimarron, where the
Panamanian Battalion 2000 force was located. As
331