1 - The Black Vault

DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM
their aircraft at 2330 local and made final prepa -
rations for the mission. The lead Combat Talon,
manned by Davenport’s crew (call sign Mamba
31), departed KFIA at 0059 local on 18 February.
In 30-second intervals, Henry (Mamba 32) and
Barragy (Mamba 33) followed the lead Talon.
The TOT for the multiship drop was 0213 local,
with a planned 0425 recovery at KFIA. At 0203
the formation split at the preinitial point, slowed
to 190 KIAS and turned toward the target area.
Davenport flew a northwesterly heading, while
Henry and Barragy headed due north. 72
At 10 NM out from the drop, the aircraft
slowed to 140 knots, and the navigators updated
the inertial navigation system with their precision
ground-mapping radar. At one minute from
the drop, the loadmasters spotted AAA coming
from the target area, but because of the slow airspeed
and the high altitude, the aircraft could not
maneuver. The AAA proved to be inaccurate, and
no parts of the aircraft were hit. At approximately
1 NM from the target, the navigator called green
light, and the three BLU-82Bs exited the Combat
Talons almost simultaneously. All three bombs
impacted within 200 meters of their intended targets
and detonated within four seconds of each
other. At red light, two Talons escaped to the
southeast and the third to the northeast. Davenport
and Barragy rejoined in formation and proceeded
back to KFIA for an uneventful landing.
Henry’s Talon suffered minor damage to its aft
anchor cable when the BLU-82B exited the aircraft.
The crew proceeded back to KFIA at a
slower airspeed and made an uneventful landing.
The highest visibility mission for Combat Talon
had been completed exactly as planned. 73
The fourth BLU-82B mission was directed
against two Iraqi logistics points and was flown on
20 February. The two-bomb package was dropped
from 21,000 feet due to thunderstorms over the target
area. Both Combat Talons penetrated violent
thunderstorms to complete the mission. One of the
BLU-82Bs was dropped on a mine-strewn Wadi inside
Kuwait. Due to the severe weather, post-mission
battle damage assessment was not available, but
when British troops reached the target area a few
days later, many Iraqi troops were found dead, still
in their foxholes. 74
The fifth BLU-82B drop was scheduled for 22
February, the day before G day. The two-bomb
mission targeted Marine objectives in southern
Kuwait. To make the mission appear more like a
leaflet drop (and, thus, less threatening to the
Iraqis), the bombs were dropped two hours apart.
During the first drop, the Combat Talon came under
radar threat, but the Iraqis did not launch any
AAA or SAMs at the aircraft. Both bombs were on
target and proved to be the last BLU-82B drops of
the war (fig. 46). When Coalition forces moved into
southern Iraq and southeastern Kuwait, the battlefield
remained dynamic, making it difficult to
pinpoint friendly forces. The 8th SOS received
four requests for BLU-82B drops within 24 hours
after the ground war began, but each time the tasking
was canceled prior to launch due to a dynamic
battlefield. Upon cessation of hostilities, EOD
Figure 46. BLU-82B Drop Locations (Source: USAF Special Operations School, Hurlburt
Field, Fla.)
365