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1 - The Black Vault

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OPERATION ASSURED RESPONSE TO THE NEW MILLENNIUM<br />

MC-130H aircraft, crew, and support personnel executed<br />

missions that primarily revolved around an<br />

airborne threat scenario during the USEUCOMsponsored<br />

JCET event. Hungarian Air Force MiG<br />

aircraft, along with surface-to-air-missile systems,<br />

challenged the 7th SOS crew as it flew tactical<br />

profiles. <strong>The</strong> training was realistic, with both<br />

sides gaining valuable experience flying against<br />

each military’s weapons systems. <strong>The</strong> JCET was<br />

highly successful and helped to promote a positive<br />

military-to-military relationship between Hungary<br />

and the United States. 80<br />

<strong>The</strong> second ORI rehearsal was conducted from<br />

1 to 12 March during Exercise Adventure Express.<br />

<strong>The</strong> 352d SOG deployed one 7th SOS MC-<br />

130H Combat Talon II and a robust A staff to<br />

replicate the one to be used during the ORI. An<br />

AFSOD was established at the deployed location,<br />

and it reported to JTF Norway during the course<br />

of the exercise. To challenge the staff and to provide<br />

valuable tracking experience, the AFSOD not<br />

only reported the daily status of the MC-130H but<br />

also reported on the remainder of group aircraft<br />

located back at home station. <strong>The</strong> flying portion of<br />

the exercise was challenging, with high winds associated<br />

with fronts passing through the exercise<br />

area canceling several sorties. <strong>The</strong> high winds<br />

created moderate to severe turbulence in the<br />

mountains and impacted the parachutists’ ability<br />

to safely land on the DZ. <strong>The</strong> two-week exercise<br />

was an excellent second step in the group’s prepa -<br />

ration for the fall inspection. 81<br />

During the next three months, the 7th SOS op -<br />

erated primarily out of home station flying training<br />

lines and supporting short-duration tasking.<br />

Unrest in Central Africa caused SOCEUR to put<br />

elements of the 352d SOG on alert during the<br />

March time frame, including the four MC-130H<br />

Combat Talons of the 7th SOS. Tasking was eventually<br />

eliminated for the 7th SOS aircraft, but on<br />

24 March the 352d SOG deployed a package consisting<br />

of MC-130Ps and MH-53Js to support Operation<br />

Guardian Retrieval. After completion of<br />

tasking, all group assets returned to RAF Mildenhall<br />

on 10 April. 82 Tensions remained high in Central<br />

and Western Africa, and by May the group<br />

was again on alert. After several days of intense<br />

planning, USEUCOM deleted the 352d SOG from<br />

its deployment alert status. 83<br />

On Saturday, 7 June 1997, the 352d SOG received<br />

verbal tasking for Operation Firm Response,<br />

a possible NEO in the Central African country of<br />

the Republic of the Congo. <strong>The</strong> 7th SOS placed two<br />

aircrews in crew rest for possible deployment in<br />

response to the deteriorating situation. Stability<br />

continued to decrease in the capital city of Brazzaville,<br />

and on 8 June the two 7th SOS MC-130H<br />

Combat Talon IIs launched and headed to<br />

Stuttgart, Germany, to link up with SOCEUR personnel<br />

at Patch Barracks. <strong>The</strong> first Talon arrived at<br />

Stuttgart at 0245Z on Monday, 9 June, and the<br />

crew immediately entered crew rest for possible onward<br />

movement to Central Africa. <strong>The</strong> second<br />

Talon experienced a short maintenance delay before<br />

departure from RAF Mildenhall and did not arrive<br />

in Stuttgart until 0601Z on 9 June. <strong>The</strong> second crew<br />

also went into crew rest for the pending mission.<br />

Members of Crew One (call sign Whisk 05, Talon<br />

86-1699) included Captain Foster, Captain Baker,<br />

Captain Walker, Captain Ramsey, Staff Sergeant<br />

Hoyt, Master Sergeant Scott, Tech Sergeant Baker,<br />

and Colonel Kisner. Members of Crew Two (call<br />

sign Whisk 21, 87-0023) were Captain Corallo,<br />

Captain Garstka, Captain Toth, Captain Burford,<br />

Tech Sergeant Colpitts, Tech Sergeant Riddell,<br />

and Staff Sergeant Grimes. Upon arrival at Stuggart<br />

the mission commander, Colonel Kisner,<br />

was met by Captain Simmons (also of the 7th<br />

SOS) and taken to SOCEUR Headquarters for an<br />

updated mission briefing. 84<br />

<strong>The</strong> SOCEUR planning staff had developed<br />

various courses of action (COA) for the operation.<br />

<strong>The</strong> COAs ranged from the insertion of a robust<br />

security force into the American embassy compound<br />

in Brazzaville to the insertion of a 12-man<br />

ESAT. <strong>The</strong> ESAT was composed primarily of US<br />

Army and Navy special operators equipped with a<br />

communications package that gave CINCEUR an<br />

eyes-on-target assessment of the situation in and<br />

around the embassy. With the ESAT recommenda -<br />

tions in-hand, SOCEUR and EUCOM planners<br />

could then tailor any additional response, as<br />

needed. <strong>The</strong> larger security team was designed to<br />

augment the US Marine security force at the embassy<br />

and provide additional firepower should the<br />

embassy come under direct attack. 85<br />

Throughout the day planning continued, but the<br />

situation seemed to stabilize somewhat as embassy<br />

reports filtered into SOCEUR Headquarters.<br />

Reports were so favorable that SOCEUR released<br />

its planning staff for a much needed rest at<br />

1830Z on 9 June. However, sporadic reports from<br />

the embassy indicated that the situation was<br />

worsening, and by 1930Z EUCOM made the decision<br />

to launch both Combat Talons with a robust<br />

ESAT composed of both the assessment team and a<br />

beefed-up security element. Both crews were<br />

alerted, and they departed Panzer Kassern for<br />

435

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