1 - The Black Vault

PRAETORIAN STARSHIP
and initial leaflet drops in support of the exercise
scenario were accomplished during the next two
days. Throughout the following week a full array
of missions was flown, and the CJSOTF was
given the opportunity to demonstrate its ability to
survive and operate during a chemical warfare
attack on its main operating base. By 24 October
the exercise scenario had provided the Headquarters
AFSOC/IG with enough opportunities to complete
its evaluation. Beginning on 24 October assets
began redeploying to RAF Mildenhall. Overall the
352d SOG earned an excellent rating for the ORI,
with the 7th SOS receiving an outstanding rating
during the critical “employment phase” of the inspection.
The months of preparation, coupled with
real-world deployments, had prepared the group
for the challenging exercise. 99
For the final two months of the year, the 7th SOS
continued to fly local training sorties and deployed
for a JCET in Italy just after Thanksgiving. As
1997 ended the squadron had time to reflect on its
many accomplishments throughout the year.
From the cold of Andoya AS to the steaming heat
of Namibia, the crews and aircraft of the squadron
had performed admirably. Everyone looked
forward with anticipation to 1998.
1998: First Lieutenant Blassie
of the 8th SOS Comes Home
The year 1998 was marked by expanded employment
of Combat Talon II to remote areas of
the world and to previously denied areas of Eastern
Europe. For the 8th SOS the remains of a lost
pilot from the Vietnam War were identified and
laid to rest. The 7th SOS continued its history of
excellence by winning the 1998 Tunner Award.
For the Combat Talon community, the year would
be another memorable one.
The 7th SOS Returns to Africa
Both the JCET and JCS exercise programs continued
to be the primary emphasis of the 7th SOS
during the first half of 1998. Two MC-130H aircraft
and crews participated in Red Flag 98-2
from 26 January to 6 February at Nellis AFB,
Nevada. The 7th SOS contingent joined special
operations crews from the 1st SOS and the 8th
SOS during the two-week exercise.
For the 7th SOS, deployment began on 21
January when a two-aircraft Talon II package departed
RAF Mildenhall bound for Halifax, Nova
Scotia. After spending the night at Halifax, the
two crews flew on to Peterson AFB, Colorado,
where they remained for the next two days. The
crews arrived at Nellis AFB on 24 January and
settled into their working areas, and the Combat
Talons were prepared for the scheduled missions.
On 26 January both crews conducted familiariza -
tion flights to orientate themselves with the local
area. The primary mission for the 7th SOS during
Red Flag included flying in an intensive EW environment
while conducting airdrops and participating
in infiltration and exfiltration scenarios. 100
Beginning 27 January the first 7th SOS mission
was flown into the Nellis range and consisted
of a container airdrop followed by NVG landings
at a remote assault strip. For the duration of the
exercise, the two crews alternated flying every
other day, gaining valuable experience working
with crews from the other two Talon squadrons.
Inclement weather caused the cancellation of several
sorties, but the crews were successful in attaining
most of their exercise goals. 101
The squadron experienced another first in February
when it deployed one MC-130H aircraft and
two crews to Riga, Latvia, for a JCET working
with the Latvian Special Forces and Naval Special
Warfare Unit Two. Although the initial deployment
could be characterized as somewhat uncoordinated,
the Latvians were eager to work with US
forces and were excellent hosts. The two major disconnects
during the JCET were misunderstandings
over the requirement for DZ surveys and outside
commitments that tended to distract the
crews from their flying mission. For future deployments
the mission commander recommended that
a field grade officer deploy to take care of the official
functions not associated with the actual JCET.
Also recommended was that CCT personnel accomplish
DZ surveys during predeployment planning.
Overall the experience was a positive one for
US participants, and members of both militaries
departed with a better understanding of each
other’s capabilities and limitations. 102
Members of the 352d SOG deployed to Hungary
for a second JCET, this time from 17 to 27 March.
Both the 7th SOS and 67th SOS deployed an aircraft
and augmented crew, plus support personnel.
Besides dropping Hungarian paratroopers the
crews flew air-intercept training sorties against
MiG-21s and MiG-29s of the Hungarian air force
and flew EW training sorties against SAM sites.
The training was rated by the crews as the best
ever accomplished. The training was enhanced because
the Hungarian system operators were
highly trained in their particular weapons system,
thus providing realistic and challenging threats to
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