Yeah, that’s the thing about being an Air Force pilot ... on a good day, you go back to hot steaks, cold beer, and an air-conditioned hooch.
On a bad day, you end up dead.
On a really bad day, you end up bunking with John McCain and dining with Hanoi Jane.
How many of those hours were spent actually delivering ordance on target?
During those 325 hours how many USAF aircraft were lost to direct enemy action?
Several years ago I almost bumped into an female AF LtCol. At that time ACC aircrew wore stars on the cuffs of their flight suits to denote total flying time and combat hours. When I asked about her combat time I discovered it was as a Lt. on AWACS aircraft miles behind the lines. When I down played her combat time she asked about me. Said my first hours of combat time were earned as a Lt, the the belly of a BUFF, over Vietnam. After she recovered he balance I said: “There's Combat time and then there's combat time.” And left her with an open mouth.