[T-Bone Texan]

I once saw the plume from one of those test firings from Vandenberg, around 1999. As the plume went up into the different levels of the atmosphere and stratosphere and the sun hit it, it reflected all the colors of the rainbow.

It was beautiful, and it reminded me of freedom.

I was in front of my girlfriend’s home in San Jose, CA, several hundred miles away, and I immediately knew it was from Vandenberg, which made it all the more awe-inspiring.

[OldMissileer]

I once saw the plume from one of those test firings from Vandenberg, around 1999. As the plume went up into the different levels of the atmosphere and stratosphere and the sun hit it, it reflected all the colors of the rainbow.

I was honored to have been chosen to be one of the launch crews on an FOT&E shot. Our Minuteman III separated from the suspension ring at exactly 1:30am, 4 Feb 1987. All three RVs were scored as direct hits downrange at Kwajalein Atoll.

That was one of the most memorable times of my Air Force career.