Replies

I'll repeat that I have never encountered a towed target in any missile exercise that I was involved with...

You didn't repeat all you said. That which was omitted goes to whether you can be trusted. Here's what you said...

I have never heard of a P-3 being used to tow an aerial target? That, in fact, the Navy has not used towed aerial targets for decades? During my career I was assigned to guided-missile destroyers and frigates so I've witnessed quite a few missile shoots and not a single one of them was against a towed target because the Navy didn't use towed targets.

The URLs I have provided speak for themselves. You are the one whose credibility is in question.

Oh, by the way...I can also fill another gap in your knowledge of the TWA 800 affair with regards to the non-interview of the persons that were transferred and therefore not available. According to Appendex AA of the NTSB CD, The aircraft was from Brunswick NAS, Brunswick, Maine. The personnel in question were:

Ray Ott
Richard Van Deorstyne
Bradley Baca
Manuel Yarberry

"The URLs I have provided speak for themselves."

While you're skating around the internet, why don't you find some evidence that the Navy has actually used towed targets for missile tests in the last couple decades. I do know the Navy uses towed banners for strafing practice, but I think you'll be hard pressed to find any missile test using a towed target instead of a drone. Just because something exists, does not mean it is in use. I can give you a list several pages long of equipment the military still inventories, but doesn't use.

The URLs say nothing except such a target exists. It says that it is used by navies all over the world but doesn't say the U.S. Navy is one of them. The ad also dates from 1998. Was it being marketed two years prior? And one again you are speaking from websurfing and not experience. Do you have any military experience that would shed light on this?

Let me throw a few more names at you:

Ted Schuman
Duane Oakes
Shawn Betas
Phillip Dunn
Jeffery Hayes
Russell Balmer
Michael Aikens

They are also on the NTSB report that you mentioned. They were also on the P-3 that was in the area. They were all interviewed by the NTSB in connection with the flight the night that TWA 800 crashed. Not surprisingly they don't mention towing any target. They don't mention any missile exercise. Barf says that the other four were transferred immediately after the crash of TWA 800 but these interviews were conducted in March 1977, almost 8 months after the crash. Why is it surprising that 4 members of the crew could have been transferred within an 8 month period? How does some time within an 8 month period qualify as 'immediate'? Why don't the interviews with the other members of the crew offer anything to support your claims of target towing or missile tests or anything other than a routine ASW exercise? Here is a link to the interview if you would like to refresh your memory.