[Non-Sequitur]

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.

[barf]

Were they asked if they were towing anything? Were they asked why they had the secondary radar transponder turned off? Could they have been told early on to keep their mouths shut? If not asked, they likely did not give answers.

[barf]

When were they actually xferred? Within an eight month period is weasel wording. You could say within a ten year period and still be accurate. How about a fifty year period? You have to remember that the accident happened during the Clinton administration when weasel wording was perfected to a science. The sheet which listed buoys looked like it had been cutoff at the bottom. What was removed from the listing by the cutting?

[barf]

BTW, IFF equipment has gone through a lot of changes since I had responsibliity for maintaining it. I noted that APX-72 was in the listing. Back in my day, it was APX-6 and classified SECRET.