Crew Took Minutes to Hit Saddam Hideout

AP | 4/08/03 | PAULINE JELINEK

[kattracks]

Crew Took Minutes to Hit Saddam Hideout

By PAULINE JELINEK .c The Associated Press

WASHINTGON (AP) - ``This is the big one'' was the message relayed to a B-1 bomber as it prepared for a mission in western Iraq.

Crew members didn't know exactly what that meant. But 12 minutes later, they had diverted from their original plan, sped some 200 miles to Baghdad and dropped four huge bombs on a suspected hiding place of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, his sons and other regime leaders, said bombardier Lt. Col. Fred Swan.

``When we got the word that it was a priority leadership target, immediately you get kind of an adrenaline rush,'' Swan said Tuesday. ``But then you fall back to your original training that says 'hey, let's get the job done'.''

That meant cross-checking the target coordinates three times, arming the weapons, turning the jet to fly to Baghdad and, finally, releasing the bombs, including two ``bunker-busters.''

``There wasn't a whole lot of time for reflection,'' except to worry some that there were still Iraqi forces in Baghdad that could fire on the bomber and to plan the route they would take out of the hostile area afterward, Swan said.

He and other airmen talked by telephone from an undisclosed base in the Persian Gulf region to reporters at the Pentagon. They are with the 405th Air Expeditionary Wing.

The crew didn't know Saddam was the target until hours after Monday's strike.

``I didn't know who was there ... and I really didn't care,'' Swan said. ``The job was to go put the bombs on the target and worry about that later.''

He used the plane's automatic system to release two GBU-31 penetration bombs and two others that had a 25-milisecond delay before exploding - a weapons package ordered to penetrate, then deliver an extra hit while protecting as much of the nearby civilian area, he said.

It wasn't until it was over that the crew had time to think more about it. They included Swan, whose title is offensive weapons systems officer; Lt. Joe Runci, defensive weapons officer; pilot Capt. Chris Wachter and co-pilot Capt. Slone Hollis.

``Coming off the target, I was personally never prouder to be in the Air Force,'' Swan said. ``There was a lot of time to reflect on the two-hour drive back to base and ... just everyone was proud to be doing their job and making it happen.''

Wachter agreed.

``You don't dwell so much on what the target is or who it might be'' beforehand, said Wachter. Once the bombs were released, he said: ``That's a good feeling, and it lasts for, oh, three seconds, then you begin your turn off of the target and egress out of the threatening environment.''

It wasn't until the mission was over that the crew knew for sure the target was Saddam and others from his inner circle.

``That's a feather in the cap,'' said Wachter. ``But I want you guys to know that ... anyone in my squad has the ability to go in and do it.

``It just so happens that we were the lucky ones,'' he said.

04/08/03 14:35 EDT

[annyokie]

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[Ramcat]

IMO not a good idea to reveal these names!

[SpookBrat]

I wonder if it was Todd who dropped the bomb? Wouldn't that be cool?

B1 Bump!

[holyscroller]

The guy has already been interviewed on TV.

[joesnuffy]

If he dissapered down one of those tunnels under the restaraunt and into a bunker deep under a mosque...he will be harder to wankel out ...
I hope they dont just "declare him dead" and actually produce a corpse or three...including his evil offspring..

[AmericanInTokyo]

Wow! Three minutes off their BEST time.

Keep it up, guys! Get it down to 8 minutes. Kim Jong il is going to need a year's supply of underwear for April alone....

[annyokie]

Addressing Saddam doubles:

"Men there's good news and there's bad news.

The good news is Saddam is still alive so you still have jobs.

The bad news is, he's lost an arm."

[ladtx]

...bombardier Lt. Col. Fred Swan.

Wrong again AP. That is Weapons System Officer LTC Fred Swan.

[Darksheare]

"You doubles won't be needing your legs and other appendages anymore. Pony up guys."

[SAMWolf]

Yep.

[Paladin2b]

...bombardier Lt. Col. Fred Swan.

Wrong again AP. That is Weapons System Officer LTC Fred Swan.

Actually AP later in the article gives Swan's "official" aircrew assignment title, but "bombardier" is something a) everyone understands, b) essentially what his job is anyway, and c) still the often used term in the USAF anyway. Ditto "LTC"; it may be the Pentagon's bureaucratic term, but the proper English-language abbreviation is "Lt. Col.". Computerese like "LTC" and euphemisms like "offensive weapons systems officer" cheapens a beautiful language. Stick with "the bombardier wasted the target". :)

[MeekOneGOP]

[ladtx]

Actually AP later in the article gives Swan's "official" aircrew assignment title, but "bombardier" is something a) everyone understands, b) essentially what his job is anyway, and c) still the often used term in the USAF anyway. Ditto "LTC"; it may be the Pentagon's bureaucratic term, but the proper English-language abbreviation is "Lt. Col.". Computerese like "LTC" and euphemisms like "offensive weapons systems officer" cheapens a beautiful language. Stick with "the bombardier wasted the target". :)

(a-b)Todays Weapon Systems Officers are much more than "bombardiers", they are also the aircraft navigator, and defensive weapons officers. The bombardier connotation leads one to believe they only drop bombs, that is a large part of their job but is misleading. (c) The word in the USAF that denotes the Weapons Systems Officers is (WSO) "whizzo". LTC is the correct abbreviation in all military correspondence and orders from the Pentagon (the terms proponent) it came into use long before the term "computerese" itself did. Lt. Col. has now become a civilian abbreviation. I actually like the term "whizzo" because these guys are a "whiz" at what they must learn and do on their respective aircraft. We used to affectionately refer to our Lieutenant Colonels as "LTC's"

[flamefront]

1000 mph, supersonic over the BaggedDad.

The shockwave must have been a wakeup to the city.

[bruin66]

But 12 minutes later, they had diverted from their original plan, sped some 200 miles to Baghdad and dropped four huge bombs on a suspected hiding place of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, his sons and other regime leaders...

Can anyone imagine this retargeting being done during the Johnson/MacNamara regime, during Viet Nam? It would have taken weeks to clear all the wickets.

[The Other Harry]

Geesus, these people are good. So is the stuff.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

It's the individual crew members decision as to whether they are identified or remain anonymous.

[Victoria Delsoul]

`Coming off the target, I was personally never prouder to be in the Air Force,'' Swan said. ``There was a lot of time to reflect on the two-hour drive back to base and ... just everyone was proud to be doing their job and making it happen.''

And we are proud of you. You are our heroes!