Memories Of World War III: The Road To War Part III

Lieutenant Colonel Franklin Andrew Baker, USAF (Ret.)-  “When the coup went down in Moscow my squadron was out at Nellis and about to start the second half of a Red Flag rotation. The matter wasn’t talked about much since we had our hands full with the exercise. But in the last couple of days the …

The Northern Flank D+9 (18 July, 1987) Part II

The struggle for air superiority over northern Norway resumed early in the morning as both sides drew the same conclusion: Control of the airspace from roughly Narvik north to the Kola Peninsula was going to be essential for the next thirty-six hours. As a result, both NATO and the Soviets were oriented on seizing the …

The North Atlantic D+8 (17 July, 1987) Part III

1030-1200 Hours- Following the emergency broadcast from the stricken Tu-95 Bear, and the ill-considered acknowledgements by other Soviet aircraft, the search for signs of the enemy surface action groups intensified. USAF F-15 Eagles did locate and dispatch the second Bear, but the Helix remained airborne and undetected. As time went on, radio traffic between Soviet …

The North Atlantic D+8 (17 July, 1987) Part II

On board the command ship USS Mount Whitney Strike Fleet Atlantic’s commander reminded himself that although the war could not be won in Norwegian Sea, it could easily be lost there. The strike fleet he commanded was the most powerful assemblage of naval power since the end of World War II. Along with the four …

Snapshots of War: The First Sortie

On 9 July, 1987, Major Mark Dwyer was an F-15 pilot assigned to the 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron at Soesterberg Airbase, a USAFE base in the Netherlands. Dwyer, a native of Albany, NY and graduate of Penn State University, was also the operations officer for the 32nd. In addition to their jobs in the cockpit, …

Air War on the Central Front D+7 (16 July, 1987)

The Commander, Allied Air Forces Central Europe, General Bill Kirk’s worries were starting to compound. As the land war in Northern Germany ramped up, so did the Warsaw Pact air effort in 2nd ATAF’s (Second Allied Tactical Air Force) area of responsibility. From D+6 through much of the following day, enemy air efforts directly supported …

Air War on the Central Front D+5 (14 July, 1987) Part II

Outside of the 36th TFW headquarters building two vehicles were waiting when Holland and Glosson emerged. One was a blue Air Force sedan, and the other a jeep packed with five security police troops. Holland got into the back of the sedan while Glosson went over to the jeep and spoke briefly to the NCO …

Air War on the Central Front: D+3 (12 July, 1987)

In the early morning hours of D+3, General Bill Kirk, USAF reflected on the progress of the air war on the Central Front thus far. The four star general wore two hats, serving as Commander in Chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe/Commander, Allied Air Forces Central Europe. Like a good number of his NATO and …

The Arabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf: D+1 (10 July, 1987) Part II

US Air Force assets on the ground in Saudi Arabia on the morning of 10 July were as follows: 2 squadrons of F-15A Eagles from the 49th TFW,  1 squadron of F-16C Falcons and a detachment of A-10 Warthogs were staked out at Dhahran Air Base. A detachment of 4 E-3A Sentries, and a growing …

Outpost Iceland, D-2 (7 July, 1987) **

For an island with the history, and reputation of a peaceful kingdom, Iceland proved to be a remarkably vital component in NATO war planning. Iceland's location was the primary factor which made it so significant. Situated in the North Atlantic  between Greenland and Scotland, the island was a logical choke point to counter the Soviet …