The call of an effective wingman.
Lord knows the press is to Bush as a flight of MiGs are to an F-15 Eagle. Fancying themselves as moving into the kill zone, they don't even know they've been trapped by a classic Hi-Lo setup.
In this Letter to the Editor in today's The Washington Times, COL. William Campenni (retired) writes of his time and service with Lt. George W. Bush. Side by side, in the exact same unit at the exact same time.
Col. Campenenni's salvo of facts carries more press-desctructive firepower than even the best Sparrow and Sidewinder missiles of the F-102's era. Here, read just two excerpts from his total bitchslap of the leftist scum of the press:
The mission of the 147th Fighter Group and its subordinate 111th FIS, Texas ANG, and the airplane it possessed, the F-102, was air defense. It was focused on defending the continental United States from Soviet nuclear bombers. The F-102 could not drop bombs and would have been useless in Vietnam. A pilot program using ANG volunteer pilots in F-102s (called Palace Alert) was scrapped quickly after the airplane proved to be unsuitable to the war effort. Ironically, Lt. Bush did inquire about this program but was advised by an ANG supervisor (Maj. Maurice Udell, retired) that he did not have the desired experience (500 hours) at the time and that the program was winding down and not accepting more volunteers.
Those boys and girls, are what're called FACTS. Researchable, verifiable and credible. None of which are sought after by the J school herd of leftist lemmings.
While most of America was sleeping and Mr. Kerry was playing antiwar games with Hanoi Jane Fonda, we were answering 3 a.m. scrambles for who knows what inbound threat over the Canadian subarctic, the cold North Atlantic and the shark-filled Gulf of Mexico. We were the pathfinders in showing that the Guard and Reserves could become reliable members of the first team in the total force, so proudly evidenced today in Afghanistan and Iraq.
My friends, THAT is an absolute, stone cold kill-shot.
I urge you to go and to read the entire letter. And to print it out, and study it. Learn it. Have every point ready in your memory. Be as well armed with these facts, as an F-102 interceptor was armed in it's day.
President Bush has a wingman worthy of the name.
I'd like to meet the good Colenel and shake his hand. One thing for sure.......
His money is no damned good at any bar he and I may share.
Read the article, was surprised it was actually used. I think we should just keep plastering that photo of Hanoi Jane with Kerry in the background everywhere we can. That alone will hurt the campaign, people haven't forgotten what she did. I was young when it happened, but my Mother made damn sure I never forgot it!
Posted by: Tina | February 11, 2004 at 08:16 PM
Well armed, indeed. I believe the F-102 carried the Genie missile, what we would call today a medium-range air-to-air missile for use against massed formations of bombers. You didn't have to be good, but you DID have to know your post-target turn tactic. The Genie had a NUCLEAR warhead. Yowza! "Unknown Cowboy, Unknown Cowboy, copy NUDET, over?"
Posted by: Rivrdog | February 12, 2004 at 12:04 AM
I followed Kim's link there as well... very well-written.
To Rivrdog - Holy Crap, a nuclear anti-aircraft missile? I thought the idea of air defense was to PREVENT nuclear detonations over our territory!
Posted by: Mollbot | February 12, 2004 at 01:52 AM
Rivrdog, you're exactly right, and I'd completely forgotten about our old friend, Mr. Genie.
As I recall, the warhead was basically the same technology that the U.S. Army had experimented with for their 8" howitzer-fired, tactical nuclear shell.
Yeild was about 1/20th the size of the Hiroshima blast; a tactical as opposed to a strategic weapon.
Regardless, I'm sure the fact that it was out there kept the boys in those Tupolevs on their toes!
If they haven't yet disposed of those lil bitty nukes, I could suggest some targets in the Mid East for 'em?
Oh, and Tina, Mollbot? Glad you're here folks. Welcome aboard!
Jim
Sloop New Dawn
Galveston, TX
Posted by: Jim | February 12, 2004 at 07:42 AM
Nope we got rid of all those pesky little nukes a while ago. I promise.
Jimmy Carter
Posted by: James Old Guy | February 12, 2004 at 09:51 AM
Pleased to be here, Captain. The problem is I keep finding more great blogs... thus there is less time to read each one! Such a quandary...
Posted by: Mollbot | February 13, 2004 at 02:34 AM
I read that one this morning. And while I was reading it, scumbag politician Jan O Karlsson was on the morning news talking about GWBs "failure to appear for military duty" (as I belive he put it) as facts, noone objecting of course. I've mailed the link to 'em, but I'd be surprised if they'll even look at it. It's "news" and the truth aint got nothing to do with it... anyone wanna sponsor me for a green card? ;)
Posted by: Fredrik | February 13, 2004 at 05:14 AM
Fredrik, hang that green card thought out in a thread or two over at Misha's site. I've no doubt you'd be innudated with potential sponsors.
If I had the bucks to underwrite the venture, I'd be honored to do so for you, myself.
But when you get here, don't go diggin in any of Jimmuh's peanut fields, m'kay? *heh*
Jim
Sloop New Dawn
Galveston, TX
Posted by: Jim | February 13, 2004 at 08:20 AM
Reading that piece, and the tone of what he says, I get the feeling that this officer would be polite, calm, and respectful in person, but once the mics were off and the door was closed, he would be taking off his jacket and saying "OK, Johnny, time for your ass-whuppin..."
Posted by: Raging Dave | February 13, 2004 at 11:42 AM
Given the virtually increditable mental capabilities Dubya is now showing off how can we be certain the Bush family didn't hire a close look-alike surrogate to serve Dubya's ANG duty?
Makes more sense to me than thinking of Dubya, at 26, making the concerted effort and devotion and having the concentration and skills to learn to fly something as complex as an F-102.
Suddenly off to Alabama with no notice and no transfer approval?
You bet!
The surrogate failed his physical.
Posted by: wwest | March 02, 2004 at 07:29 PM