YANKEE AIR PIRATE: 700319 Wolf 06 Fast FAC
The first mission in this 6-mission set sets the scene.
It is the afternoon of April 19th in the Year of the Doldrums 1970. You are Wolfpack, flight of two F-4D's from Ubon Royal Thai AFB in Thailand, fragged to arrive in the vicinity of Mu Gia Pass between Laos and North Vietnam with your load of CBU-24/49 and Mark-82's around dusk.
You will have checked in with Hillsboro, the C-130 Airborne Combat Control Center orbiting near the Mekong River to confirm target assignment.
"Roger, Wolfpack 01 Flight, proceed 024 for 60 your homeplate. You'll be working with Wolf 06 on 287.5."
"Wolfpack, Roger."
Another trip to the Pass. The Dark Side of the Moon. As you settle in for the ferry, you check your Phantom over. Two is back in route formation. You say "Wolfpack 02, Green 'em up." You're over Laos now. If anything falls off the airplane...so what.
"Twoop."
Set mils and switches. Tentatively select outboards for the CBU's and triples to let 3 go on each pass. But Wolf 06 will tell you what he wants. If it's hot, he may want it all at once. Only need to flip up the big Master Arm switch and the pickle button is hot. Mu Gia Pass is an unfriendly place.
You cannot see well enough at drop altitude to pick targets and flying around low with a load of bombs is not smart. The only way to find targets is with a Fast FAC. The first Fast FAC's were Misty. Then Stormy. Now there were lots of them.
All the same. Brave beyond reason. Adrenaline junkies.
"Two, Let's go tactical." calling for a frequency change.
He clicks twice. Zipper. It means whatever you wanted him to say.
"You there?" He sees you looking at him. He knows your voice.
"Wolfpack Zero Two Roger." reminding you of your growing sloppiness.
"Wolf 06 this is Wolfpack 01 flight of two inbound with CBU and slicks."
Nothing. But that's not unsual. Fast FAC's are often down very low pulling high G's at high speed and are way too busy to talk. You are just delivering the bombs. You give him a moment and call again.
Ahead, you see the gap in the mountains that is Mu Gia Pass. Then you hear the sound that always makes you sick...a beeper. Someone has ejected. In Laos. They don't take prisoners in Laos.
"Get a bearing." you tell your GIB. He switches to Guard (243.0) and makes a needle point to the source.
"On the nose." he says.
The beeper is straight ahead. Too many coincidences. You already know Wolf is down. You call again. No answer.
Your GIB calls Yellow tanker. Haven't seen him. He calls Hillsboro. No joy.
The GIB asks "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"
"I'm not thinkin'."
As you arrive at Ban Phanop, a village near the Pass, you see a fire or two. Usually that is all that is left of a jet. The beepers have been shut off. If someone has ejected and shut their beepers off, that's a good sign. Dead men don't flip switches.
"Wolf 06, Wolfpack do you read me?" Then you hear it. Two scratchy and hushed voices on Guard. They're alive. Both of them. Alpha and Bravo. Front seat and back. Rick Rash and Denny Pugh. They're down in the worst place in the world and the sun is setting.
No prisoners.
You call King, the airborne HC-130 aloft to handle Search & Rescue missions and refuel the Sikorsky's. He tells you to determine their positions without flying directly over them. He starts the machine in motion.
There is only one line in the Fighter Pilot Contract. (If you go down, we will fight your fight until you are out, captured or dead.)
The fight's on.
"There they are." $#^&@! It couldn't be worse. They are both in the flats and one of them is right near the road.
King tells you to relay the message for them to stay hidden, conserve their batteries and the entire United States Air Force will be overhead at first light to bring them home.
They know what's coming. And they know their odds.
"Wolf 6 Alpha. Roger."
"Bravo. Roger"
You say "See you tomorrow." You hope you're telling the truth.
The gunners are shooting at you now. You can go after the guns below or you can head for Nakhon Phanom (NKP) to talk to the SAR Forces. You can do no good right now. You will get plenty of action in the morning when, as a player, you are flying a Sandy at first light. Look at your map. Find NKP and end your mission there. Tomorrow is going to be a long day...for everyone.
