Fly Into Black
by Michael G. Crawford
Chapter Four
Far away to the South of DD and Sally, another pilot was facing a totally different set of problems.
"He's on me again!"
"I'm coming, Fleet!"
"Hurry Fish, he's locked onto me twice, man."
The F-14 Tomcat wheeled about in a tight roll winding up in a hard pull into a 45 degree bank uphill, gaining altitude and bleeding off speed. Then with a slash of intuition the young pilot reversed his roll and corkscrewed downward. In reality the heavy fighter was in a spin, with the wings almost stalled. The maneuver was dangerous to say the least, but it had the intended effect of shaking his pursuer off his tail for a moment. Just as the pilot was ready to turn the tables on his opponent, another MIG-28 snuck in above and behind, lined up for a shot and fired 200 rounds of cannon fire. The heavy high power rounds slashed across the underside of the fuselage, richoeting up through one of the engines, and starting a fire in the last missile on the starboard hard point.
Without saying a word, the ECM operator jabbed the jettison button for the missile before it could explode.
The MIG-28 saw the puff of smoke from the fire, and veered off assuming the F-14 had fired. This gave enough time for the second Tomcat to come streaking in to fill in as a wingman. The first MIG also banked away, heading for home.
"That's it Fleet. We're out of it" reported his ECM and weapons operator.
"Son-of-a-bitch. We got big troubles, Kenny. I'm losing hydraulic on number two. She took a hit, I'm sure of it".
"Damn, and I just got to liking this bird" retorted the ECM.
"Don't panic yet, old man" replied his pilot. "We've got one good engine, and you're too damn ornery to go down in flames now."
"I'm for that."
"Diamond, this is Third Base. We have loss of hydraulics, number two is down, and we're limpin' in."
"Roger Third Base, copy your emergency. You have priority in."
"Hang in there, Fleet" radioed his wingman.
"Thanks Fish. Glad you could make the show."
"Wouldn't miss it for the world."
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"Get me CINCGULF."
"Aye Sir."
Admiral Hardy looked up at the U.S.S. Saratoga's situation board, and wondered out loud, "Now where the fuck did they come from. I want two alert flights out there now, C.A.G."
"Launch Ready 2 and 3" responded Commander Air Group, speaking into the command channel. Runup Alert 4, send 'em after."
"Aye Sir, Ready 2 away. 3 and Alert 4 after."
"How about another Hawkeye, and send Trade 1 high? asked Chin Chu Son, the Captain of the Saratoga.
"Don't wanta commit my last eyeball, yet, CC. If number four was on the board I'd go for it. Any word on that, by the way."
"No Sir. Chief still says the engine's down. I'll get an update as soon as its available."
"We'll we'd better get it off the disabled. We are hurting now with two Hawkeyes down. It scares the shit outta me."
"Aye Sir."
Both men pondered the situation. The maintenance chief had decided to canabilize their number five bird when its landing gear failed on a hard landing in rough seas. To get number four up, he had unknowingly crippled the number five bird for nothing. As Murphy's law would have it, as soon as he had yanked the engine parts off number five, the replacements for her landing gear had arrived.
It was faster now to try to nurse the number four bird into good health, rather than try to overhaul the landing gear on five, AND replace her engine parts.
So there they were, two outta five long range Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft dead under decks.
"Commander Lehman, any word on the Kitty Hawk?"
"Negative Sir. U.S.S. Leyte Gulf is still repairing COCAG. It's going to be awhile, Sir. The LM2500 gas turbine engine is scarce right now. All the extra units are in support of the Met."
"Ok. Send my regards to Captain Heard, and tell him to get his butt in gear. Better yet, ask Georgie if he can send the Antietam ahead. We could use the extra AEGIS."
"Aye, Sir."
Meanwhile C.A.G. was busy dispatching the last of the Alert Flight. The two sorties would be out in front of the CBG looking for a likely base for the two MIG-28s, presumably along the Nicauragan coastline.
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"He said that?" asked George Hoyt Heard, the Captain of the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk.
"REQUEST YOU DISPATCH ANTIETAM SOONEST AT FULL SPEED TO RELATIVE POSITION ON WESTERN COAST TO SUPPORT IN INTENSE AIR ACTION. HARDY, COMMANDER CBG 3, U.S. TASK FORCE 3."
"That son-of-a-bitch. He wants me to cut off my right arm and send it to him at top speed. Right. Clive, you've worked with Hardy. What's he up to?"
Clive Edwards, the ship's C.A.G. composed his answer, insuring his answer reflected his trust in his former commander as well as the loyalty demanded and happily given his current.
"Well, Sir. Hardy is no man's fool. He wouldn't rip your AEGIS away unless he was hurting. I would bet he is getting a lot of crap from the Nicaraguans the closer he gets to the bay. In another eight hours, CBG 3 will be within striking distance of their Eastern ports. They are probably panicing in Managua, and Hardy is feeling the symptom of this in increased harassment."
The Surface Operations Officer of the Day, Lt. Commander Julie French, also Heard's number two interrupted with a decoded signal. "From CINCGULF, Coded Blue-4" and she locked eyes with the Captain. Code Blue were combat activity reports, and so far they had heard nothing about any combat. "Read it, Commander."
"Aye Sir."
"COMMANDER IN CHIEF, GULF OF MEXICO, TO COMMANDER CBG 1. SARATOGA CURRENTLY AT CONDITION 2, IN RESPONSE TO ATTACK ON FORECAP, 1 TOMCAT DAMAGED, BUT ON DECK. THIRD SUCH ATTACK WITHIN THE HOUR, AND TASK FORCE 1 COMMANDER IS PLACING ALL U.S. FORCES IN GULF AND NEIGHBORING PACIFIC WATERS CONDITION 2..."
Captain Heard held up his hand to interrupt Julie and noting a knowing nod from C.A.G., he reached over to the battle phone and said,
"This is the Captain. U.S.S. Saratoga has reported Air Action. CINCGULF is placing us at Condition Two. General Quarters, this is not a drill."
The boson took up the order now, with klaxons blaring and the General Quarters announcement was repeated.
"C.A.G., I want POGO in ten minutes, and cycle the damn choppers too. Tom..." he said now turning to his Executive Officer, "...build a schedule for the Mount Hood, the Milwaukee, and the Detroit to top off the CBG. Antietam has priority on the ammo, then fuel. I want fueling to be complete by nightfall, and the other stores interspersed between re-fueling."
"Yes Sir. I'll let you know if I can schedule all of it before nightfall."
"Right. After the schedule, I want sailing plans for the Gulf of Fonseca, Honduras, starting at 2100 hrs."
"Aye, Sir."
"Continue with the message, Commander" he finished.
"Yes Sir..."
"CBG 1 TO STEAM AHEAD AT FULL SPEED TO GULF OF FONSECA, HONDURAS. ORDER OF BATTLE AMENDED AS FOLLOWS. YOU HAVE COMMAND PEROGATIVE FOR ANY VESSEL OR AIRCRAFT CLOSING WITHIN AIRCAP COVER, ONE WARNING ONLY. YOU WILL REMAIN AT CONDITION TWO UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. YOU WILL NOT TAKE PUNITIVE ACTION ON STRATEGIC TARGETS UNLESS SPECIFICALLY ORDERED BY THIS COMMAND. CIVILIAN AIRCRAFT OR VESSELS MAY BE GIVEN SECOND WARNING AT YOUR DISCRETION. YOU WILL NOT, I REPEAT, WILL NOT, SUSTAIN DAMAGE TO ANY OF YOUR VESSELS OR AIRCRAFT. KARLSTEN, CINCGULF."
"Well I guess that is clear enough, isn't it, Sir?" asked Lt. Commander French.
"Yep. The no damage clause gives us lots of leeway."
"Okay, Julie, you, Tom and I will meet in the Ward Room. Let's see if we can work up a decent strategy for giving some cover in the Gulf, as well as missions over onto the East Coast of Honduras to help out Saratoga."