Hit my smoke
by Charlie Huff
Ty Gregory looked like a little kid
who might work in a library somewhere, that is until he strapped on the Phantom
and flew his Wolf mission. He then became a giant of a man. He was good, very
good. Before I became a Wolf, Ty was fragged to put my Paveway flight on a 37mm
AAA position. He gave us our target briefing in a most professional manner and
when we all had a "Tally" on each other, he called in that he was "in to mark".
There was a tremendous array of AAA fire consentrated on his position, and the
position that his 60 degree dive angle was headed for. Evidently Ty aborted his
thoughts of firing his Willie Pete and most intelligently decided to "move it
around" a bit to avoid getting hit. As he pulled off, either he or his GIB hit
the pickle button. The ensuing rocket shot was fired into a piece of Karst
about 2000 above the surrounding terrain. Needless to say, as the head of the
strike flight, I was somewhat confused.....that is until Ty (with all the calm
confidence in the world) called out, " Hockey Flight, do you see my smoke?"
"Roger that Wolf." "Well, that's your bail out area....I will now mark the
target!" That is ice water!