“They have me going on a mission with some of the Marine Corps pilots tonight,” Chris told John as he dressed in his flight gear.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKd3FFuBYN
“Oh? Where are you going?”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMREZKjj49
“A quick air attack just outside of Voronezh.”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslMKDd6i1W
“Voronezh?”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAt5xy8Rgv
“Ja. Apparently the Russians have a base there.” Chris sighed, a deep, troubled sigh. “That is where I lived when I grew up in Russia.”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVBGA8Rs6c
“And now you have to attack it?” John asked, imagining what it would be like to attack somewhere where he grew up.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7hIYxkR5I
“Ja,” was Chris’ short reply.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJUMhBl2ly
“I-I’m sorry, Chris.” It was all John knew to say.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEgsakKwJ2
“It is not your fault.” Chris paused, then continued. “They say we should be right in and right out.”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs50LfQS2SE
“You say that like you don’t believe them,” John commented.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OHbTEd6mr
“No. I don’t know. I just have this feeling…”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvIcfWBi3J
“What feeling?”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02lG2kptjx
“Just this feeling… I really do not think I should go on this one, John.” 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwIoMwsZYD
“What do you mean?” 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6JxHZGrI7
“I don’t know,” Chris sighed, shaking his head.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzk377ugTYh
“Do you feel like something bad is going to happen?”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE97WijB1Kn
“Ja, but it is probably nothing.”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7oTZuUYtw
There was a moment of silence as John watched Chris. “You don’t act like it’s nothing.”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRtLk3BG1rM
Chris paused and looked at John. Then, quietly, he said, “John, I have never been this afraid to go on a mission before. I have always looked forward to it. But this time, I am afraid.”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqE7GOOMHPc
John was surprised. Chris had never before admitted that he was afraid of anything. He must have been terrified enough to admit it. It sent shivers down John’s spine.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7zD0GUlij
“You’ll be fine,” John told him.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0X3WHn9sS
“I hope so. I really hope so.” Chris sat down and took out a cigarette. His hands were trembling, and it took him a minute to get it lit. He exhaled the smoke slowly, and John could hear the shaking in his breath.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFM02e8PEZL
“Are you sure you’re okay enough to go?”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1MOdIr4nQ
Chris puffed on his cigarette for a moment, then answered. “I have to, John. It is my job. I cannot abandon it just because I am afraid, otherwise I would have done so long ago.”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgV7ivGi6c
Again, Chris had admitted his fear. John became uncomfortable. A shiver ran down his back. He felt that feeling now too.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhIcNRH5d4H
“My hair is getting too long. Remind me to get a haircut when I get back, ja?” Chris said, looking in the mirror, trying to divert his mind from the mission and his feelings. 301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLj7smCFf1
“Ok.”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUdZXeNCDx
They sat in silence as Chris finished his cigarette. He put it out, picked up his flight helmet, and started to walk out the door. John stopped him.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlT2fm1X33z
“Are you sure you’re going to come back?” he asked.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGOK40s1AQ
Chris stopped and looked at him, and John could see a hint of fear flicker in his eyes. That was the question Chris had not wanted to hear. Then, quietly, Chris answered. “I don’t know John. I really don’t. I cannot make any promises. But I can promise that I will try.” He put his helmet down and hugged John, surprising him again. “I will try my hardest to make it back, Brother.”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4CVpn1Kdb
Chris picked up his helmet and left.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3vLiZMC1q
301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55HDwpZUe4
The F-16’s engines wound up as Chris raced down the runway. The white runway lights flashed by on both sides. Upon reaching takeoff speed, he pulled back on the stick. The plane pulled up sharply and the wings took to the air.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dWjdg5ENh
Chris joined up with the Marine Corps pilots at the rear of the formation. He flew on the outside with several other fighter jets, keeping the five B-1Bs in the middle. Together they flew toward a KC-130 tanker, each one preparing to refuel and fill the gas tanks.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhte2eczkwR
When it was finally Chris’ turn, he eased the plane up to the boom and locked it in place. The boom system was much easier than the hose and drogue system that the Navy used. He had been trained to use either one, but he much preferred the boom system over that of the hose and drogue. Once the fuel tanks were filled, Chris pulled back. The boom operator waved goodbye as Chris turned to rejoin the formation.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjyIX5LAylE
They flew over the tops of the clouds, which reflected the white moonlight. It was as if the whole formation was hanging there in the sky, and the clouds were moving below. In reality though, the formation was racing over the clouds at several hundred miles per hour.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6iGlteoDi
Chris looked out the window at the calm sky, the shining stars, but his mind was racing faster than his plane over the clouds. The beauty of flying at night was lost to him. It was eerie, more like a shadow of death hanging over him. He still felt that uneasy feeling, felt it steadily growing. He spoke to himself aloud, trying to calm his mind.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ezT1sba42
His thoughts were interrupted by beeping tones of the enemy’s radar and the flight leader’s voice over the radio. He followed the instructions, flipping switches and arming his plane.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGf8ItyakDf
They flew a bit further and were finally instructed to fly under the clouds. The formation tightened. Chris felt the fear growing inside of him. He swallowed hard. Why am I feeling this way? he wondered. He had never felt such fear during a mission before.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmylxhsD4uM
He shook the thoughts from his mind and put up a wall, keeping focused on the task at hand. Suddenly all kinds of noise went off in his ears. He glanced down at the radar, showing several enemy planes.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3gjrEvbZW
Tracers suddenly cut through the night sky, lighting it like fireworks on the Fourth of July. Flak burst all around them in fiery orange explosions, rocking the plane like turbulence. The flight leader commanded the bombers to drop their loads as soon as possible. Less than two minutes later, all five bombers had completed their bomb run. The flight leader gave orders for the fighter jets to break off and shoot down the enemy planes.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhV5VOWRP2
A loud shriek went off in Chris’ ears and the warning light came on. He glanced at his radar. A SAM was coming right toward him. He dove off to the right, just avoiding the missile.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmOBdGQr0c
He caught a plane in his sights and went after it, firing his machine gun. He lined it up and fired a missile. The missile hit it and the plane’s wing caught fire. He fired another and the plane exploded into a million tiny fragments.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3JtClsavY
A burst of tracers lit up in front of him, and he rolled through them to avoid hitting them. Flak burst right next to him, hitting the left wing of his plane. Another flak burst caught his right wing. He fought for a moment to get the plane under control. The enemy’s defenses were stronger than they had prepared for. There were far more tracers, missiles, and flak than they had anticipated. Chris believed that the flak was so thick you could probably have gotten out and walked across the sky on it.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfJdJNoYTQ
All kinds of tones went off in his ears, each one representing a different threat. He was able to decipher each one and know its meaning. He glanced at the radar, seeing all kinds of different symbols. He was able to decipher those as well. He looked up and saw a plane heading right for him.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbVr2baAx4
Another tone went off in his ears, a missile warning tone, and he saw the missile ignite on the other plane’s wing. He dove, and the missile flew right over him.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLCLKcCAqi
He engaged the other plane. They spiraled around each other. They passed in and out of each other’s sights. Chris fought to follow the plane and not be hit by tracers or more flak. Another tone went off in his ears, and he dove again to avoid it.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxv9UWqzi3W
Another warning went off and he glanced down at his altimeter. He was getting too low. He climbed and found the enemy plane again, lining it up in his sights.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQYcKHx5th
He was about to fire a missile when the plane flew up and turned, positioning itself behind him. It fired a missile. Chris swore and dove, then brought the plane back level. The enemy fighter was still behind him. Chris realized it was slightly higher than he was. He put on his air brakes, and the fighter flew right over him. He pointed his nose up slightly and aligned it in his sights, then pressed the trigger and felt his plane rock as a missile flew from his wingtip. The plane in front of him exploded seconds later and he pulled up sharply to avoid the debris.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNtR4SZE0x
The flight leader’s voice came over the radio, calling for all the planes to regroup and head back to base. Chris began to turn when suddenly a SAM came out of nowhere. He saw its light coming toward him, but was unable to dodge it. There hadn’t been a warning tone or a bleep on his radar. The missile hit his right wing hard, rocking the plane and causing Chris to nearly lose control.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmIFfHejQm
“I have been hit, I need someone to cover me,” Chris said over the radio. He felt his heart racing, and his hands were trembling. A fog began to cover his mind. He tried to forget the fear he was feeling, but it only grew stronger.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElb3p6BN7Q
A tone went off in his ears, loud and deafening. He glanced at his radar and dove to avoid the missile fired from a plane behind him, but the missile hit his right wing again. His plane went spiraling toward the ground.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbiV4PwDasq
“I am going down! Repeat: I am going down! I am going to eject!” Chris said over the radio, fighting to keep his voice calm. He hit the eject button, but nothing happened. He hit it several more times, all to no avail. “The ejection seat is not working!”301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGAdrR4yZm
The feeling of fear came over him again. It hit him hard, and he nearly became sick.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINlvskqCH8
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe52l23tsTo
His vision blurred. His heart raced and his breath caught. “Gott, hilf mir!” he whispered desperately.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYRlD01LsY
...I shall fear no evil…301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRx7HnPrDd1
He hit the ejection button again and again. Nothing happened. He screamed in terror as his burning plane fell through the sky.301Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCs73Qu17BK
