“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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJxFWbo2cY
“Oh? Where are you going?”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gSjudtGTG
“A quick air attack just outside of Voronezh.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZPcZ15dBj
“Voronezh?”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtpA5sd2G0
“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.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLE5HZMsaf
“And now you have to attack it?” John asked, imagining what it would be like to attack somewhere where he grew up.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26O9Bmrw9O
“Ja,” was Chris’ short reply.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41Pyi2WCPu
“I-I’m sorry, Chris.” It was all John knew to say.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHI138IgQw3
“It is not your fault.” Chris paused, then continued. “They say we should be right in and right out.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPlX7NkOkk
“You say that like you don’t believe them,” John commented.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7j86tdzBFd
“No. I don’t know. I just have this feeling…”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKgJMuGedH
“What feeling?”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5AK3MOHQv7
“Just this feeling… I really do not think I should go on this one, John.” 308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16CxsFCkig
“What do you mean?” 308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXspJctd5nS
“I don’t know,” Chris sighed, shaking his head.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NTM2kqXpw
“Do you feel like something bad is going to happen?”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeE07wxoC6I
“Ja, but it is probably nothing.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsYGvIsYB8
There was a moment of silence as John watched Chris. “You don’t act like it’s nothing.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BQfgSTWtw
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.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVe1qY10hDc
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAGilO65WF
“You’ll be fine,” John told him.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeYs1OWjmh
“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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3Pgf6bzxU
“Are you sure you’re okay enough to go?”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyrMWZDvbn
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.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUF9vKzIzZ
Again, Chris had admitted his fear. John became uncomfortable. A shiver ran down his back. He felt that feeling now too.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwCzbwaawo
“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. 308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEoXilkHLQ
“Ok.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhrhny7xMS
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmiFKAxXZQ
“Are you sure you’re going to come back?” he asked.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRzCC1JtID
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.”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3yGjS0vk8
Chris picked up his helmet and left.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJbzSE8yNeD
308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw03Qn6rS89
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOS73ZoCOY
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFacRqcLxuh
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKD06CGwPd
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MuEPEq54z
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNV2Iu3SWP
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6mzc3OeX3
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93Do1BMx6T
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGJOeZCRX3
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXN31B4hkY
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dZlhE8tuz
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnmzQMAr6l
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRJv2QwZLT
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVFYOeK0aW
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMzKfuS2dt
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSzj8CdrUD
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzuggq7RZD
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLChOfjzXB
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqwTrnQuuo
“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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBOVPRaE3r
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.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkp9l7Ojq3
“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!”308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlmrhQg0Cw
The feeling of fear came over him again. It hit him hard, and he nearly became sick.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdi3G0T9pO
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcwlcuEMfT
His vision blurred. His heart raced and his breath caught. “Gott, hilf mir!” he whispered desperately.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGHUd31scM
...I shall fear no evil…308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpV5uMH1HN3
He hit the ejection button again and again. Nothing happened. He screamed in terror as his burning plane fell through the sky.308Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgy6eqOtUx
