Whenurhappy
After post #94, you need to fess up as to whether your Cold War recollection is based on experience or hearsay.
I’ll follow up by saying that it’s apparent that medals are a contentious issue. I have friends who have earned serious “top row recognition” and will never mention why. I have others who will tell tales of derring-do which leave me humbled. I was briefed on the bravery of Chinook and C130 crews who braved the same fire fights of which our WW2 ancestors made us proud. Take nothing from them.
I flew for years. I flew sorties where I vegetated for hours on end. A Russian during the event was a bonus. I flew short exercise sorties (read air combat at low level) from Wildenrath where we never got as far as the POL (those who were there will understand). 20 minutes in an F4, 3 tank fit and back on the ground with 7 simulated “kills”. Hectic days. A friend landed after just 40 minutes with a real kill in 1981 but, sadly, one of our own aircraft. I had days where I was telling my man in the front where the “lumpy bits” were so he could avoid bumping into them while I was watching on radar to intercept anyone else daft enough to be down in the North German murk with us. And there were plenty daft enough - but mostly Brits! I saw French Mirages pull up using plenty of French expletives when they decided the Brits were mad. I nearly died on a bright blue day surrounded by 50 other aeroplanes when a planner thought WW3 in a 30 mile CAP box was good training. It was; but it was the only time that I left CAP before the fuel was on minimums. Three serious 500 ft “bubble infringements” ( 1 unseen until the pass) – read dust offs - was enough for one sortie. My pilot that day died later in the Falklands on a benign training sortie. I nearly died when one engine failed and a 2nd emergency meant the only remaining engine decided not to play ball. Luckily it reconsidered and allowed us to land. No Queens' Comm because we put it safely on the ground. I also nearly expired when my mirrors were filled with my leader’s airframe. That was life in the Cold War where unbriefed combat was the norm.
Contrast that with my “operational flying” – granted mostly F4s in the Falklands in the immediate aftermath of the conflict – when the real risk of a rogue Argentinean attack was relatively remote. Deny Flight was not really a period when we might have met an air to air threat, more likely a SAM.
I wasn’t under threat when I earned one of my medals when I was running the Ops floor in a well known CAOC when Milosovic left the Farm. No Scuds were likely to hit me unlike some of my friends during GW1. Interesting, all the same. I was awarded 4 medals on exchange in the US (including a top shelf offer) but “Brits Don’t Do Medals”. At least they look good in the shadow box in my study. My American friends felt at least I should be able to look at what I might have been awarded - but for HMG. A nice sentiment. Again, granted, no rockets were landing on my head and I never saw any sandy places. Different standards but the same wars.
And you're right. I was home regularly in 2ATAF. We only had one (or 2) week long lock-in exercises a month. We only had APC, MPC and ACMI detatchments that took us away for 3 to 6 weeks at a time so it was plain sailing. At least the 4 month Falklands detachments came a little later.
In our free time, a Warrant Officer was shot by the IRA at a crossroads in The Netherlands on his way to the ferry.
Ultimately, I go back to my original point. You play the fight you’re given. We all might be heroes. Some are. Some of us might have been. Those who are, deserve respect that even a medal can’t construe.
Last edited by Geehovah; 20th Apr 2012 at 20:15.