I Served: Two Longs, Two Shorts, and Eight Deployments
I Served: Two Longs, Two Shorts, and Eight Deployments

Author: Doug Wise

Publisher: Lulu.com

Published: 2018-10-29

Total Pages: 314

ISBN-13: 1483488136

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While growing up in rural Montana, Doug Wise never imagined he would eventually study engineering at Montana State University and be commissioned in the US Air Force as a civil engineer officer. But as he soon came to discover, life has a way of presenting us with unexpected opportunities that guide us to our destinies. In a fascinating chronicling of his military career, Wise discloses how support officers contributed to the success of the many exercises, operations, and strategic initiatives completed by the Department of Defense through the 1990s and into the aftermath of 9/11. Wise details how he overcame numerous hurdles to ensure mission success, all while revealing a glimpse into his personal transformation from a young man without direction into a military officer and leader who traveled the world with his family. I Served shares the true experiences of a military veteran that reveals the benefits and hardships of military life while providing perspective on what it means to serve.

The Praetorian STARShip : the untold story of the Combat Talon
The Praetorian STARShip : the untold story of the Combat Talon

Author:

Publisher: DIANE Publishing

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 507

ISBN-13: 1428990437

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Jerry Thigpen's study on the history of the Combat Talon is the first effort to tell the story of this wonderfully capable machine. This weapons system has performed virtually every imaginable tactical event in the spectrum of conflict and by any measure is the most versatile C-130 derivative ever produced. First modified and sent to Southeast Asia (SEA) in 1966 to replace theater unconventional warfare (UW) assets that were limited in both lift capability and speed the Talon I quickly adapted to theater UW tasking including infiltration and resupply and psychological warfare operations into North Vietnam. After spending four years in SEA and maturing into a highly respected UW weapons system the Joint Chief of Staff (JCS) chose the Combat Talon to lead the night low-level raid on the North Vietnamese prison camp at Son Tay. Despite the outcome of the operation the Talon I cemented its reputation as the weapons system of choice for long-range clandestine operations. In the period following the Vietnam War United States Air Force (USAF) special operations gradually lost its political and financial support which was graphically demonstrated in the failed Desert One mission into Iran. Thanks to congressional supporters like Earl Hutto of Florida and Dan Daniel of Virginia funds for aircraft upgrades and military construction projects materialized to meet the ever-increasing threat to our nation. Under the leadership of such committed hard-driven officers as Brenci Uttaro Ferkes Meller and Thigpen the crew force became the most disciplined in our Air Force. It was capable of penetrating hostile airspace at night in a low-level mountainous environment covertly to execute any number of unconventional warfare missions.