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“I only regret that I have but one face to palm for my country.”
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Today In History: Boom!
On this day in 1986, I walked into class to see that someone had written on the chalkboard:
Good morning, Qaddafi, Care to make any threats? Go right ahead We have plenty more jets. We hope you learned your lesson, Only time will tell. But do keep in mind, Payback is hell.
My favorite comment from that event was the Naval information officer who was asked about Moammar's talk of his intention to destroy any airplanes that crossed into Libya. He must have been channeleling an antique appraiser confronted with some garish fake painting- he said:
"Colonel Kadaafi's statements have merely... entertainment value."
How ironic that there were only 5 misses out of 227 bombs and that the "un-coperative French" embassy was accidently leveled. If I were the French pm, I would've thought that we did that on purpose:)
Angus- Hate to dispute your comment, but there was only one miss that hit the embassy and it did not 'level' it. The missles and unfused AA shells the Libyians shot straight up came back down and detonated causing most of the damage. There were two misses at Bangahzi, but that was a couple of hundred miles away.
We may have missed Gadaffi, but we sure as hell put the fear of God in him. I know- I was sitting off the coast that day as part of El Dorado Canyon
Hi, OldNFO. I was also off the coast. Never heard the 'official' name of the op, we always called it the 'Gulf of Sidra Turkey Shoot'. And by the way, F*** the French. No, that word isn't "Free"
His compound or what is left of it is now a momument and you can go and see the outside of it. As an American, I thought it in bad taste to actually go inside.
Pretty impressive. From my hotel in Tripoli you could have seen the planes come in had I been there. What a great flyway into his area.
They don't forget over there that we did it either.
Also, it costs the country immensely. I could tell you stories about how the average folks still have problems getting basic stuff for their houses due to the embargo.
My favorite comment from that event was the Naval information officer who was asked about Moammar's talk of his intention to destroy any airplanes that crossed into Libya. He must have been channeleling an antique appraiser confronted with some garish fake painting- he said:
ReplyDelete"Colonel Kadaafi's statements have merely... entertainment value."
How ironic that there were only 5 misses out of 227 bombs and that the "un-coperative French" embassy was accidently leveled. If I were the French pm, I would've thought that we did that on purpose:)
ReplyDeleteI remember being on barracks security watch (USN), and keeping score on the chalkboard so guys coming and going could keep up with developments...
ReplyDeleteMy favorite t-shirt from that era: a drawing of F117s over Tripoli with the legend "Good Morning, Mr. Qaddafi. This is your wakeup call"
ReplyDeleteAt RAF Lakenheath, the 48th FW has some interesting souvenirs available along the theme of:
ReplyDeleteLakenheath
Is
Bombing
Your
Ass
FB 111's not F117's.
ReplyDelete" He counted on America to be passive. He counted wrong. "
ReplyDelete--Ronald Reagan
Angus- Hate to dispute your comment, but there was only one miss that hit the embassy and it did not 'level' it. The missles and unfused AA shells the Libyians shot straight up came back down and detonated causing most of the damage. There were two misses at Bangahzi, but that was a couple of hundred miles away.
ReplyDeleteWe may have missed Gadaffi, but we sure as hell put the fear of God in him. I know- I was sitting off the coast that day as part of El Dorado Canyon
Hi, OldNFO. I was also off the coast. Never heard the 'official' name of the op, we always called it the 'Gulf of Sidra Turkey Shoot'.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, F*** the French. No, that word isn't "Free"
His compound or what is left of it is now a momument and you can go and see the outside of it. As an American, I thought it in bad taste to actually go inside.
ReplyDeletePretty impressive. From my hotel in Tripoli you could have seen the planes come in had I been there. What a great flyway into his area.
They don't forget over there that we did it either.
Also, it costs the country immensely. I could tell you stories about how the average folks still have problems getting basic stuff for their houses due to the embargo.