I was in the first daylight wave. We (F-4Gs) were supporting ANG F-16s who were fragged to drop Mk 84s (Non-LGB!!) on SA-6s!!

I was worried as I figured we would have stirred-up a hornet's nest, and the Iraqis would be out for revenge in the daylight.

Takeoff from Sheikh Isa, tanker, then feet wet around Kuwait City. The whole country was on fire....black smoke, towering everywhere.

Long story short: A missile went streaking by my jet (I was #2) and I broke for it. Turned out it was a HARM fired by number 3 or 4, behind me. I got stripped from the 4-ship, tossed two HARMs at SA-2s, and got out of there (southeast of Basrah).

I had never seen anything accelerate so fast in my life as that HARM coming off the rail. Never thought about smelling the rocket trail....it went in the intake, and out the bleed air it came.

No one knew (or told us) that inboard-rail HARMS often caused compressor stalls (easily recovered in idle).

And the F-16s? Well, high-paid airline pilots didn't want to get their a$$es shot-off dropping dumb-iron on an SA-6. Supposedly, they jettisoned their bombs and went home.

Me, not much better. I went to my room and lay awake, all day, wondering how I would do that again....that night.

But I did. 32 more times. You learn a lot, and you learn a lot about yourself. You learn how to conquer your fears, or at least suppress them until the job is done.

Here's to all who served, and continue to serve.