205:
42:
87:
64:
cruise missile strike against Iraqi targets that initiated the bombing campaign during Desert Storm. (It was given the unofficial nickname 'Operation Secret
Squirrel' by the B-52 crews.) The mission took place from January 16, 1991, and ended January 17, 1991. Lt. Col John "Jay" Beard, was the
200:
The launching of the remaining operative cruise missiles took ten minutes, staggered to avoid the risk of collision. The missiles headed north towards their targets. Fifteen hours had nearly passed since takeoff. The bombers turned west towards for their next refueling.
216:
The fleet faced a strong headwind on the return trip and, with increased drag from those with retained missiles or seized engines, some of the aircraft required an additional refueling for the flight back to
Barksdale. Two emergency KC-135 "strip tankers", from
224:
All seven B-52 bombers returned safely after the 35 hour and 24 minute, 14,000 mile non-stop mission, thereby setting a new world record for longest bombing mission and marking the first time a GPS guided missile had been used in combat.
137:. Each B-52G bomber was loaded with GPS guided AGM-86C conventional air-launched cruise missiles (CALCM). The cruise missiles had only recently been cleared for use with 1000-pound conventional blast fragmentation warheads.
212:
The pilots experienced bad weather over the
Mediterranean, with visibility just within the minimum required for safe refueling. Running low on gas, all bombers safely refueled with KC-10s out of Spain.
140:
In the early morning of
January 16, 1991 the crews from the 596th Bomb Squadron, 2d Bomb Wing, got the order to take off on their non-stop bombing mission. Eight targets, including power plants at
193:. After entering Saudi airspace they began to arm the missiles and started their run to the launch point. Prior to the launch, about 100 miles south of the border in the far western part of
853:
197:, four missiles were having software problems and couldn't be launched. The crews were under strict orders not to launch any missiles with problems in case they caused collateral damage.
155:
Doom 34 called to say they had shut down an engine on takeoff due to fluctuating oil pressure. Normally, this would have been an air abort, but the crew refused to be left behind.
228:
Operation Secret
Squirrel remained classified until January 16, 1992, when crewmembers and maintainers were officially presented with commendation medals for their efforts.
662:
777:
848:
732:
858:
689:
711:
133:
were chosen to take part in this top secret mission to attack high priority Iraqi power and communication targets at the start of
756:
105:
208:
Operation Secret
Squirrel aircrew members next to a B-52H with a 25th anniversary patch. Barksdale AFB, Jan. 15, 2016
61:
204:
134:
70:
185:
Flying lights-out and in radio silence, the bombers route took them across the
Mediterranean, the
167:
798:
17:
690:"Operation Secret Squirrel Saw B-52s Rippling Off Cruise Missiles At Iraq 25 Years Ago"
190:
109:
842:
130:
66:
194:
163:
819:
218:
41:
166:, Azores. The bombers pressed on to the next aerial refueling was over the
221:, Ga. were launched and refueled the B-52s low on fuel over the Atlantic.
175:
186:
159:
149:
663:"Desert Storm, Operation Senior Surprise dedication planned at BAFB"
203:
179:
171:
145:
141:
80:
509:
Capt. Joseph M. Hasbrouck & Maj. Steven D. Weilbrenner
148:, first aerial refueling rendezvous, somewhere near the
101:
778:"Celebrating the 26th anniversary of Secret Squirrel"
32:
368:Lt. Col. John H. Beard *Airborne mission commander
854:Strategic bombing conducted by the United States
733:"Desert Storm: 2nd Bomb Wing leads the air war"
8:
158:They made their first aerial refueling with
29:
265:
27:US cruise missile strike during Gulf War
684:
682:
654:
642:
751:
749:
7:
25:
820:"Loadout Info about plane config"
85:
40:
849:Airstrikes during the Gulf War
712:"Surprised by Secret Squirrel"
1:
430:Maj. Frederick D. Van Wicklin
46:Secret Squirrel mission patch
144:and a telephone exchange in
859:January 1991 events in Iraq
613:1st Lt. Aaron E. Hattabaugh
415:Capt. Steven W. Kirkpatrick
875:
593:Capt. Charles E. Jones Jr.
576:lst Lt. Robert C. Lightner
462:Capt. Chadwick H. Barr Jr.
410:1st Lt. Russell F. Mathers
373:Capt. George W. Murray III
341:Capt. James L. Morriss III
316:1st Lt. Michael C. Branche
306:57-6475 "Miami Clipper II"
295:Electronic Warfare Officer
237:57-6475 "Miami Clipper II"
628:Sgt. William J. McCutchen
608:Capt. Pat “Cruise” Hobday
514:Capt. Blaise M. Martinick
457:1st Lt. Michael L. Hansen
378:1st Lt. Mark W. Van Doren
54:Operation Senior Surprise
39:
34:Operation Senior Surprise
18:Operation Secret Surprise
588:59-2582 "Grim Reaper II"
524:Capt. Matthew G. Casella
504:Capt. David T. Greer Jr.
440:SSgt. William I. LeClair
405:Capt. Stephen D. Sicking
255:59-2582 "Grim Reaper II"
623:Capt. Kevin M. Williams
556:Maj. Stephen E. Jackson
487:Sgt. Martin R. VanBuren
477:Capt. Don Van Slambrook
425:1st Lt. Gregory D. Moss
383:Capt. Lee S. Richie Jr.
358:Capt. Michael G. Wilson
331:1st Lt. Andre J. Mouton
311:Capt. Bernard S. Morgan
96:is written like a story
757:"The Secret Squirrels"
603:Maj. William H. Weller
581:A1C Steven R. Gramling
571:Capt. Alan C. Teauseau
472:1st Lt. Don E. Broyles
209:
135:Operation Desert Storm
65:mission commander and
561:Capt. Stephen R. Hess
534:Sgt. Daniel L. Parker
519:1st Lt. John S. Pyles
452:Capt. Marcus S. Myers
447:58-0238 "Miss Fit II"
420:Capt. Floyd W. Gowans
388:Capt. Richard P. Holt
246:58-0238 "Miss Fit II"
207:
110:neutral point of view
71:596th Bomb Squadron's
598:Capt. Warren G. Ward
551:Capt. Erik K. Hayden
546:Capt. John P. Romano
482:Capt. Todd H. Mathes
435:Capt. Paul M. Benson
393:Sgt. Dale R. Jackson
363:1st Lt. Kent R. Beck
326:Capt. John S. Ladner
321:Capt. Steven E. Bass
102:rewrite this article
73:commanding officer.
62:B-52G Stratofortress
618:Maj. Bruce F. Blood
566:Capt. Toby L. Corey
529:Capt. Tony Bothwell
467:Capt. David J. Byrd
353:58-0177 "Petie 3rd"
336:Maj. Wesley H. Bain
291:Navigator Augmentee
272:Aircraft Commander
240:58-0177 "Petie 3rd"
60:, was a long range
494:58-0183 "Valkyrie"
346:A1C Guy W. Modling
249:58-0183 "Valkyrie"
232:B-52G Bombers Used
210:
106:encyclopedic style
692:. 18 January 2016
633:
632:
541:59-2564 (Unnamed)
499:Capt. Alan W. Moe
400:58-0185 "El-Lobo"
252:59-2564 (Unnamed)
243:58-0185 "El-Lobo"
168:Mediterranean Sea
127:
126:
51:
50:
16:(Redirected from
866:
831:
830:
828:
826:
816:
810:
809:
807:
805:
795:
789:
788:
786:
784:
774:
768:
767:
765:
763:
753:
744:
743:
741:
739:
729:
723:
722:
720:
718:
708:
702:
701:
699:
697:
686:
677:
676:
674:
673:
659:
266:
129:Seven B-52 from
122:
119:
113:
104:to introduce an
89:
88:
81:
56:, also known as
44:
30:
21:
874:
873:
869:
868:
867:
865:
864:
863:
839:
838:
835:
834:
824:
822:
818:
817:
813:
803:
801:
797:
796:
792:
782:
780:
776:
775:
771:
761:
759:
755:
754:
747:
737:
735:
731:
730:
726:
716:
714:
710:
709:
705:
695:
693:
688:
687:
680:
671:
669:
661:
660:
656:
651:
646:
645:
644:
638:
629:
624:
619:
614:
609:
604:
599:
594:
589:
582:
577:
572:
567:
562:
557:
552:
547:
542:
535:
530:
525:
520:
515:
510:
505:
500:
495:
488:
483:
478:
473:
468:
463:
458:
453:
448:
441:
436:
431:
426:
421:
416:
411:
406:
401:
394:
389:
384:
379:
374:
369:
364:
359:
354:
347:
342:
337:
332:
327:
322:
317:
312:
307:
300:
296:
292:
288:
284:
283:Radar Navigator
280:
279:Pilot augmentee
276:
262:
234:
174:tankers out of
123:
117:
114:
99:
90:
86:
79:
58:Secret Squirrel
47:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
872:
870:
862:
861:
856:
851:
841:
840:
833:
832:
811:
790:
769:
745:
724:
703:
678:
653:
652:
650:
647:
643:
641:
640:
639:
637:
634:
631:
630:
627:
625:
622:
620:
617:
615:
612:
610:
607:
605:
602:
600:
597:
595:
592:
590:
587:
584:
583:
580:
578:
575:
573:
570:
568:
565:
563:
560:
558:
555:
553:
550:
548:
545:
543:
540:
537:
536:
533:
531:
528:
526:
523:
521:
518:
516:
513:
511:
508:
506:
503:
501:
498:
496:
493:
490:
489:
486:
484:
481:
479:
476:
474:
471:
469:
466:
464:
461:
459:
456:
454:
451:
449:
446:
443:
442:
439:
437:
434:
432:
429:
427:
424:
422:
419:
417:
414:
412:
409:
407:
404:
402:
399:
396:
395:
392:
390:
387:
385:
382:
380:
377:
375:
372:
370:
367:
365:
362:
360:
357:
355:
352:
349:
348:
345:
343:
340:
338:
335:
333:
330:
328:
325:
323:
320:
318:
315:
313:
310:
308:
305:
302:
301:
297:
293:
289:
285:
281:
277:
273:
270:
261:
258:
257:
256:
253:
250:
247:
244:
241:
238:
233:
230:
191:Arabian Desert
125:
124:
118:September 2023
93:
91:
84:
78:
75:
49:
48:
45:
37:
36:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
871:
860:
857:
855:
852:
850:
847:
846:
844:
837:
821:
815:
812:
800:
794:
791:
779:
773:
770:
758:
752:
750:
746:
734:
728:
725:
713:
707:
704:
691:
685:
683:
679:
668:
664:
658:
655:
648:
635:
626:
621:
616:
611:
606:
601:
596:
591:
586:
585:
579:
574:
569:
564:
559:
554:
549:
544:
539:
538:
532:
527:
522:
517:
512:
507:
502:
497:
492:
491:
485:
480:
475:
470:
465:
460:
455:
450:
445:
444:
438:
433:
428:
423:
418:
413:
408:
403:
398:
397:
391:
386:
381:
376:
371:
366:
361:
356:
351:
350:
344:
339:
334:
329:
324:
319:
314:
309:
304:
303:
298:
294:
290:
286:
282:
278:
274:
271:
268:
267:
264:
259:
254:
251:
248:
245:
242:
239:
236:
235:
231:
229:
226:
222:
220:
214:
206:
202:
198:
196:
192:
188:
183:
181:
177:
173:
169:
165:
161:
156:
153:
151:
147:
143:
138:
136:
132:
131:Barksdale AFB
121:
111:
107:
103:
97:
94:This article
92:
83:
82:
76:
74:
72:
68:
67:Barksdale AFB
63:
59:
55:
43:
38:
35:
31:
19:
836:
825:26 September
823:. Retrieved
814:
802:. Retrieved
793:
781:. Retrieved
772:
760:. Retrieved
736:. Retrieved
727:
715:. Retrieved
706:
694:. Retrieved
670:. Retrieved
666:
657:
263:
227:
223:
215:
211:
199:
195:Saudi Arabia
184:
157:
154:
139:
128:
115:
100:Please help
95:
57:
53:
52:
33:
804:8 September
717:8 September
164:Lajes Field
843:Categories
672:2020-09-28
649:References
219:Robins AFB
189:, and the
77:Background
667:The Times
287:Navigator
799:"Photos"
783:7 August
762:7 August
738:7 August
696:7 August
176:Moron AB
636:Gallery
269:Bomber
187:Red Sea
170:, with
162:out of
160:KC-135s
299:Gunner
150:Azores
108:and a
275:Pilot
260:Crews
180:Spain
172:KC-10
146:Basra
142:Mosul
827:2019
806:2019
785:2019
764:2019
740:2019
719:2019
698:2019
69:'s
845::
748:^
681:^
665:.
182:.
178:,
152:.
829:.
808:.
787:.
766:.
742:.
721:.
700:.
675:.
120:)
116:(
112:.
98:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
