Listening to every transmission from 35,000 feet

Episode 9.

I press the RECORD button. I steal a glance up at my station’s large reel-to-reel tape, directly over my two central screens.  They’re rolling, alright.  I quickly refocus my eyes to determine who their bogey is—which blip on my screen.  There are several of these Navy aircraft that he could be talking about.  He certainly sees quite a few.

Our Navy bogeys are now over Haiphong harbor, within the Fan Song radar’s range.  The tempo really picks up. 

I hear the SAM control officer call out “Cao độ” (altitude) and the number of feet.  I can literally hear multiple voices in the van assessing the situation.  Our technology is fantastic.  The launch control officer is issuing commands and directing everything among his soldiers in the small control building.  I picture him standing—like Colonel Frisbie—over the shoulder of his radar operator.

See more photos and stories on this website and in Who Will Go, which is just as much to honor the wives and family as the men themselves.

Click Here:  The audiobook is now available.