The Fury Four

"Oh! Yes. Please kiss me."

Hank took her in his arms and tenderly kissed her. He Turned and picked up his things, he leaned back and whispered in her ear, "I love you." Then he hurried out the door. The General was already in the rear seat and motioned for hank to join him. Hank glanced back to see Elsie's tear filled face as the car moved away.

"Do you have any idea of what is going on Sir?"

"Not really, I do know what is happening in general but I can't tell you specifically what your unit will be doing. I assume it will be in connection with a general alert because the North Koreans and the Chinese have just started large scale troop movements along and just north of the 39th parallel." They rode in silence for a long time. Hank turned toward the older man, "Sir, I need to tell you that I have fallen deeply in love with Elsie. I will never do anything to hurt her in any way."

"Son, I appreciate you telling me that, it eases my mind, I know you are a brave and totally honorable man. I think she could find no better man than you. I am not completely sure Elsie knows what she wants at this stage of her life. She just graduated from Duke Medical School. She is a Doctor now and she must return for her Residency. We will have to wait and see."

"Wow! I thought she was still in med school." The general dropped Hank off at the BOQ.

Hank changed into his uniform and rushed to the Squadron office and reported in. He was told to put his Ready Deployment Gear aboard the R4-Q transport in the aircraft parking area. His Deployment Gear was a duffle bag packed and ready at all times. It contained all the uniforms and things he would need to survive for two weeks at a forward base. Then he was to report to the ready room for instructions. There were several briefings going on as he entered the ready room. The squadron ops office waved him over as he walked between groups of pilots.

"Hank, sit down boy, I am sure glad to see you. We have a hot mission for you, the skipper requested you lead the flight. You will be launching for an as yet undisclosed advanced strip in South Korea. You will take off from there at first light in the morning and escort two F3D-2E electronic countermeasures aircraft at tree top level to just south of the 39th parallel. You will hold there at loiter speed until they return from a visit to the north. When they return you will escort them back to your base. You will be in contact with MACS-10 radar controllers at all times. They hope to have an advanced site in operation before you arrive. You will carry a full war load of twenty mike mike and four sidewinder missiles, plus two external fuel tanks. You will get a final briefing in about ten minutes. Every thing you need to know is in your mission package.

Hank made his way to a private outside phone. He dialed Elsie's private number. She answered instantly. "Mushi Mushi! (Hello!)"

"Hi! It's just me. I wanted to thank you for the most wonderful time of my life."

"OH! Hank I have been sitting here praying you would call. What is going on? Are you leaving Japan?"

"Yes, in the morning. That is more than I should tell you. I just had to hear your sweet voice one more time. I love you. I hate to leave you. This is killing me."

"Me too! I love you too. Please take care of yourself. I want you back in one piece. Promise?"

"Yeah, I promise, I will do my best. I'll call you when I can. I love you, Goodbye for now."

"Please come back to me soon, I need you."

An hour later the planes for Hank's flight of four were ready and armed and tied down. The plan was changed, the flight would leave early in the morning and land and refuel at dawn then depart on the mission with the F3D-2E Douglas Skynights. The final briefing was I the morning at four. All phone lines were shut off, no calls out were allowed. It was still pitch dark when they climbed into their planes and strapped in. In five minutes a green light flashed briefly. The softly idling Auxiliary Power Units roared to life as they supplied the electrical power to start the jet engines. Soon all the aircraft were running and the scream of the eight jet engines shattered the blackness. The two twin engined F3D-2Es taxied out first closely followed by the four single engined FJ-4s. An amber light flashed from the tower and the engines all increased to full power. Then a green light flashed and the planes moved down the runway. Hank had to reduce power to keep from overtaking the larger twin engine jets. He felt the plane lift off the runway and he paused and then retracted his landing gear. All he could see of the larger ECM aircraft was the formation lights softly glowing on their 'low' setting.

The six aircraft leveled at five hundred feet and slowed to the cruise speed of the F3Ds, about 400 knots. They made several turns but basically flew westward. They climbed and descended now and then. Hank knew the lead aircraft was navigating through the mountains using the big radar in the nose of the Douglas jet.

Hank thought he saw Mount Fuji slip past soon after takeoff. In about half an hour the flight eased down to a height of fifty feet above the Sea of Japan. He knew the navigator in the lead plan was glued to the radar so they wouldn't run into any ships. Even the larger fishing vessels stuck up that high. As his eyes became more adjusted to the darkness Hank stole quick glances at his part of the flight and verified they were all there. The light gray Furies were easier to see than the midnight blue Skyknights.

After what seemed a whole night, the flight climbed a bit and they could see lights here and there as they moved over the land. Hank noticed the sky behind them was lighter. Just as he could see pretty well they climbed a little more and Hank saw the runway ahead of them. The first Douglas pitched out in a hard turn to the left. The rest of the flight continued straight ahead. Then the second F3D made the hard left turn while Hank' flight continued on. When Hank thought he had the spacing he needed behind the slower plane he broke hard left followed in rapid secession by the rest of his flight. They all rolled out on the down wind leg perfectly spaced for landing. After landing the six jets followed a Jeep 'Follow Me' to a refueling area. Crew men signaled each was to park, then climbed on each airplane and told the pilots they had fifteen minutes for a piss break while the planes were refueled with JP-4 fuel.

Six fuel trucks rumbled into place and Hank removed his oxygen mask and helmet and climbed from the plane. He walked off a ways and turned away from the activity and relieved himself. The fuel trucks moved off and the pilots climbed back in their planes. The starting procedure was followed again and they were soon taxiing again. They paused at an weapons arming area and the safety wires were removed from the Sidewinder missiles before they taxied out for takeoff.

This time Hank let the Douglas jets get halfway down the strip before he started his take off roll. He remained further behind them this time and signaled his flight to spread into a finger tip formation. The Skyknights remained at an altitude of fifty feet above the terrain. They flew for a while and Hank saw the leader wag his wings. Hank started a slow turn to the right and kept turning until he was heading back to the east. He looked at his wing man and pointed to his own ear and then held up two fingers. He switched his UHF radio to the preprogrammed number two position. He keyed his mike, "Mike Alpha Charlie Sierra this is Red Flight checking in."

"Roger Red one, squawk ident and turn right heading 270. Roger Red one, confirming your IFF and your turn. We have you in radar contact. Slow to loiter speed and turn your IFF off. Hold east, five minute legs."

"Roger MACS, Red flight holding East five minute legs. Red flight transfer fuel."

Hank and his flight were now flying a racetrack pattern at fifty feet above the ground, well below the range of the Russian made and operated radars from North Korea.

Not having any navigation gear, Hank looked for some reference points on the ground but the ground was barren with nothing different to be seen anywhere. He flew his pattern by dead reckoning. He knew he wasn't too far off or the radar controller would call him. He wanted to call and see how Green flight, the F3Ds, was doing but he knew they were busy and would never give their location away by answering. They had split up and were each gathering and recording intelligence information on radars and radio transmissions over a wide area. Much valuable information was gathered about any force maneuvering in the area. From the number of calls on various frequencies they could find the type of units and determine the size and make up of the units. Various radars indicated different types of missile and antiaircraft units. Hank's flight droned around in the pattern for several hours then Hank was startled by a transmission, "Mayday, mayday, this is green two on guard channel. We are lost and are under attack by MIG-17 aircraft. Mayday, Mayday."

"Green two squawk ident. Roger Green Two I have you radar contact. You are forty miles north west. Work your way southeast if possible."

"Roger radar, we have ten or twelve MIGs after us. I don't think they have hit us yet but they are getting close. We are dodging heat seekers. We can break their locks on us but there are so many we are afraid we'll miss one."

As he listened Hank went to full throttle and started a climb turning to the west. He wanted as much altitude advantage as possible if he had to engage the MIGs.

"Red flight jettison external fuel tanks now."

"Red one, MACS one, turn left heading 300 degrees. Over"

"Red one, roger."

"Red one, Max one, Vector three one zero, climb to flight level two zero zero, buster."

"Red one, roger."

"Red one, Max one, twenty Bogies, ten o'clock, 23 miles, all altitudes, up to one eight zero."

"Roger Max one. Red one out. Red three and four do you have the explosions at eleven o'clock in sight?"

"Roger Red one, Red three has them in sight. Over."

"Red three , I want you to head right at the fight, buster, and when you get there fly right through the fight, then go vertical and try to break them off the F3D. Kay?"

"Roger Hank here we go."

"Three, remember don't shoot until Max says you are legal, south of the line."

"Roger, Red One, Red three out."

"Red flight, Max one, eight more MIGs are inbound from the north and another flight from the west."

Hank and his wingman continued their climbing turn watching for the F3D fleeing toward them. He keyed his mike, "Max one, give red one a vector to Green two."

"Roger, Red one, Green two is at your ten, 12 miles. Low. He will cross the parallel in thirty seconds."

"Red one has a tallyho on Green two. Out." Hank pushed over in a speed building dive. He was in a sweeping turn designed to being him around behind Green two and it's pursuers. He saw three or four MIGs following the twisting and turning F3D. Several more MIGs were closing in on each side trying to box the F3D in. His G-suit pressed him tightly as he turned hard in behind the MIGs. He flipped the Armament switch to the missile position and heard the tone for a lock-on. He keyed his mike, "Green one, Red one, Break left, now! I am going to shoot one of your playmates off your ass."

"Green one in the break, Wow! Somebody just blew up behind me." Hank saw another MIG behind the F3D but he was too close to use a sidewinder. He flipped to GUNS and got the sight picture he wanted and squeezed off a burst of twenty millimeter cannon fire. The MIG17 exploded in a ball of fire.

"Red one break right, NOW!" Hank slapped the control stick to the right and pulled back hard. He saw tracer rounds from behind him just miss his plane. He looked back and saw a MIG17 on his tail trying to turn to get a lead on Hank's plane so he could shoot. He saw a gray Fury turn in behind the MIG and saw the enemy plane turn into a ball of flame.

"Good shooting, Red two, thanks."

"Green two is clear now, Red flight, have you heard from Green one?"

"This is Green one! We are here guys, I see MIGS falling from the sky ahead of me. Keep them off of my back."

"Roger Green one, Red one is reversing to engage. Red three, what is your position. Over."

"Red three is about two miles behind you now and joining on you, Red one."

"Red three stay high and be ready to protect Green one. Red one is turning to get a lock-on with a MIG behind Green One. Red one is firing now."

"Jesus! Hank, you blew his wing right off him. Watch out, one is on your tail."

"Can you get a shot Two?"

"Negative, I can't get a lock-on. I'm going Guns. Shit I'm hit Hank. I'm losing power. I'm breaking left."

Hank heard a couple of hammer blows to his plane. He quickly rolled the Fury back to the left but instead of pulling back on the stick he pressed forward for a few seconds as he yanked the throttle back and hit the brakes on, then off, and went back to full power. A MIG appeared directly in front of him. Close. Too close. He fired anyway. He flew through a ball of fire and debris. He heard and felt a few more hits on his plane. He saw a Fury trailing a thin line of vapor. A MIG was behind it. Both planes were in a hard turn in front of him. He took a snap shot at the MIG and grinned as the silver jet flew into his tracers. The MIG faltered and the pilot ejected.

He felt a slap on his left leg and his right hand was knocked from the throttle lever. He found the throttle again and looked back as he racked around in a hard turn. He saw another MIG behind him followed by two Furies. As he watched the MIG disintegrated. He rolled out of his turn and looked around. He keyed his mike. "Max one, Red one here, do you have anymore bogies for me?"

"Negative Red one, Both Greenies are safe and headed home. The MIGs have fled the scene. Red two is at your twelve about twelve miles. He is squawking Emergency. Your other two birds are right with you. You guys did great. Max one out."

"Roger Max one, You did a heck of a job yourself. I'm declaring an emergency at this time. I am losing hydraulic pressure and am wounded. Request vector to nearest landing strip."

"Roger Red one. Head one seven zero."

"Roger on the one seven zero."

"Red one this is Red three I will look you over. I can see a thin vapor trail from your tailpipe. There are some small holes in your belly. I am going to check the left side of your bird now. Wow! You have a large hunk of skin missing from just behind and below the cockpit. There are several holes through the flaps on this side. Wait there is a very small vapor trail from a small rip near the bottom of the wing tip, has to be fuel. I see blood on the inside of your canopy, Are you OK?"

"No Charlie I'm feeling a little weak right now I need a nap. I can't keep my eyes open."

"Hank, WAKE UP! Go to 100 percent on your oxygen. Talk to me."

"I'm on 100 percent on the oh two. How far do we have to go?"

"This is Max one, Red one you are twenty minutes from a landing strip. I have alerted everyone. Emergency personnel and equipment are standing by. Can you make it?"

"Max one, Red one, Yeah, I'll make it. I just remembered I promised the most beautiful girl in the world I would comeback to her, she is already gonna be pissed because I let myself get hurt. God! I need to close my eyes for just a minute."

"No! Hank you open those eyes, what is the girls name?"

"Her name is Elsie. Cutest girl you ever saw. Tiny, beautiful, sweet. Perfect."

"Hank there is a chopper headed your way as fast as it can. If you feel you can't make it, it might be better if you eject."

"I may have to do that, I'll hang on as long as I can. I can't see too good. I have to wipe blood off the instruments so I can read them. I can't see out the left side of he canopy."

"Hank, drop your nose a bit and loose some altitude. Keep talkin' to me Hank."

"Right, I only have a few minutes left. What is our altitude now?"

"Eight thousand. You are doing good." Suddenly Hanks plane rolled sharply to the left then slowly rolled level.

"Red one, what happened Hank?"

"I tried the flaps. I guess only the right one went down. I think it is bleeding back up. I'm going to have to make a no flap and probably a gear up landing. I'm slowing down to see if I can open the canopy. No, it won't open. Damn! No use waiting. I am fading fast. Mayday, Mayday, Red one ejecting now."

"Hank, are you alright?"

"Yeah! That doesn't work either. Is that a road at our twelve?"

"Yeah, it looks like a long straight dirt road."

"Red one is going for it. Talk me through it please Charlie."

"Right Hank. Slow her down some more, back on the throttle a bit. That's good. We are at four hundred now Hank. Ease it down. Slow it some more. You are at one sixty now. Slow it some more. You are about twenty feet over the road now. Go to idle cut-off with the throttle now. Hold her off Hank. Good, one forty now, hold her off, one ten, Ease her down. Down a bit more, raise your nose a bit and let her settle in. You are about five feet up now, your tail is dragging."

"Bye Charlie, tell her I lov..."

A huge ball of dust obscured the plane as it slid down the dirt road and Red two pulled up and turned to watch. Dust covered the Fury Four as is slid to a stop in the ditch beside the road.

"Max one, this is Red three, Red one is down, no fire, no signs of life. I will fly a cap until help gets here. Is anyone on the way?"

"Red three, Help is on the way, a chopper is about ten minutes out."

"Tell them to hurry, He seemed to be loosing blood pretty fast."

"Red three, This is Rescue Six. We are balls to the wall now. Max one, do you have us on the radar?"

"Roger Rescue Six, Max one has you radar contact. Vector . three five zero and you should intersect a north south dirt road. It should lead you right to him. Over."

Elsie picked up the ringing phone in her room. "Mushi mushi (Hello). Oh! Hi Daddy, What is going on? What, yes Mom just walked in the door. She's crying, what's going on?" She heard her father's voice in a solemn tone, "Elsie, it's Hank. We just got a report. He was shot down near the 39th parallel. He was badly wounded and loosing consciousness when he crash landed on a dirt road, no signs of life in the wreckage. They haven't gotten to him yet. I have to go now, Pray girl, pray hard." Elsie dropped to sit on the bed. Tears coursed down her cheeks. Her lips worked but nothing came out. Her mother sat beside her and held her. She looked at her mother. "Momma, please help me pray. Please let him be alright, please. I thought I was falling in love with him. Now I know. I feel like I am dieing too! I won't let him go, I know he is a fighter, I know he will not quit while he has a breath. He promised to come back to me. I need him. God how I need him. Help me Momma." They cried together, trying to comfort each other.

The phone rang. Elsie grabbed it, "Yes!" She heard her father's voice as if she were in a dream. "Elsie, he is alive! They just got to him. He has lost a tremendous amount of blood. He has a bad wound in his left lower leg and anther bad wound in his left biceps. They are rushing him to the nearest field hospital by helicopter. Keep praying, it's working. I'll call when I know any more."

Hank felt strange, he felt as if he was in a torture chamber, he was strapped to a table and was struggling to get free. He had to get to Elsie, he just had to get to her. He called her name.

"Yes, Dear, I am here. Relax, easy, I am with you Darling. You are alright now. I love you." His eyes struggled open and his struggles stopped as if by magic when he saw her face. He smiled, "I love you too!" He looked around, "Where am I. Is this heaven? OH! It's a hospital. Oh! The crash. I thought I did good, was I hurt?"