Episode 98

E-3 “Sentry Seven,” 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron

Flight Level 390, Twenty Miles South, DMZ, South Korea

Lieutenant Langdon was tired. Bone tired. There were never enough E-3’s to go around and during wartime, they were flying around the clock. Twelve-hour missions followed by eight hours down and then twelve hours on again. Week after week, this had resulted in a very tired crew, including Langdon.

He yawned again and thought about yet another cup of the terrible coffee. The acid in his stomach said no, but his sleepy head said yes.

The watch sergeant waved for his attention. “El Tee, looks like we have a big raid forming up in China. We’ve got what look like fighters rotating at six bases right now.”

“What do the elint guys say?”

“Same. Getting radio chatter from their radios. Forming up for a large strike. Intel says it’s a strike mission in support of DPRK.”

“OK, this may be it, then. Get the airbase details up to command, they want to know exactly where those bogeys come from.”

Langdon and all the AWACs officers in theater had VERY specific orders. They were to watch for unusual air activity in China and report anything like this directly to Pacific Theater Command. Not something that a lowly lieutenant normally did.

“Get Pearl on the horn. Give them a rundown and issue a Long Snap alert message.”

Pacific Command HQ

Joint Base Hickam Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

General Braverman hurried across the quad to the Admiral’s office. The alert message from Sentry Seven in his hand. Taking the stairs two at a time, he was in the Admiral’s outer office less than five minutes after receiving the message. With something this momentous, he needed to be there in person and five minutes wouldn’t make or break the operation.

The orderly looked up at Braverman’s abrupt entrance. “Sir?”

Braverman waved the message slip at the orderly. “I need to see the Admiral. NOW!”

“Yes, sir!”

The Admiral was at his desk reviewing reports. “Admiral, you need to see this.”

The Admiral took the message form and read it calmly. “Recommendation?”

“Issue the go order.”

“Yes, I think you’re right.” He picked up a phone on his desk and dialed a phone from memory. “Ops? This is the Admiral.” A pause. “Echo Foxtrot Delta Zulu. Thank you. I have a tasking order. To all commands, Pacific Theater, from Supreme Commander Allied Forces Pacific. Long Snap is go. Initiate existing orders for Long Snap, immediate.” Another pause. “Confirm readback correct.”

Braverman waited until the Admiral put the phone down. “Congratulations, your prediction worked out perfectly.”

The Admiral fixed a steady gaze on Braverman. “I’ve just signed the death warrant of thousands.”

“And saved how many more? If this thing keeps going, it will make Long Snap look like a cakewalk.”

“Just because the alternatives are worse, I don’t get a free pass for my actions.”

“No, but I think you have to give yourself a break, knowing that you did the right thing.”

“I hope you are right Tom. I certainly hope you are right.”