That One Time When a Distraction with a Dignitary Led to Almost Flying into Cumulus Granite.
Our month of European flying during Operation Busy Brewer included showcasing the B-52 to local dignitaries, including the US Ambassador to England. Our training sortie for the day was a simulated mine-laying mission over the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily. Instead of Major Glenn Lunsford (AC) commanding the flight, our B-52 demonstration flight was piloted by Lieutenant Colonel Northington, the new commander of our sister squadron, the 596 BS, also located at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. Our crew had never flown with him before but knew he was an up-and-coming commander with stars in his future.
We departed RAF Fairford and, like our World War II forefathers in B-17s, pointed south over the English Channel toward France, where, by previous agreement, four French Mirage F1 fighters intercepted our American Stratofortress. Our flight continued over the Alps and down the Adriatic Sea along the east coast of Italy. With the ambassador seated on the instructor pilot jumpseat behind Lt. Col. Northington and Lt. Dan McMillan (CP), we descended through a dense layer of clouds to 400 feet above the ocean. I navigated our bomber westward to the Initial Point for Capt. Joe Wolf’s (radar nav – RN) mine-laying run, just south of Sicily.
Demonstrating a Training Mission
For this flight, our B-52 carried a metal training weapon but without a warhead or the means to disperse actual sea mines. On Joe’s command, the inert sea mine splashed into the sea and was scored by Navy observers from a nearby ship as we banked left in a wide 270-degree turn and headed back toward the eastern side of Italy. Climbing back up to 1000 feet and into the clouds, Lt. Col. Northington began chatting with the ambassador over the plane’s interphone, blocking our ability to chime in.
Flying Straight Towards the Rocky Coastline
Joe and I could see the mountainous coastline looming ahead from our green and black radar screens while the pilots flew westward in thick clouds. As a young 2nd lieutenant, I wasn’t being assertive enough with the high-ranking officer sitting above. Lt Alan McGreer (EWO) and Airman Mike Barker (gunner) became nervous as they heard Joe repeatedly trying to break into the VIP conversation.
“Pilot! If you don’t climb now, we’re all going to die!”
Capt. Joe Wolf
Unable to stand it any longer, Joe finally commanded, “Pilot! If you don’t climb now, we’re all going to die!” Alan and Mike reached for their ejection seat handles until we were sure we had cleared the “cumulus granite” directly ahead.
The DV Sat In The Seat!
Our bomber climbed back up to 30,000 feet, and the ambassador was invited to sit in Lt. McMillan’s copilot seat to the right of Lt. Col. Northington. Hours later, in the dead of night, it was time to descend over the English Channel and enter the traffic pattern of RAF Fairford. Ever the diplomat, our aircraft commander said to the ambassador, “Okay, sir, I think it’s time for Dan to get back into his seat.”
The ambassador replied, “What’s the matter? Don’t you trust me?”
Silence.
“Well, sir … Do you have any flight experience?”
“I have my private license in a Cessna 172,” our VIP replied.
Apparently, that answer satisfied Lt. Col. Northington. Without asking for input from the rest of us—three lieutenants and a captain—he began preparing to demonstrate a touch-and-go landing of our eight-engine bomber for the distinguished guest. Joe and I exchanged a wide-eyed glance, both a little uneasy about what was coming next.
READ MORE ABOUT THE B-52 STRATOFORTRESS: The B-52: Come Fly The Plane Your Grandfather Flew (And Your Son Might Fly Too)
After any touch and go landing the tower controller will query, “State your intentions,” asking the aircrew what approach and landing they request to fly next. Upon hearing, “State your intentions,” Joe dropped his mask and shouted to me (not over the interphone), “Live! We want to live!”
Soon, the ambassador relinquished his seat to our “Lieutenant Dan,” and we safely completed our training mission. To show his gratitude, Mr. Ambassador treated our crew to traditional post-mission beers. In the land of English and Scottish ales and Irish Guinness, our US Ambassador treated us to … Budweiser.
Glad to Get Back On The Ground
During our off-duty hours, we shopped and toured London. That year, the dollar was so strong that many of us bought cashmere sweaters, Waterford and Stewart crystal, and Wedgwood fine china. Joe, still single at this point, liked a blue and silver Wedgwood Amherst china pattern (it was Air Force colors, after all). He purchased the entire 64-piece set, telling me, “I don’t know who I’m going to marry, but I hope she likes my china.”
The B-52 had a huge storage compartment aft of the bomb bay, just forward of the tail. We packed our goods in the storage area and returned to the States. Upon arrival, we parked our three B-52s on the Barksdale flightline, and each crew downloaded its collection of British goods. Major Lundsford’s E-61 crew had the largest pile stacked beside our bomber. When our Wing Commander, Colonel Eugene Habiger, strolled by, he smirked, “Looks like you guys win the ‘Support the English Economy Award’.”
