A Grunts Eye View of BOLO
Written by Robert Clinton
Appeared in Flying Safety Magazine Aug 1996
also in RBAAB, a book by Dick Jonas, 1997.
Much has been written about Operation Bolo in the last 28 years. I was just a young, eager, 23 year old, 2 striper, and this was my first time at war. I was assigned to the 433rd TFS as a weapons load crew member. Crew #8 to be exact. This is my story.
Word came to us as we arrived for our shift 0800-2000, 1 Jan 67, (we were on twelve plus hour shifts at this time) that we were to download everything on all aircraft in our squadron. This meant all MERS, TERS, missiles, launchers, and guns. In other words, everything! The downloaded missiles (AIM-7s and AIM-9s) were then loaded on weapons trailers and sent to the missile shop for a complete operational test and systems check out.
During this period of the war we were extremely short of weapons load crews, our squadron only had a total of 6 or 7 crews at this time for all work shifts. It was a hardship with which we had to endure. You know the old phrase, “Under paid and over worked.”
We were extremely surprised to find that the night shift (2000-0800) was called in early and everyone was restricted to base. We also ceased all normal flying activities. The troops knew something was up, but no one had a clue as to what was about to take place.
Only aircraft outfitted with the MAU-12 B/A inboard armament pylons were selected for the mission. Some of the older aircraft were still fitted with the earlier LAU-17 pylon at this time and were not used. We were later to find out that this was do to the attachment and electronics of the ECM pod. All other aircraft were then gone over with a fine tooth comb. All aircraft in for phase inspections were also completed and sent to the line. All day the maintenance people swarmed over these chosen aircraft insuring that every mechanical aspect of these aircraft was in tip top order.
As each A/C became Code 1 it was turned over to the ECM troops, and was fitted with a QRC-160 ECM pod. The loading and checkout of the ECM pods was done in somewhat secrecy. This was also the first time I had ever seen the pod, as we had never flown ECM before. In all of our weapons load training, the pod was only used when the aircraft was configured for special weapons (i.e. nukes). We then started our routine of hanging LAU-7 launchers, for the AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, and wrung out all the missile firing circuits (ASM-11 test), etc.
Then came an order to perform GWM-4 checks on all the aircraft. If you know about the F-4 systems tests, the GWM-4 is a special weapons system test. This is when all the rumors began to fly. GWM-4 + QRC-160 meant only one thing in our books. Big Apples, BFBs, Nukes, 28s, 61s, or whatever you want to call them.
We really didn’t know what was going on (maybe they planned it this way?), most of us worked from then on with a hard lump in our throats.
Well, you already know the end of the story, we didn’t load nukes, but to this day I still don’t know why the GWM-4 test.??? It sure scared the Hell out of us though.
Later in night, trailers of AIM 7s and 9s begun to come to the line from the missile shop, the real work was about to begin. At this time we probably had 20 to 25 aircraft assigned to each squadron. Let’s see, 20 times 8 missiles equals lots of work, and we also were expected to help out the other squadrons. Three squadrons from the 8th were involved in the operation, the 433rd TFS, 555th TFS, and the 497th TFS.
To the best of my recollection, the FRAG order was 3 tanks, 4 AIM-9s, 4 AIM-7s and the POD on #2 station. No guns were flown.
The flight line was still closed and most of us had been working for some time with no breaks and no chow. Which, as you well know is the best way to piss off an enlisted man. After lots of moaning and complaining, our line chief coerced the chowhall into sending some food for us. We were still not allowed to leave the flight line. We all were hot, tired, and very dirty. No one complained about the food or how it tasted. We all ate in silence, each deep within his own thoughts of what was happening.
As the night progressed, things slowly began to come into shape. As more and more aircraft were finished, crews were finally given some short, welcomed breaks, but these were all too brief to ease our wariness much. In all, we spent about 28 hours non-stop getting ready for BOLO.
At day break the drivers and their GIB’s showed up to take charge of their awaiting steeds. Soon the shrill moan of the Wolverine power units (dash sixties as the modern troops call them) replaced the scurry and activity of the night before with their high pitched scream. One by one, the J-79’s roared to life, the distinct little funny noise they make as they settle down and go in idle repeated its self over and over again as three squadrons of Phantoms prepared themselves for the deadly business of war.
We all stood, no matter how tired, and watched in awe. First one, then another battle anxious F-4 pulled out of its parking spot and headed for the taxiway. Here and there some airman would move forward and pop a hand salute or a thumbs up good luck gesture to one of the pilots he might know as the aircraft slowly paraded by.
Moments later, all that remained were the tell-tail smoky exhaust trails criss crossing themselves in the blue morning sky as the mighty armada of BOLO formed up and headed north into the unknown.
It was kind of funny to observe an all most empty flight line where just a few moments earlier three squadrons of F-4s had sat with hundreds of people frantically preparing them. The silence rang in our ears. This was the first time since I had been at Ubon that the flightline was not a bee nest of activity. It was all quiet, everyone was bone tired, and for once, there was not a sound, and we waited.