Photo By 94th Airlift Wing | Crews prepare for a formation of five AC-130H Spectre gunships to take off for a...... read more read more
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For members of the special operations community, the memories of certain missions don’t fade away with time.
“They live with you for the rest of your life,” said retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Phil Lebrun, an AC-130H Spectre gunship pilot.
Even after 35 years, the memories of Operation Just Cause remain vivid for its gunship crews – so much so, that a reunion can almost seem like an after-action report, Lebrun noted.
This month, a small group of retired AC-130H crews returned to Hurlburt Field, Florida, ahead of the anniversary of Operation Just Cause. The U.S. invasion of Panama, Operation Just Cause aimed to depose dictator Manuel Noriega, in an effort to restore democracy and protect U.S. personnel working in Panama.
In the hours leading up to Dec. 20, 1989, the group recalled preparing for the mission while not being able to share any details with their families and friends.
“No one could know that we were leaving,” said retired Chief Master Sgt. Bill Walter, a lead gunner on the AC-130H for Operation Just Cause. “It was all supposed to look like a big training exercise, but we knew.”
With the sun setting on Dec. 19, 1989, five AC-130H gunships took off from Hurlburt Field for Panama. According to Walter, the crews loaded the gunships with as much ammunition as possible – with each aircraft reaching up to 175,000 lbs, requiring an emergency wartime maximum weight waiver to be able to take off.
From Hurlburt, the formation of gunships headed for the Yucatán Channel, a strait located between Mexico and Cuba. Following takeoff, each gunship crew performed a “tweak,” testing the weapons systems on board. Next, the crews received an aerial refuel to prepare for their arrival to Panama.
Despite technical issues and challenging weather conditions, Walter said the gunships rushed to reach Panama ahead of the scheduled time on target – a requirement critical to the success of the mission. Operation Just Cause involved more than 27,000 U.S. personnel, representing all branches of the U.S. military.
“We each had to hit our targets at the same time,” Lebrun said. “If one strike happened before another, it would have tipped off the Panamanian Defense Forces.”
Each gunship crew had a number of targets they planned to engage to provide close air support and precision firepower for the U.S. ground forces below. The targets ranged from anti-aircraft artillery to armed vehicles and key infrastructure, meant to disrupt enemy operations and ensure the safety of U.S. personnel.
On board the gunships, the teams worked to load and fire the aircraft’s 20 mm, 40 mm and 105 mm cannons.
Retired Master Sgt. Bill Jackson, an AC-130H low light-level TV operator remembers moments where time seemed to slow.
“When we first started shooting, we just fired away,” Jackson said. “Minutes went by and it felt like only a few seconds.”
For some, including Jackson and retired Lt. Col. Ed Appler, an AC-130H navigator, Operation Just Cause marked their first-ever hostile engagement.
Despite having to engage by providing overhead fire, Appler explained that the gunship crews didn’t have time to think about the fight – they had to focus on doing their job and doing it well.
“We didn’t want to let our teammates down,” Appler said.
And, they didn’t. The gunship crews would go on to fly for as many as 18 hours, providing critical support for the ground forces below, the veterans explained.
About five days later, on the ground in Panama, Jackson said the crews began to realize the importance of their efforts.
He explained that they saw dozens of U.S. Army Rangers, sitting on the ground, dirt-ridden and exhausted. When they saw Jackson’s ‘Spectre’ hat, a number of them stood up to shake the hands of the gunship crews.
“They said we saved their lives,” Jackson said. “Shaking their hands, I felt chills run up and down my spine.”
Today, as the crews reflect on the memories of Operation Just Cause, they don’t just relive the mission, but also pass on lessons learned with the next generation of gunship crews at Hurlburt Field.
Ultimately, all gunship crews share the same mission, Lebrun noted, adding that it’s important for his generation to pass information on to the current crews.
“If you take a life and almost die, it sticks with you forever,” Lebrun said. “Each person handles it differently. But, we are all trained to do our job and do it with vigor.”
| Date Taken: | 12.19.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.19.2024 16:48 |
| Story ID: | 488032 |
| Location: | HURLBURT FIELD, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 88 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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