Flying in the Face of Fear

PROLOGUE: SEIZING THE MOMENT

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

—Nelson Mandela

Figure P.1 Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2003.

Photo credit: Alan Lessig, Air Force Times.

OVER BAGHDAD, IRAQ, 0741AM, 7 APRIL 2003

“My guys are taking fire in the northern part of town. Grid is Mike Bravo 396 990. Rocket propelled grenade teams are working on the east side of the Tigris River putting RPGs into my guys.” I hear the frantic crackle over the radio in my cockpit.

Our role as A‐10 pilots, our single reason for being is to support our troops on the ground. The moment an A‐10 pilot hears the phrase “troops in contact,” the only place we want to be is in the fight, overhead the troops on the ground. This day is no different, except low cloud cover over Baghdad means my flight lead and I are circling our A‐10s high above the clouds and blind to the battle raging below. We know every second is an eternity for those fighting on the ground. We have to get a sense of the situation as quickly as possible, come up with our plan of action, and engage the enemy.

Our troops are on the west side of the Tigris River and small units of the Iraqi Republican Guard are on the east side of the river. The enemy is hiding under the North Baghdad Bridge and firing RPGs into our forces. ...