Dale Brown
Battle Born
DEDICATION
This novel is dedicated to all the men and women serving in the armed forces of the United States of America, and especially to the U.S. Air Force bomber crews. At this writing, for the first time since Vietnam, all of our country’s heavy bomber forces are in action during the same conflict, over the Balkans. Doing more with less seems to be your specialty now, but it is a task and a duty you shoulder with extreme pride and professionalism.
This story is also dedicated to the families of all who serve. Without their love and support, the best soldiers and the most powerful war machines in the world would be nothing more than empty shells.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Very special thanks go to two very special air warriors:
Thanks to Air Force General Mike Loh (ret.), former commander of Air Combat Command, for his inspiration, guidance, and suggestions. He continues to be this nation’s strongest and most authoritative advocate for the heavy bomber, strategic airpower, and a strong national defense.
Thanks also to Colonel (BG selectee) Wil Fraser, former commander of the Twenty-eighth Bomb Wing, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, for his encouragement and support.
Thanks to Colonel Anthony Przybyslawski, commander, Twenty-eighth Bomb Wing, Ellsworth AFB; Colonel Tim Bailey, vice-commander; Colonel Richard Newton, ops group commander; Lieutenant Colonel Sloan Butler, Twenty-eighth Operational Support Squadron commander; Lieutenant Colonel Stephen “Taz” Wolborsky, Thirty-seventh Bomb Squadron commander; and Chief Master Sergeant Paul Hammett, Twenty-eighth Bomb Wing Senior Enlisted Adviser, for spending the time in explaining the employment of the B-1B and the mission of the Bomb Wing.
Thanks to all the Bomb Wing technicians and experts who demonstrated their skills, pride, and professionalism: Captain Scott Marsfield, Technical Sergeant Jerry Long, and Senior Airman Ryan Schod, life support; Staff Sergeant Robert “Chico” Cortez, weapons loader trainer; Master Sergeant Keith Malone, munitions; and to all the other men and women of the Wing for their time and assistance.
Special thanks to the crewdogs of the Thirty-seventh Bomb Squadron for hosting my spectacular flight in the Bone to Powder River: Captain Dave “Trooper” Johnson, aircraft commander; Captain Jason “PITA” Combs, copilot; Captain Chris “CK” Butler, OSO; and Captain Tom “Opie” Woods, OSO. These Tigers really showed me how lucky we are to have them on duty defending our country.
Last but certainly not least, very special thanks to Staff Sergeant Steve Merrill, Twenty-eighth Bomb Wing public affairs, for his expertise, attention, and professionalism in organizing and conducting a great tour of the Twenty-eighth Bomb Wing.
Thanks also to Michael Rascher and Nancy Dewey for their random acts of generosity and kindness.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Although some real-world names, organizations, and situations are used to enhance the authenticity of the story, any similarities to real-world persons, units, or situations are coincidental and all portrayals are purely the product of the author’s imagination.
Please visit my Web site at www.megafortress.com for more information on Battle Born and on future works in progress.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Kevin Martindale, President of the United States
Ellen Christine Whiting, Vice President of the United States
Corrie Law, chief of Vice President’s Secret Service detail
Philip Freeman, General, National Security Adviser
Robert Plank, CIA Director
Jeffrey Hartman, Secretary of State
Jerrod Hale, White House Chief of Staff
Arthur Chastain, Secretary of Defense
Stuart L. Mortonson, Secretary of the Air Force
George Balboa, Admiral, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Victor Hayes, General, USAF, Chief of Staff of the Air Force
William Allen, Admiral, commander, U.S. Pacific Command
Terrill Samson, Lieutenant General, USAF, commander, High Technology Aerospace Weapons Center, Elliott AFB, Groom Lake, Nevada
Patrick S. McLanahan, Brigadier General, USAF
David Luger, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF
Hal Briggs, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF
Nancy Cheshire, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF
Adam Bretoff, General, Adjutant General, Nevada National Guard
Rebecca Catherine Furness, Lieutenant Colonel, NVANG, 111 BMS/CC
John K. Long, Lieutenant Colonel, NVANG, 111 BMS/DO
Rinc Seaver, Major, NVANG, 111 BMS/DN
Annie Dewey, Captain, NVANG, copilot
Chris Bowler, Master Sergeant, NVANG, crew chief
Kwon Ki-chae, President of the ROK
Lee Kyong-sik, Prime Minister
Kang No-myong, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Kim Kun-mo, General (Ret.), Minister of National Defense
An Ki-sok, General, Chief of the General Staff
Lee Ung-pae, Director of Agency for National Security Planning
Park Yom, Lieutenant General, Chief of Staff of Republic of Korea Air Force
Pak Chung-chu, former First Vice President of North Korea and interim Vice President of United Korea
Kim Jong-il, President of North Korea
Pak Chung-chu, First Vice President
Kim Ung-tae, Vice-Marshal, commander, Artillery Command
Cho Myong-nok, Lieutenant General, Chief of Staff of the Korean People’s Army’s Air Forces
Kong Hwan-li, Captain, commanding Nodong missile unit
Kim Yong-ku, Master Sergeant, Kong’s assistant
Jiang Zemin, President of China
Chi Haotian, Minister of National Defense
Chin Zi-hong, General, Chief of Staff of the People’s Liberation Army
Qian Qichian, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Xu Zhengsheng, Assistant Deputy Secretary of Cultural Affairs, Chinese embassy, Pyongyang
Zhou Chang-li, Ambassador to the United States
Yevgeniy Maksimovich Primakov, President of Russia
Dmitriy Antonovich Aksenenko, Deputy Foreign Minister
Kazumi Nagai, Prime Minister of Japan
Ota Amari, Minister of Foreign Affairs
REAL-WORLD NEWS EXCERPTS
A CORNERED PYONGYANG COULD STRIKE OUT, WARNS U.S.
— Manila, Philippines (Reuters), May 21, 1997
The commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific said Wednesday that forcing famine-hit North Korea into a corner could drive it to attack its southern neighbor, resulting in heavy loss of life.
Adm. Joseph Prueher said the severity of the famine in the North remained unclear, but Washington’s immediate concern was that Pyongyang “retains a considerable military capability to lash out.”
“Should they try and conduct a full-scale assault they will not prevail, but it would nonetheless be a very difficult situation with a lot of loss of life because of the military capability North Korea maintains,” he said….
RIMPAC WILL ONLY INCREASE TENSION
— Pyongyang, June 6, 1998—(KCNA [Korean Central News Agency, official government news agency of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea])
Rimpac joint military manoeuvres involving the United States, Japan, South Korea, etc. will be reportedly held on the Pacific for a month from early July.