Doug Beason
Strike Eagle
To those that have lived in the Philippines
Publisher’s Note
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The author realizes that the Air Force bases and some of the organizations depicted herein are real, but the people and incidents connected with these locations are entirely fictional. The opinions expressed herein, explicit or implied, are purely those of the author and do not reflect the views of the United States, the Department of Defense, or the United States Air Force.
When this novel was first published, the author had never been involved in or had access to, either officially or unofficially, any aspect of high power microwaves beyond the basic physics research stage such as that published in numerous scientific journals. This novel is based on pure speculation, gleaned from material assimilated from Aviation Week, and Space Technology and Defense News.
Acknowledgments
To Kevin J. Anderson and Michael Berch, Esq. for their editorial insight and suggestions; Colonel Terry “Moose” Millard, Lieutenant Colonel “Mongo” Monahan, Major Dave Harris and the 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing, Major Wayne Crist and the 3rd TFW, Captain Jim Beason, and Alan Gould for their technical details; Richard Curtis and John Sibersack for making this happen; Billy Joel’s “Storm Front,” for inspiration; and Tamara, Amanda and Cindy — as always — for being there and putting up with me.
Principal Characters
First Lieutenant (1Lt) Bruce Steele, USAF (ASSASSIN)
Ashley Woodman — Bruce’s ex-wife
Joe Steele — Bruce’s father
Cheryl Steele — his mother
Fred Steele — his (deceased) younger brother
Captain Charlie Fargassa (FOGGY) — Bruce’s backseater
CATMAN (1Lt Ed Holstrom) — F-15E pilot, Maddog 3
ROBIN (2Lt Steve Garcioni) — CATMAN’s backseater
SKIPPER (Capt Thorin A. Olsen)—”Maddog” Flight Commander, Maddog 1
PANTHER (Capt Enriqueta Y. Bonita) — SKIPPER’S backseater
REVLON (Capt Heather Rheinquist) — F-15E pilot, Maddog 2
DIGGER (1Lt Lucius Brown) — REVLON’s backseater
Lt. Col McConnell — Squadron Commander, 333rd Fighter Squadron
Ms. Hosteader — Housing counselor
Capt. Richard Head — MH-60G helicopter pilot (FOX 1)
Capt. Bob Gould — MH-60G co-pilot
Tech. Sgt. “Mooselips” Noresteader — Bruce’s crew chief
CMSGT Grune — Instructor, Jungle Survival School
Abuj Qyantrolo — Negrito jungle survival instructor
SSgt “Zaz” Zazbrewski — MH-60G flight engineer
SSgt Hank McCormack — MH-60G gunner
SSgt Sal Flores — MH-60G gunner
Maj Gen Peter Simone — Commander, Thirteenth Air Force
Major Stephanie Hendhold — his aide
Col William F. Bolte (LIGHTNING) — Commander, 4th Fighter Wing
Michele Bolte — his wife
Nanette Bolte — his daughter
SSgt Evette Whiltree — Air Traffic Controller
CMSGT Figarno — her supervisor
Major Brad Dubois—4th Fighter Wing Flight Scheduler
TSgt Merkowitz — Gate Guard
Col Ben Lutler — Commander, 353rd Special Operations Group
Juanita Sanchez — Major General Simone’s secretary
Major Kathy Yulok — SR-73 pilot, Kadena AFB, Okinawa
Major Ed Prsybalwyki — SR-73 co-pilot, Kadena AFB, Okinawa
Admiral Greshan, USN — Fleet Admiral 7th Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan
Gen Westschloe — Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, HI
Chaplain (Commander) White, USN — Base Chaplain, Subic Bay
Taco Charlie — Okinawan restaurant owner
Oniksuki — Taco Charlie’s grandson
Sabine Aquinette — Agency operative, South Korea
Roger Epstein — Agency Station Chief, South Korea
Yan Kawnlo — North Korean terrorist
Minister Ieyasu — Japanese Minister of Trade
Col Alan Merke — Division Vice-Commander, Kadena AFB
President Rizular — President of the P.I.
Col Pat Wingate — Aircraft Commander, Air Force Two
Colonel Rader — Deputy for Operations, 313th Air Division, Kadena AFB, Okinawa
Yolanda Sicat
Pompano Sicat — her father
Lucila Sicat — his deceased wife
Cervante Escindo — New People’s Army (NPA, or “Huk”) cell leader
Barguyo — Huk terrorist
Edgar — Huk terrorist
Julio — Huk terrorist
Tanila — Bruce’s father’s girlfriend
Emil Oloner — black market runner
Lucius K. Longmire — President of the U.S. (MAVERICK)
Robert E. Adleman — vice president of the U.S. (LONESTAR)
LtCol Merke, USAF — VP Adleman’s aide
Harley Dubois — Secret Service agent
Cyndi Fount — Director, CIA
Francis Woodrow Acht — Secretary of State
Jerry Weinstein — Chairman, National Democratic Party
Ensign Julia Clounch — President’s nurse
Captain (Dr.) Barnett — Commanding Officer, Bethesda Hospital
Ebert Zeringue — Secretary of Defense
General David Newman, USAF — Chief of Staff, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Juan Salazar — White House Press Secretary
Mr. Kelt — State Department Philippine Specialist
Prologue
Cervante watched the road, waiting for the convoy, and wondered what it felt like to die.
Lying on a tightly braided grass mat, he had wedged himself far enough back from the crest to make himself invisible from below. Propped in front of him, between the roots of a towering tree, his AK-47 had a direct line of shot to any point on the road. It was the only direction that Cervante could see for more than two feet without being smothered by the dense jungle.
A fine mist filled the air, pushing the humidity up so high he thought he would have to pull out a machete and chop his way through it. Broad leaves collected the mist, pooling the liquid into thimble-sized drops before the weight of the water became too great for the leaf to hold. Thousands of such leaves filled the jungle; together, they produced a symphony of random drips. Birds chattered high up in the trees, adding to the cacophony. Cervante couldn’t hear any other sounds as he waited for the convoy.
He shifted his weight on the mat. An array of grenades hanging from his belt poked him in the thigh; he wiggled to push them out of the way, and soon was comfortable again.
Water drenched Cervante, but he had grown used to it as he waited for the precise moment to strike, as if he were the feared habu, the stealthy jungle snake that struck without warning.
A faint sound caught his attention. It came from below, channeled down the foliage-canopied road like a whistle blast through a pipe. Cervante grew alert. The birds stopped chirping, leaving only the eerie sound of splashing water.
He crept forward by pulling himself on his elbows. As he gripped the AK-47, he swung the automatic rifle back and forth across the road, ensuring latitude in his view. The sound grew louder: the unmistakable roar of trucks, the groaning of diesel engines as they chugged up the mountain road. The road narrowed to one lane just around the bend. He knew the drivers would be using parabolic mirrors, set by the curve, to see if any vehicles would be approaching from the opposite direction.