Derek Faircloth

01 02 03

In The Thoughts of A Killer
Part I

It was early that morning, I sat in my office chair wondering what was to happen next. I had just taken command of my own fighter squad, it was the VF-103 Jolly Rogers. I looked at my arm patch, I had did it! As a kid I always wanted to be the Movie Star Top Gun. I had made it, here I was, a commander! The commanding officer of the VF-103 Jolly Rogers, it was mine, many years and now it’s all mine. I looked at my watch; it was time to gear up. Standing up I walked to the door of my office, opening the door I walked into the hallway. Holding my helmet and walking with my head held high. I stepped into the briefing room and I heard “attention on deck!” It was for me this time, it wasn’t a order at me it was for me.

I told my men “carry on”; we were about to enter war. All the emotions of pride were forgotten, my throat felt as if it had a rock in it. Unsure what was going to happen once we got in the air. I looked at my men; they were all young and ready to go. Just as I on my first combat mission. I knew the face all to well, I knew that I was responsible for all the lives that served under me. “Men” I said, “we are here for a cause, a cause to free, a cause to assist, a cause to protect.” Walking back in forth, “ I am not sure what is to come as we start this war, all I can say is that I know we will do what’s right.”

I saw that the men were grasping to my every word, I knew that soon they would start to feel the fear of death. I wanted to keep them on the edge yet with a certain amount of motivation. “What ever happens, the Jolly Rogers will FLY ON!” I yelled. The men yelling and getting pumped up for the moment. “LETS MOVE OUT TO OUR BIRDS MEN!” walking to the flight deck I looked to see my bird, number 200. Walking up to it I meet my RIO, nodding to each other we started to climb in. As the ground crew was strapping me in I was thinking of my family. Wondering, what they were doing and praying that I would return to see them.

I closed the canopy, and started to move out to the cat. Waiting watching the men hooking up my aircraft I turned to see all my aircraft of the VF-103 turning in to be next. The safety officer started to run around, I knew it was almost time, almost time to be launched off a stamp. The Cat Officer was signaling to give her full power. Pushing the throttle forward I heard my RIO crack to life on the radio, good luck Jolly Rogers. My feelings left me as I got into the moment, the adrenaline filled my body and I was ready to go! Flying quickly off of the deck of the carrier I started climbing and grunting all the G’S. Putting up my gear and leveling off I slowed down. In just moments the rest of my squad was with me, “Line abreast formation” I commanded.

We moved into position, looking at our way points I yelled over the radio, OK boys lets turn to 250 Degrees, lets go get ‘em! Jerking my bird around and lining up on the “HUD”. It wasn’t to long we were there, “OK boys lets dive it down and wake up the natives”. We dropped our jets down low, making quick adjustments to the uneven deserts below we started to look, looking for the first thing we could kill. The RWR screamed to life, RIO yelling “SAM IMBOUND!” pulling up hard and breaking left and right. We started to set the ECM, and deploying Chaffs. The RWR slowly faded away. I had did it, I got away from the Sam, moving back in position I told my men to get it even lower and keep jammers on. We dropped even lower, looking around once more my Wing 3 reported in “sir we got some movement below!”

There was, a convoy, “bring it back around!” I yelled. As we came back around we saw small flashes. They were firing AAA at us! “Break, break, break formation!” Jerking our aircraft out of the way of fire, “status” I asked. Waiting for the reports, “One okay”, “two okay”, “three okay” slowly all 12 jets called in okay status. We soon realized that the convoy consisted of tanks as well. We called in to the AWAC, “we seem to have a party of hard movers down here, are there any tank busters available?”. Soon the AWAC called back in, “yes sir, we have mad dogs inbound to your position sir.” Soon the A-10 Warthogs flew in, “this is Commander Derek Faircloth, United States Naval Aviator of the VF-103 Jolly Rogers, we are your escorts for the evening.” I said. “Hello Commander, glad to have you around, we got those hard movers with no problem.” Said the wing commander of the A-10’s.

Moving our jets into a combat spread we flew tight behind the A-10’s. Watching their hogs drop lower and seeing the dark cloud arise from their guns I knew then that they were taking care of business. The tanks sparked as the Hogs machine guns tore holes in them like cheese. “Looks to me like you boys got them all, we appreciate it.” I said to the A-10’s. “No problem sir, glad to been of some help to you.” Said the A-10’s wing commander.

Okay Jolly Rogers, time to hook up with the fuel boys. Calling in for a mid-air refueling, we started on our intercept course with the tanker. It had been almost a hour of constant hard core flying and time to fill her back up on the way back in. I was first, Lining up behind the US AIR FORCE KC-10 tanker I started to close in on it. “Subrunner in position and ready to take fuel over.” I told the tanker. “Roger that your cleared for refueling” they replied. I moved into position and slowly getting closer. “I looked up watching the boom lock into my aircraft.”

I had finished and was ready to head in. “Okay boys refuel and head home, see you at the carrier.” Breaking formation I started heading for the carriers position. I was still over the desert and by myself, my RIO called in, “Seems like we have a lot of aircraft ahead of us, around 60 Miles.” I looked over to my radar, “that seems to me like a formation, it couldn’t be the A-10’s .” I said. I called into the AWAC “this is Subrunner, I have a formation of about 6 or more aircraft little less than 60 knots ahead of me.” The AWAC called in, “get a ID on those boys, no friendly aircraft are reported in the area.”

Soon we were close in, they were HINDS, Iraq HINDS. “Whoa there Night watcher’s those are bad boys !” . AWACS waiting then calling in “Okay Subrunner they are yours to deal with fire at will fire at will”. “Fire at will aye!” I said. Here I was again, ready to take another life, more than one at that. “Okay slick lets go to ATA mode” I told my RIO. “AYE AYE SIR!” called in the RIO. I locking on with AIM-9’s I waited for a moment. Then “FOX ONE!” I fired the missile tracked then tracked “SPLASH ONE !” Yelled my RIO. I locked on to the next one, “FOX ONE AGAIN!” I yelled.

“Stick a fork in him sir, he is dead dead dead sir!” yelled the RIO again. I called in to the rest of the squad, “boys when you’re done the rest are yours!” I turned in for the carrier, and headed in. My RIO telling me jokes keep me occupied for the 20-min flight. Soon I came up on the carrier, “This is Subrunner request landing Kitty Hawk.” In a few the Kitty Hawk called in, “Roger that Subrunner your cleared to land. The carrier became closer, reaching over and lowering my landing gear I started to descend. “Call the ball” asked the Kitty Hawk. “Roger on the ball” I replied. Making my final adjustments I lowered the hook.

BAM! I hit the carrier deck, giving it full throttle I was jerked back, killing the throttle back I stopped. The crew dashed out to my aircraft and started to unhook my aircraft. I taxied over to the ramp and shut her down. I opened the canopy and climbed out of my bird. My RIO shaking my hand, it was good flying today sir. I said “If we can truly say that?”. On my way back to the flight room I thought, “was it really worth it?”.