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CEREMONY SHEDS LIGHT ON SECRET WARRIORS
US Fed News
September 15, 2008 Monday 8:48 AM EST
The U.S. Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
Agency issued the following news release:
By Master Sgt. Reginal Woodruff
70th Intelligence Wing Public Affairs
"Some things have not changed ... and that is the commitment of our
men and women in uniform who, when the call comes to take on dangerous
missions, over foreign skies, raise their hand and say 'send me',"
said Col. John Stauffer, 70th Intelligence Wing commander.
On Sept. 2, members of the 70th IW and others gathered at Fort Meade's
National Vigilance Park to pay tribute to 17 Airmen who said, "send
me" and never returned from their mission.
Fifty years ago on that day, Flight 60528, an Air Force C-130,
departed Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, on an air-reconnaissance mission
about 100 miles from Armenia. The mission of the 17 Airmen on board
was top secret and dangerous. Collecting data from 25,000 feet up,
they crossed the Armenian border. A short time later Soviet MiGs
approached and attacked the unarmed C-130, killing everyone aboard.
For decades, Soviet officials denied attacking the plane, calling
the incident a crash. They initially turned over only six sets
of remains. Decades later, after the Cold War's end, declassified
Soviet documents revealed the truth about the attack. Officials of
the Commonwealth of Independent States, formerly the Soviet Union,
handed over remains of the other crew members. This brought closure
to family members who had known little about the operation.
"A friend of mine, whose husband died on the mission, initially got a
telegram from the Pentagon saying the crew was missing," said Larry
Tart, who wrote a book about the operation. "She waited 39 years to
hear what mission they were on and what really happened."
Mr. Tart, a Cold War-era cryptology Airman, said the nature of
intelligence collection operations often left families in the dark. He
said it was typical for him and other members of his unit to leave
home for weeks, telling their spouse little. The importance of the
operations warranted such secrecy.
Brig. Gen. Tom Jones, deputy chief, Central Security Service, called
the missions dangerous and critical to winning the Cold War. The
operations provided photos and data that revealed much about Soviet
society.
"Due to the unique nature of the conflict, it was not only military
superiority that mattered but political and diplomatic as well," said
the general, speaking at the 50th anniversary ceremony. "In short,
in our nation's efforts to defeat the (Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics), information was power.
"Victory was secured by the countless groups of dedicated men and
women who took it upon themselves ... to get information that our
policy makers and war fighters needed."
The general's words are a rare acknowledgement of the valuable role
crypto Airmen of the past and present play in winning wars. The secret
nature of the job is also successful in making the people who perform
it nearly anonymous.
"As I look out over the audience," Col. Stauffer said during the
ceremony, "I see military personnel who volunteered for the difficult
and often thankless task of watching over Americans who may never
know, and who cannot know, the extent of sacrifices that were made
on their behalf."
Of the 17 Airmen aboard Flight 60528, 11 were cryptanalysts. Nine were
airmen first (E-4) or second class (E-3). In 1997, the crew was honored
with a memorial at Fort Meade. Research for the memorial brought
together former crypto Airmen and family members of the mission crew.
Many of the Airmen and family members attend the memorial ceremony
annually. Along with current Airmen within the intelligence community,
they work to ensure the bravery and commitment of those who died
secretly defending their country is remembered.
US Fed News
September 15, 2008 Monday 8:48 AM EST
The U.S. Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
Agency issued the following news release:
By Master Sgt. Reginal Woodruff
70th Intelligence Wing Public Affairs
"Some things have not changed ... and that is the commitment of our
men and women in uniform who, when the call comes to take on dangerous
missions, over foreign skies, raise their hand and say 'send me',"
said Col. John Stauffer, 70th Intelligence Wing commander.
On Sept. 2, members of the 70th IW and others gathered at Fort Meade's
National Vigilance Park to pay tribute to 17 Airmen who said, "send
me" and never returned from their mission.
Fifty years ago on that day, Flight 60528, an Air Force C-130,
departed Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, on an air-reconnaissance mission
about 100 miles from Armenia. The mission of the 17 Airmen on board
was top secret and dangerous. Collecting data from 25,000 feet up,
they crossed the Armenian border. A short time later Soviet MiGs
approached and attacked the unarmed C-130, killing everyone aboard.
For decades, Soviet officials denied attacking the plane, calling
the incident a crash. They initially turned over only six sets
of remains. Decades later, after the Cold War's end, declassified
Soviet documents revealed the truth about the attack. Officials of
the Commonwealth of Independent States, formerly the Soviet Union,
handed over remains of the other crew members. This brought closure
to family members who had known little about the operation.
"A friend of mine, whose husband died on the mission, initially got a
telegram from the Pentagon saying the crew was missing," said Larry
Tart, who wrote a book about the operation. "She waited 39 years to
hear what mission they were on and what really happened."
Mr. Tart, a Cold War-era cryptology Airman, said the nature of
intelligence collection operations often left families in the dark. He
said it was typical for him and other members of his unit to leave
home for weeks, telling their spouse little. The importance of the
operations warranted such secrecy.
Brig. Gen. Tom Jones, deputy chief, Central Security Service, called
the missions dangerous and critical to winning the Cold War. The
operations provided photos and data that revealed much about Soviet
society.
"Due to the unique nature of the conflict, it was not only military
superiority that mattered but political and diplomatic as well," said
the general, speaking at the 50th anniversary ceremony. "In short,
in our nation's efforts to defeat the (Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics), information was power.
"Victory was secured by the countless groups of dedicated men and
women who took it upon themselves ... to get information that our
policy makers and war fighters needed."
The general's words are a rare acknowledgement of the valuable role
crypto Airmen of the past and present play in winning wars. The secret
nature of the job is also successful in making the people who perform
it nearly anonymous.
"As I look out over the audience," Col. Stauffer said during the
ceremony, "I see military personnel who volunteered for the difficult
and often thankless task of watching over Americans who may never
know, and who cannot know, the extent of sacrifices that were made
on their behalf."
Of the 17 Airmen aboard Flight 60528, 11 were cryptanalysts. Nine were
airmen first (E-4) or second class (E-3). In 1997, the crew was honored
with a memorial at Fort Meade. Research for the memorial brought
together former crypto Airmen and family members of the mission crew.
Many of the Airmen and family members attend the memorial ceremony
annually. Along with current Airmen within the intelligence community,
they work to ensure the bravery and commitment of those who died
secretly defending their country is remembered.