Desert Storm started as an air campaign with Operation Senior Surprise, became known as “Secret Squirrel.” – 57 men & seven aircraft from the 596th Bombardment Squadron, 2nd Bombardment Wing flew the longest combat mission in history that first night of the Persian Gulf conflict. The round-trip mission from Barksdale Air Force Base, flying over 14,000 miles lasted over 34 hours and launched 35 AGM-86C CALCMs against eight targets near Mosul, in northern Iraq
1708th BW(P)
(King Abdul Aziz IAP, Jeddah (Jeddah New), Saudi Arabia)
524th BS/379th BW Wurtsmith AFB, 62nd & 596th BS/2nd BW Barksdale AFB, 69th BS/42nd BW Loring AFB, 328th BS/93rd BW Castle AFB
and 668th BS/416th BW Griffiss AFB
4300th BW(P)
(Diego Garcia)
69th BS/42nd BW Loring AFB & 328th BS/93rd BW Castle AFB
801st BW(P)
(Moron AB, Spain)
524th BS/379th BW Wurtsmith AFB, 668th BS/416 BW Griffiss AFB,
69th BS/42nd BW Loring and 340th BS/97th BW Eaker AFB
Others
A number of crew patches were produced, with the prefix letter representing the experience level of the crew. R-Ready, E-Experienced, S-Stan Eval
“Riding the Racetrack” patch was designed by an E-13 crewmember from the 668th BMS/416th BMW to commemorate their infamous low-level strike on night one out of Diego Garcia (4300th BMW(P). E-13 initially deployed to the island and later redeployed to Jeddah (1708th BMW(P). In total, they flew 17 mission, three missions from Diego and 14 from Jeddah.
“In Harms Way” – The patch was created because a single B-52G was allegedly damaged by a hit from an AGM-88A HARM missile, fired by a USAF F-4G undertaking defence suppression. Other’s believe the B-52 was hit by a SAM and not an F-4G.