European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 10, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stinger puts heat on the mind and the shoulder Friday july 10, 19b7 the stars and stripes Page 3 byte Boivin St i writer Souda Bay Crete the heal was on spec. 4 Chris Coladangelo. The simmering �5-Degrce Sun in the Clear Blue cretan sky singed the fringe of his flak jacket but the heat Coladangelo fell singed the fringe of his mind and burned a heavy Load Square onto his Shoul Ders. La was the pressure a Man feels when he fires a stinger air defense missile at he nato missile firing installation at Souda Bay. I was second 10 the last one to Fin Coladangelo said after firing. A lot was left on my shoulder to make a hit or  the firing is the training highlight of the year for Coladangelo s unit buy a 3rd in 67th air defense arty in kit Zegen Only nine teams in his Battery were Able to come to Crete of those Only the teams that do the Best on the Crew drills gel id fire the stinger a shoulder launched surface to air heat seeking weapon designed to take Down enemy aircraft. The rest had to fire the redeye an older shoulder launched surface to air weapon. Stinger is a bigger missile it s taller and redeye s  Coladangelo said. Thai s the physical difference. The tactical difference is More important to an air defense Soldier. It can engage an aircraft head on Coladangelo said whereas redeye s a revenge weapon. That s because after the aircraft drops its ordnance it takes off and you can hit it Only from the rear. But with stinger you con fire before he drops his  German aviation Laws and the Cost of firing a stinger or redeye mean cola Dangelo s unit travels to Crete just once a year to fire Redeyes stingers and Chap arrays a rack mounted surface to air system. But those feeling the most pres sure arc the ones who Cam the privilege of firing stinger. "1 want us to qualify for stinger Coladangelo s team chief spec. 4 Don Pickingpaugh said during the Crew drills. Bull Don l care what he fires As Long As he  Pickingpaugh went through the Crew drills with Coladangelo helping Settle the nervous gunner Down before each Slop in the drills he knows what he s doing he just does t handle the pressure As Well As some Pickingpaugh said. He tends to get a Little nervous under  so before the Crew drills pecking Paugh went Over each Drill one Lut time explaining what he would do ind what Coladangelo needed to do. If it was t for him j doubt if i would pc gotten to fire Slinger cola Daniclo said. The members of Charlie Bury had t per formed As Well As they wanted on the Crew drills and this added More pressure. So As Coladangelo walked out to the firing pit All the eyes of 3rd in 67th air defense arty were on him. He held the weight of Charlie Bury s world on his shoulders in that stinger. Range technicians launched the ballistic Aerial target system Bat Coladangelo received a signal elevated fired. And Misseri by a Mere couple of inches. Pickingpaugh surmised that maybe he lost his lock on to the heat from the exhaust of the rocket but Coladangelo disagreed. This was wrong he admitted. I Bas photo by Tim b e Valuator suit sri.  Reddick left and Crew chief. Spec. 4 Don pecking Hugh right observe spec. 4 Chris Coladangelo holding weapon during a Crew Drill. Had a heat  he was t too pleased but hell live with it said isl la Mike Stickney Coladangelo s platoon Leader. He received a tactical kill. He did everything he was supposed to  but that was t enough for could Anglo. I had a Good missile Coladangelo said. The bats was 1 2 inches wide and 1 1 feel Long and e came so close that if it was a plane 1 would have downed it. I Felt almost relieved it was Over. But i got no regrets about firing stinger even though i missed but wanted a direct hit staff in str Parlman Conan Dulac 10 lh.3 Repon \ Muslet cd unit in Highl after  at the nato Muir firing tvs Llali