European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 6the stars and stripes thursday february 28.1991 War in the Gulf pilots land 23 one Day tank kills by Alexander g. Higgins the associated press a . Air base in Eastern saudi Arabia a two american pilots who Fly As a team reported destroying a record 23 iraqi tanks in one Day As Saddam Hussein a Armor started moving to meet the Allied ground assault. Capt. Eric a a fish Salomonson 28, of Berthoud colo., and 1st it. John a a Karl Marks 26, of Kansas City said each hit four tanks of the elite Republican guard monday deep inside Southern Iraq. On two More missions near Kuwait City later that Day Marks destroyed eight tanks and Salomonson seven. They Fly a-10 Thunderbolt ii tank killer aircraft nicknamed warthogs. A a we be been looking for tanks since the War started a Salomonson said. A yesterday we found a a a a a a Marks added a it was exactly what we Haa Hopel that the Advance would do exactly what it did a that is Force the Republican guard out of their prepared positions out in the open and onto the it. Col. Gene Renuart 41, of Miami commander of the 76th tac fighter so said the pair a had an extraordinary Day and their performance was a quite he and other officers at the air base said they had not been keeping a tally of which Pilot team had the most tank kills but 23 was so High it easily was a single pc Day record for the persian Gulf War. ?. Salomonson and Marks were on standby monday morning to provide dose air support for advancing Allied ground forces. V a we had a report from a night Squadron that they had disco Cid a lot of iraqi tanks on the move a said Salo Monson the flight Leader. A we launched out of Here did no to quite know what we were going to see so we got up there about sunup and sure enough there a tanks ail a Over. / a we found them. And Hai tanks burning in five , / / a a a a a a v v Marks said the night team trapped the tanks As they moved South toward the allies attacking the first and last vehicle so those in the Middle left the Road for temporary shelters. I i. A a a a a a the tanks were hot and could be picked up easily by the infrared sensors of mave Rick missiles carried by the a-10s, Salomonson said. A the r had obviously been running a i a a a a both pilots said they did it know whether there were soldiers in the tanks but t icy saw none on the ground a nearby. A. A a a a a a a v a v. X a a if they were smart the probably puked off the Road an jumped out and ran As far As they can Marks said. A lie said re watched Salo Ponson fire a Maverick at his first target and a the Turret blew completely off. You could see it flipping through the he said. They said thecly were Loo far away to Tell the models of the tanks. F a \ a Marine spotter plane was directing them to the tar. A j i a a i it in ii t a. I _. A a a a a a a a a a. Madia Pool capt. Eric a a fish Salomonson left and 1st it. John a a Karl Marks of the 176th tac fighter so walk in front of a a-10 Thunderbolt 11/ the Type of tank killer aircraft they used to destroy 23 iraqi tanks in monday s action. Gets Marks said and a i show for Allied put on an impressive aboard the Carrier Ranger in the Northern Guli up a air strikes against retreating iraqi Marks and Salomonson left seven tanks burning during a second sortie Over Kuwait and moved a few Miles Down the Road. A a a. X v a a a a we. Found another at least 10 in revetments on both sides of the Road and rolled in and shot one with a Maverick which ,�?� ,�? the pilots said they left immediately because of heavy anti aircraft fire and were not hit. A a they just completely opened up on me and i had puffs at and above my Altitude All around a Marks said a flush was behind me rolling in with tithe gun i just got ready to squeeze and 1 just started Yelling on the it radio fish come off. Fish come off there a heavy flak a and Sowe came off and decided. A we had enough fun that time a Salomonson interposed. Quot a a x a a a a Marks said they had been Able to hit so Many tanks on one Day because the were on Alert a which meant that we were going to get scrambled to All the Best hot spots. When they Fouad the tanks they called us All three other Mei Albers of the Squadron were generous with compliments when they returned Salomonson said but a the big Reward for me was just seeing those things blow up a x a. Xiv x. A a a a l. A a there a just nothing like it a he said. A a it a the biggest fourth of july show you be Ever seen Ana to see those tanks just Boom and More stuff just keep spewing out of them and the shells flying out on the ground they just become White hot. Its up Pace was time to Rush out. For another strike at troops were being launched so feverishly one of two main roadways heading North tuesday that pilots say ordnance men were loading whatever bombs happened to be closest to the flight deck. In some cases they say the pilots of a-6e attack bombers were so eager to get into the air with new Bonsib loads that the Quot weapon do Jour a a the Sockeye Cluster bomb a was being passed Over because elevators were Loo slow getting them up to the flight deck. Shortly before noon As every speaker Sweigart had just finished a debriefing bumper. A lot of tanks a lot of transport attack an that appeared to been session from an earlier Mission when it vehicles a lot of motor vehicles heading aged in massive Retreat Sweigart paused North. A a. For a moment and began his answer witha a in a say there Wasny to 50 Yards Between his own series of questions any segment of vehicles. It did no to look a Well i probably answer like it was segmented actually. Some that. Are they in Retreat Are they just a. _ a k from Kuwait into Iraq. No sooner had a Weigant a Squadron been launched from the flight deck than from another Mission in the same area were describing scenes of an even More massive iraqi Retreat. By 10 a.m., Sweigart said the main North South Roadway from Kuwait to Iraq was so jammed with tanks and other armoured vehicles that iraqi troops and military vehicles were being diverted along a vehicles were already to the night and to pushing Back to hold pushing Back and the left and burning. And More be hic were left burning when we the column of Burnt out and rear amp to ing vehicles along even that secondary Road Sweigart said extended at least 20 Miles. Sweigart said there was some a triple gom on every deck aboard this ship reverse second coastal route also leading to Iraq rated to the strains of the a William Tell Sweigert was also diverted to the Sec overture a the rangers theme song a Ond route because of aircraft congestion Frank Sweigart the commanding officer Over the main Roadway. Of the carriers Silver Fox bomber squad a when we broke under the goo Over dared another Pilot As he suited up for Ron was hearing to his plane to begin his cast at 5,000 feet or so there were a lot l a. Third Mission of the Day. Of vehicles but it Wasny to bumper to to Reform what did they do in Kuwait we re still at War until we re told to ceasefire. A a a they re shooting at us. Now granted they re shooting at us because we re there but i guess one Side of me say that a right its like shooting ducks in a a anti aircraft fire from the retreating Pond iraqis but they were a basically just sit Quot does that make me uncomfortable ,b0rab00 very Ai Quot no necessarily except there is a Side of and is own target. Me that what Are they dying for. Like in a barrel a de for a madman a cause and is that fair ired another Pilot As he suited up for Well we re at War and its unfortunate his second Mission since breakfast. Its the tragedy of War. But we do our asked if it was difficult emotionally to
