European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 16, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The pilots were extremely scared May said. A lot of the maintenance personnel were  tech. Sgt. Robert Potter 34, who was an f-15 Crew chief at Al Harj says the War of nerves the pilots had to Deal with did t vanish once the allies gained air superiority. Potter says the relationship Between pilots and maintainers during the War was the Best that he had Ever experienced. Our Job was to prepare the jets the Best we knew How says Potter a native of Herndon a. He remembers one Pilot a lieutenant colonel who was shaken up about a Friend and fellow flier who was shot Down. The Pilot s next sortie was a flight to Baghdad a Mission that left him apprehensive As the officer prepared to Board his fighter Jet Potter went Over to him and Lent him moral support. At that moment rank was inconsequential. Potter was simply one Man wishing another Man godspeed. I Shook his hand Potter says and said sir i la see you when you get Back " Potter did. Everyone was hop Robert Potter ing up until the last minute that Saddam Hussein would reach some level of sanity Potter says. I remember praying to god that everything would be All  tech. Sgt. Thomas Miller of Ramstein a was also deployed to Al Harj where the theater s larg est single composite Wing was located. Miller 36, kept a daily journal during the deployment filling three note pads. It put the Day to rest says Miller an f-16 electrical systems technician. It was the last thing i did before i retired for the  Miller awoke shortly before 4 . On the first night of the air Campaign unaware the War had started. Before heading off to the dining halt and then on to the flight line Miller strolled Over to the Shower facility for a Wake up Call. He recalls being full of lather when the first scud alarm sounded. Hurrying Back to his tent Miller grabbed his chemical gear and mask and darted for a Small near by Bunker. The alarm ended soon afterwards when it was determined that the images on the radar screen were not scud missiles but Allied aircraft returning Home from the first wave. Above ground Crew members wish a 169th tac fighter so Pilot Good Luck As the f-16 prepares for Takeoff. Right marines with an f/a-18 Hornet the Day before the air War started. Definitely it was the most frightening thing i experienced up to that Point in my military career says Miller whose Hometown is lower Burrell a. Miller remembers the returning pilots As psyched and jubilant about going into the theater unencumbered. That enthusiasm was considerably tempered the second Day when an iraqi surface to air missile blew an f-15e strike Eagle to Smithereens. On the first morning the place was Abuzz Miller said. On the second morning it was quite  Miller says maintainers were Well prepared and that turning aircraft around for their next flight was t As physically demanding As we had practice  v  the realization that sometimes warplanes never return Home was a sobering lesson. Miller wrote in his journal on the evening of Jan. 17,1991 hauntingly eerie this War stuff. The pilots were still High on adrenalin upon return this morn ing at 0530. The Start of the War captivated All maintenance troops. Wonder How Long this will continue. Not Long i  is airmen based in saudi Arabia Welcome a 169th tac fighter so Pilot Back from a Mission Early in operation desert storm which lasted six weeks. January 16,1994 sunday Page 7