Re: [ME] Re: Crippled US EP-3

["guy-francis vella" <gfvella@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Fortey" <forteymj@yahoo.co.uk>
> IMHO, I can see a court martial or two going on when
> the crew get back! There's enough new toys on there to
> keep the Chinese happy for some time. From my time
> working with EC-135 crews, I believe landing the plane
> on Chinese soil was a bad idea. Sure, the plane might
> shred on contact with water, but that's why you joined
> the military, isn't it?

Excuse the ex-ground pounder here, but they don't carry chutes?

I made it a policy never to resist getting on a herc or caribou (or any
other form of air force machinery, including high trucks <grin>) without a
parachute.

As for court martial I think it will depend on how well the crew did in
controlling the intelligence loss (I remember reading somewhere in an
ordnance mag long ago that USAF, and I am presuming the USN, had special
grenades developed for just such contingencies). Lets also remember the HQ
in Okinawa had quarter of an hour to order the plane to turn around and try
for the Philippines or to ditch, so unless the commander disobeyed a direct
order his commanders approved of the course that was set.

ciao

guy-francis