COMMAND CHRONOLOGY FOR 1 JAN 91 TO 31 JAN 91 DTD 1 FEB 91

File: 120396_sep96_decls4_0005.txt
Page: 0005
Total Pages: 10

Subject: COMMAND CHRONOLOGY FOR 1 JAN 91 TO 31 JAN 91  DTD 1 FEB 91      

Unit: VMFA 333    

Parent Organization: 2D MAW      

Box ID: BX600027

Folder Title: COMMAND CHRONOLOGY VMFA 333 JAN 90 - JUN 91                                                     

Document Number:         40

Folder SEQ  #:         26




                                     UNCLASSIFIED
                On 28 JantiarAmaj Charles F. Mitchell, vying aircraft 04, buno
            number 162464 and Capt Patrick R. Rink in aircraft 15, buno number
            163155, were the first squadron pilots to be part of a strike
            against targets in Baghdad. 'Trip Trey"e role was SEAD, with the
            mission objective being the destruction of a Rocket Propellant
            Storage Facility.

                On 30 January, Capt Thomas D. Richey was launched in aircraft
            12, buno number 161986 on the first combat alert mission. The
            mission was CAS, with VMFA(AW)-121 acting as Airborne Forward Air
            Controller (FACA). The target was an assembly area contain   4ng tanks
            and trucks, 25nm north of the Kuwait border.

                Round-the-clock operations were handled by a very small but
            dedicated Operations Department, headed by Operations Chief, Sgt
            Robert A. Duranceau, and Operations clerks Cpl Rose M. Nichols and
            LCpl Patrick H. Chiles. Long hours were spent on endless kneeboard
            and waypoint cards, NAVFLIR data, Situation Reports, Logbook enties,
            changes to the ATO, and Daily Flight Schedules, Supporting Document
            Item 12.


                The following Squadron pilots were nominated for Combat Strike/
            Flight Air Medals for the month of January: Lieutenant Colonel
            Thomas A. 'Beans' Benes, CO; Major Robert E. IROOBter" Schmidle, XO;
            MaJo- Charles F. *Burner" Mitchell, Operations Oificer; Major David
            H. 'Shooter' Shutt, Aviation Maintenance Officer; Major Stephen M.
            *Roid" Pomeroy, DOSS Officer; Captain Robert A. RBubba' Wilkins,
            Captain Archibald "Rocky" Morrison VI, Assistant Operations Officer;
            Captain Thomas D. "Lionel" Richey, Pilot Training Officer; Captain
            William J. wbubbal Colon, Supply Officer, Captain Frederick W. 'CJ'
          Sturckow, Scheduling Officer; Captain Matthew J. 'Hatch" McKelvey,
            Plans Officer; Captain John E. "Pope" Paul, Quality Assurance
            Officerl Captain Michael C. 'CoyoteR Reilly, Airframes Officer;
            Captain Mark R. wnotso* Wise, Powerline Officer; Captain Patrick R.
            "Roller" Rink, Classified Material Control Center Officer; and First
            Lieutenant Lance M. 'Jolt* Hoyt, Embark Officer.

                Maj Robert E. Schmidle was nominated for the Distinguished
            Flying Cross for heroic action during the oil refinery strike,
            Supporting Document Item 13 is the proposed citation.
                                                                I

                Four "Trip Trey' pilots, Capt Frederick W. Sturckow, Capt
            William J. Colon, Capt Matthew J. McKelvey, and Capt Thomas D.
            Richey achieved noteworthy flight accomplishments when they sur-
            passed 1,000 mishap-free flight hours in the F/A-18 Hornet on 6, 20,
            20 and 27 January respectively.

                Sergeant Major Robert D. Brown, and the Staff Non-Commissioned
            Officers, kept the Squadron personnel motivated and focused on the
            task at hand. These senior Marines proved to be one of the
            Squad-on's greatest assets. Due to the SNCO's superior performance
            the Squadron's pilots were able to concentrate on tactical flight
            operations and planning while the Staff NCOs ran the Squadron's
            daily business.




                                              5



                                        UNCLASSIFIED

Document 10 f:/Week-38/BX600027/COMMAND CHRONOLOGY VMFA 333 JAN 90 - JUN 91/command chronology for 1 jan 91 to 31 jan 91 dt:1122961652247
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-38
Box ID = BX600027
Unit = VMFA 333
Parent Organization = 2D MAW
Folder Title = COMMAND CHRONOLOGY VMFA 333 JAN 90 - JUN 91
Folder Seq # = 26
Subject = COMMAND CHRONOLOGY FOR 1 JAN 91 TO 31 JAN 91 DT
Document Seq # = 40
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 22-NOV-1996