[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 14 (Thursday, February 6, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E179]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                  UNCOMMON COURAGE--PROVEN LEADERSHIP

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BOB LIVINGSTON

                              of louisiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 6, 1997

  Mr. LIVINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, the stunning events of the war in the 
Persian Gulf had just begun to unfold as American combat crews faced 
the enemy of the decade.
  It was late in the afternoon of January 27, 1991, only 10 days after 
the war between Iraq and the allied coalition forces began, when then 
Lt. Col. Jim Gibbons and Major John Fuller of the 192d Tactical 
Reconnaissance Squadron, Nevada Air National Guard, were called upon to 
fly north to Kuwait. Their mission was to acquire detailed photographs 
of open oil manifolds which were draining crude oil into the Persian 
Gulf at the order of Saddam Hussein. Unarmed and equipped only with 
special cameras to provide highly detailed photographs of small ground 
targets, the two RF-4C aircraft took off from Sheik Isa Air Base, 
Bahrain, without fighter escorts. Relying only on their speed, skill 
and experience of the aircrew, the ``Phantoms'' had to enter the 
heavily defended enemy territory alone and unarmed.
  The requested target was located in a 40-kilometer strip of the most 
heavily defended coastline adjacent to Kuwait City. Approaching the 
target area, Lt. Col. Gibbons, the flight leader, determined that due 
to the heavy smoke cover from burning oil wells and low clouds, the 
planned altitude for the photo run would not work.
  Instead, the flight would have to approach the area much closer, 
parallel to the coast to obtain useable photographs of the target. This 
would bring the flight just below the clouds and smoke, but now well 
within the range of enemy and antiaircraft artillery and surface-to-air 
missile range.
  As the RF-4's approached the target area, they were detected by enemy 
radar. Suddenly golf ball size tracer bullets began snaking their 
lethal paths toward the aircraft. In addition, the radar warning 
receiver in the cockpit alerted Lt. Col. Gibbons that two Iraqi 
surface-to-air missiles had been launched and were streaking toward his 
aircraft. The enemy antiaircraft shells and missiles would miss their 
mark, but not the cameras of the two RF-4's. The intense enemy fire and 
low visibility required Lt. Col. Gibbons to make a second target pass 
through the same heavily defended area to ensure that adequate coverage 
and clear photos were obtained. Because of his extraordinary valor and 
courage and in the face of overwhelming danger, Lt. Col. Gibbons action 
enabled allied fighter-bombers to attack and destroy the oil manifolds 
and stop the flow of oil in the Persian Gulf. As a result of his 
leadership, courage and heroic effort on this mission Lt. Col. Gibbons, 
Vice Commander, Nevada Air National Guard received one of our Nation's 
highest recognitions for bravery under fire--the Distinguished Flying 
Cross.

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