[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 14940]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



THE HISTORIC CONTRIBUTION OF THE 5TH BOMB WING, MINOT, NORTH DAKOTA, TO 
                         OPERATION ALLIED FORCE

 Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, the Secretary of Defense has 
described our military action in Kosovo as the most accurate 
application of Air Power in history. The men and women of the 5th Bomb 
Wing, Minot, North Dakota, were critical to that effort, and the 
citizens of this state and our entire country are justifiably proud of 
their efforts.
  The B-52 bombing raids on Yugoslavian positions on June 7, 1999, 
undoubtedly hastened the decision by Yugoslavia to sign the NATO peace 
agreement ending the conflict. As the Washington Post reported on the 
significance of the strike, ``Two days later, Yugoslav generals 
formally agreed to withdraw all forces from Kosovo.'' The Washington 
Post Article entitled, ``NATO's Most Lethal Airstrike Ended a Battle, 
Perhaps a War,'' reported that the B-52 attack on Mount Pastrik was the 
turning point in the Kosovo conflict.
  Like the ``Linebacker'' operations in Vietnam, the unmatched striking 
power of the B-52 bomber convinced the enemy that negotiation was 
preferable to suffering the business end of over 70,000 pounds of 
munitions. The crews of the B-52 bombers that carried out their 
missions in Kosovo proved the anecdote again, ``That bomber pilots make 
history.''
  In recognizing the efforts of the crews and support personnel of the 
5th Bomb Wing, we cannot forget the sacrifices made by the families and 
loved ones left behind. Today's professional All-Volunteer Air Force is 
a different organization than the one that preceded it. More times than 
not, when an Air Force member deploys, he or she leaves behind a spouse 
and small children who depend on them, who miss them, and who pray for 
their safe return. We in the Senate owe a debt of gratitude to those 
brave families who lovingly support the men and women of our Armed 
Forces.
  Mr. President, in every conflict following the Korean War, the B-52 
bomber has delivered the most debilitating blows to our enemies. As 
demonstrated in Yugoslavia, the B-52 is still capable of delivering the 
initial strikes in a conflict with stand-off weapons, and then 
executing decisive strikes on fielded forces with a range of munitions.
  The United States Air Force's plan to fly the B-52 bomber well into 
the next century is a tribute both to the aircraft and the innovative 
crews that continue to demonstrate the decisive capabilities of the 
aircraft. Most importantly, as long as the Air Force has men and women 
like those who serve in the 5th Bomb Wing, this nation sleeps well 
protected.




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