Military Accountability Is Desperately Needed
By L Todd Wood
December 23, 2024
Photo - Barry Galloway, Aviation Geek Club
When I was a young, green, brand new pinned-on Captain, flying combat rescue HH-3Es out of Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, a 'friendly fire' incident occurred in early 1990 with base aircraft.
An F-15 being ferried to a forward operating alert base at Galina was carrying a live AIM-9 Sidewinder missile, and launched it on another Elmendorf F-15 during an exercise enroute.
The pilot who ‘unintentionally’ fired the missile realized what was happening moments after he released the heat-seeking Sidewinder at Harris and urgently radioed him, then Sgt. David Haulbrook then said, reported Aviation Geek Club.
Harris, in the second F-15, took evasive action but was unable to completely avoid the attack. He was not injured, but his jet fighter suffered a significant amount of damage.
‘It took real good flying to get it back,’ Haulbrook said.
https://armedforces.press/military-accountability-is-desperately-needed/