Lizard's Last Romp
Clipping from the Summer of 1995.......
(Editor's note: The A-6 Intruder, now in its Echo model, is a 33
year old aircraft that has lived through many historical events.
The A-6E is now going to be part of history with the aircraft being
phased out of inventory. The following is a story submitted by
Attack Squadron Ninety-Five, the Green Lizards, currently on cruise
on board USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). The Squadron will be
disestablished when they return to their home base of NAS Whidbey
Island, Wa.)
NWSB145. Green Lizard 14-plane Fly By
By LT Dave Platte, Green Lizard reporter
(USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN CVN 72) (NWSB) -- In the most awesome
display of carrier power projection since Doolittle's daring raid
on Tokyo in 1942, the Green Lizards of Attack Squadron (VA) 95,
launched all 14 of their A-6E Intruder bombers, off USS Abraham
Lincoln (CVN 72), deep into the heartland of Iraq on July 29 on a
single, devastating long-range strike familiarization mission in
support of Operation Southern Watch. See Photo.
On this auspicious occasion, the Green Lizards demonstrated
once again their unparalleled ability to project the Navy's strike
capability deep within the territory of a potential adversary. The
Lizards had ample cause to show off their pride. Not many
Squadrons three months into a grueling Arabian gulf deployment can
put all their aircraft airborne fully mission capable, achieve 100
percent target acquisition, conduct a flawless 14-plane fly-by in
formation and return to the ship for a 100 percent boarding rate
all in one launch!
Long in the planning, the strike required the squadron to use
the skills and talents of each member of the command to bring it
off successfully. The much-vaunted Lizard maintenance team labored
long hours in the days prior to the mission in an all-out effort to
tweak peak performance from each jet. Meanwhile, in the mission
planning rooms, teams of aircrew burned the midnight oil analyzing
targets and constructing a detailed plan for each aspect of the
flight.
The night before the big day, the squadron pulled all
available squadron personnel from jobs not directly involved with
the mission and dedicated them to the effort. This flexibility
allowed the squadron to make effective last-minute preparations for
the large-scale event.
As the red Arabian Gulf sun crept up over the horizon on the
morning of the 29th, there was nervous anticipation on the flight
deck of the Abraham Lincoln. Aircrew arrived at their jets to find
a flight deck full of Intruders. The emergence of aircraft NH502
on the ship's elevator coming up from the hangar bay below marked
the completion of the flight deck's readiness.
With the deck now in "Intruder configuration", the tower
issued the call to start engines. As ground crews busily completed
the final stages of preparing each jet for launch, the Intruders
taxied forward towards the ship's catapults. From the time the
first jet was hurled by the Lincoln's catapults into the sky, it
took less than ten minutes to get all 14 Intruders airborne. The
flawless launch was followed by a quick rendezvous of the bombers
100 miles to the north over the Gulf.
As the Intruders went "feet dry" into Iraq, they began the
tactical portion of their "deep interdiction mission" into hostile
territory. Armed with HARM missiles and high-explosive bombs, the
intrepid Green Lizards conducted attack runs on fourteen different
targets with all planes reaching their "bombs-on-target" time
simultaneously. As the "Intruder overcast" departed Iraq, 14
bombardier/navigators had found their targets and 14 pilots had
flown flawless practice attacks. But the mission was not yet
complete.
Just out of enemy territory, CDR Pieter Vandenbergh, Green
Lizard commanding officer, marshaled all 14 of his aircraft into a
massive formation to head back to the Lincoln. Setting up the
formation took a little time and a great deal of concentration by
each pilot, but the results would prove worth the effort.
All on board the Lincoln waited in tense anticipation as the
tower announced that the Intruders were approaching the ship from
astern at 500 feet above the water. All over the deck, eyes
scanned aft into the hot and hazy gulf sky searching for the
familiar round-nosed jets. Suddenly, out of the scorching mist,
the entire squadron appeared, flying in tight formation. As the
roar of the engines rumbled through the boots of those assembled on
the flight deck, the 14 bombers passed overhead. The heart of the
ship itself seemed to skip a beat as every soul on the deck paused
for a moment just to watch the sight.
Afterwards, Vandenbergh observed, "The events of this historic
day demonstrate to all that the Green Lizards can produce the
results our nation demands even under the most challenging
conditions. The pride and professionalism of each member of our
squadron really made this happen. I'm proud of every one of them
and I am proud to be a Green Lizard!"
To call this event historic is no exaggeration. Attack
Squadron 95's last deployment, affectionately known as "The
Lizards' Last Romp," also represents the twilight of the A-6E
Intruder, an aircraft which has been the backbone of the Navy's air
strike capability for 30 years and is currently being phased out of
the defense inventory.
The venerable all-weather attack jet has seen action in every
conflict the nation has been involved in since Vietnam. With the
ability to carry more ordnance, launch a wider variety of space-age
smart weapons, conduct day or night strikes over greater distances
on internal fuel than any carrier borne aircraft before or since,
and provide mid-air refueling support to other carrier jets, the
Intruder represents the most versatile military aircraft in modern
times.
For several members of the flight the mission represented
important aviation career milestones. Six of the members in the
formation earned the Navy's strike flight air medal that day for
having flown twenty combat missions over Iraq. Vandenbergh, LT
Sean Johnson and LT Jeff Vanlobensels each earned their first air
medal. LT Bill Dion and LT Tad Stapleton each claimed their second
air medal. It was the squadron's executive officer, LCDR Terry
Kraft, however, who stole the show. On the day of the fly-over,
the Operation Desert Storm veteran earned his fourth strike flight
air medal.
The Green Lizards are scheduled to remain in the Arabian Gulf
through late August, conducting missions in support of Operation
Southern Watch. The squadron is then scheduled for some
well-earned rest and relaxation at port calls in Perth, Australia
and Hobart, Tasmania. After that, the long trip home begins. In
October the squadron is due to arrive back home at Naval Air
Station Whidbey Island, Wash., and will be disestablished on
November 18.
For now, all members of the squadron remained fixed on the
work at hand; providing our nation with the ability to project
power "Intruder style" deep into the heartland of any potential
foe.