The Nickel Beer Mission

摘要

In 1964, strategic air command had B-52 bombers on round-the-clock alert over the Mediterranean Sea. According to information that filtered down to us at the 479th Wing at George Air Force Base near Victorville, California, some B-52S had been harassed by MiGs out of North Africa. However, no one ever told us who was operating them. Because of this situation, Lockheed F-104S were on alert at Moron Air Base in Spain. In January, our squadron was ordered to relieve the F-104 squadron on duty at Moron. We were being sent to do the job F-104S had been made for: intercepting hostile aircraft. What we encountered was pretty much the exact opposite.