Dragon's Fury - Dragon's Breath Part 24

As Colonel Newhouse's co-pilot complied, all four F-22 Raptor aircraft vectored off to the east-southeast to intercept. They went to "super cruise" mode to reach supersonic speed without engaging their afterburners, thus saving significant fuel.

The F-22 was the crown jewel of America's (and everyone else's) fighter aircraft industry. It was capable of carrying as much ordinance as the F-15, but further, faster, with vectored thrust, and it employed the latest stealth technology. There were simply no other aircraft in that could engage it head to head. But the GIR had no intention of engaging America's superior technology one on one.

Each of these carried six AMRAAM missiles and two Sidewinder missiles and would be in missile range in four and a half minutes.

January 18, 2006 20:05 local time Over the Turkish coast, outside Turkish airs.p.a.ce West of Adana, Turkey Once again, GIR Air Force General Mahdavi Ardakani, surveyed the aircraft that were accompanying him to attack American interests.

On this day, an even larger attack into Turkey was occurring than what had occurred in November, a little over two-and-a-half months earlier. Many of the same elements of the GIR Air Force in this theater, which had been reinforced to make up for earlier losses, were being joined today by a large portion of the Syrian Air Force in this a.s.sault on Turkey. Incirlik airbase was again targeted and was even now being attacked by well over 200 ballistic missiles carrying conventional munitions preparatory to an attack by well over two hundred aircraft.

Every major airfield and military base in southern and eastern Turkey was going to be hit this evening and throughout tomorrow as the Syrian and GIR armies crossed the border in a two p.r.o.nged drive into central Turkey along the Tigris River, and along the coast towards Adana. All in all, between the GIR and Syria (which itself had just announced its own unification with the GIR), over eight hundred military aircraft were involved here in what they were calling simply "Operation Turkey."

The General's flight of 48 fighter aircraft was specifically targeted on the incoming C-17 aircraft carrying the advance elements of the 101stAirborne Division. Thwarting a strengthened American presence in front of the invading armies was critical. Thirty-two of the aircraft were SU-27's, but the General's aircraft and another eleven were the more modern SU-35's which were flying in three flights of four in the middle rear of the overall formation. The General also had along four of the tandem seat SU-34's which were being used as electronics warfare aircraft. All of the General's 48 aircraft were now within a few minutes of catching the large aircraft, which his radar was showing scattering. Like a small herd of sheep before a pack of wolves, thought the General.

He was surprised there were no escorting American fighters.

No matter, given the range and their fuel status, he calculated that his aircraft should be able to down four or five of the advanced and very expensive cargo planes before he had to turn back.

Just as he was preparing to order the various flight leaders to vector towards their corresponding targets, missile launch warning tones began erupting in the c.o.c.kpits of all of the aircraft in the lead flights.

Cries of "Missile launch" and orders for evasive maneuvering were heard over the command frequency as the various flights being targeted sought to evade the oncoming missiles which appeared to have materialized out of nowhere. Very quickly, two of the General's SU-34 EW aircraft had backtracked the oncoming missiles and re-calibrated their instrumentation.

"Hawk Leader, we have marginal identification on four enemy aircraft, bearing fifteen degrees, alt.i.tude approximately ten thousand meters, range forty-five kilometers. We are identifying these as US F-22 Raptor aircraft. Very little electronic, radar or thermal signature."

Raptors! Finally a head to head combat confrontation with the latest American fighters. From the looks of it, they are everything they have been advertised as being, the General thought.

There had been no warning, just the missiles themselves in the air-AMRAAMS, from the looks of it.

Well, he hoped that his SU-35 and SU-34 combination he had included in this attack would allow him to not only complete his mission, but to defeat several of the F-22's as well.

January 18, 2006, the next five minutes Over the Turkish coast, outside Turkish airs.p.a.ce West of Adana, Turkey Over the next few minutes, four more launches of AMRAAMS by the US aircraft were accomplished before the range closed and the GIR aircraft got close enough to make IR contact and lock with the Americans. In that time, of the twenty missiles launched, fourteen of them found their mark and brought down SU-27's.

In the ensuing fight, General Ardakani committed four of his SU-35's and twelve of his remaining SU-27's against the four F-22's. With his remaining eight SU-35's, eight SU-27's and all four SU-34's, the General accelerated through the melee and continued on towards the C-17 aircraft which were now low to the deck, making an evasive egress towards Izmir.

Three F-22's were destroyed, two by R-27T1 infrared homing missiles and one by gunfire as the combat closed to "knife fight" range. The fourth F-22 was able to escape. This had cost the GIR another four SU-27's and two of the four SU-35's that had engaged the Americans. The total GIR cost to break through to the C-17 cargo aircraft had been twelve SU-27's and two SU-35's versus three F-22's.

Although the numbers were again very lopsided, the data recorded of the battle with the F-22's would later prove very advantageous to the GIR and her allies. It was also heralded as a great "victory" as the GIR not only accomplished its mission, but also overcame the vaunted, supposedly undefeatable American technology in doing so, despite horrendous losses that would not be so heralded.

General Ardakani's flight of aircraft caught up to and shot down three of the C-17's. Colonel Newhouse's aircraft was not one of these. In the action, pursued by no less than four SU-35's, including General Ardakani's aircraft, Colonel Newhouse's C-17 evaded six R-27 GIR missiles before being severely damaged by a R-27T1 infrared homing missile, which took out one of the C-17's engines, and another impact from a R-27R1 radar homing missile above and behind the c.o.c.kpit. The explosion killed the co-pilot and severely injured the Colonel. Despite severe damage to aircraft hydraulics and att.i.tude control, the Colonel was able to make an emergency landing along a dirt roadway fifteen miles inland in Turkey. His heroic actions in landing the aircraft under these circ.u.mstances saved the lives of the command staff for the 1stBrigade of the 82ndAirborne and would earn the Colonel a Medal of Honor.

January 18, 2006 16:35 Situation Room, The White House Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C.

As the reports came in, everyone in the room was silent.

Not two hours ago the world had been shocked at the announcements from the GIR. War had been declared by the GIR against America's staunchest Arab allies, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Several new nations had announced their unification with the GIR, including Syria, which only confirmed the worst fears of those in the United States. The President had immediately called his closest advisors into session in the situation room to monitor events. This included the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, the National Security Advisor, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Vice President.

Immediately following the announcement by Hasan Sayeed of the declaration of war, had come another attack on Incirlik, equally devastating to the one of a two months earlier and the ambush of the lead elements of the 82ndAirborne division off the Turkish coast. In that ambush, three F-22's and four C-17's were destroyed (this included the emergency landing of the C-17 by Colonel Newhouse where the decision had been made to destroy the aircraft on the ground after landing and evacuating it). This resulted in several hundred members of the 1stBrigade being killed along with the destruction of their equipment.

Now, from around the region, more bad news was pouring in. After the end of the latest report coming in from secure satellite link in Saudi Arabia, Jeremy Stone, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs addressed those a.s.sembled.

"So, let's summarize what we know so far. We have a two-p.r.o.nged invasion of Turkey, one consisting of a large GIR army group moving along the Tigris River with an apparent initial goal of Diyarbakir. The other is led by the Syrian Army Group, now also a GIR group, and is pointed along the coast with an apparent initial goal of Adana. Logistical support is already in place for both of these Army groups and men, equipment, materiel and supplies are flowing behind them. Our resources in the area are severely hampered by the destruction of Incirlik and the apparent airborne landing occurring in the vicinity now.

Izmir is receiving the 82nd, but we are clearly on a defensive posture there and are working with the Turkish armed forces to establish a cohesive line of defense extending from Mersin on the Mediterranean coast to Samsun on the Black Sea.

"Latest reports from Saudi indicate that the large GIR army group in the vicinity of Kuwait is also on the move. We expect a crossing of the Kuwait border sometime early tomorrow. We are experiencing heavy ballistic missile attack throughout the region as we speak and expect heavy air attacks to follow. Our air forces in the Saudi Kingdom are strong, but we frankly do not have enough men and materiel to fight anything short of a holding action in the Kuwait area. Given their announced intention to punish Saudi Arabia and their declaration of war, we believe that the GIR will proceed directly through Kuwait into the oil rich areas along the Persian Gulf Coast of Saudi Arabia and The United Arab Emirate. Mr. President, our initial recommendation will be to fall back and inflict as much attrition on the advancing GIR forces as possible. Again, their logistic lines are in place and set up to feed this invasion force as well. This map of the region should make clear what the GIR's intentions with respect to Saudi Arabia are."

"Finally, Egypt is in no better condition. With Chad, Libya, the Sudan and Ethiopia all joining with the Greater Islamic Republic, Egypt's position is as encompa.s.sed about as Saudi Arabia's and just as grave.

With the declaration of war on Egypt, the disposition of forces to the East and South of Egypt bring the strategic picture into clear focus. We expect that those Libyan and Sudanese forces that have been mobilizing are in a position to attack Egypt within the week. If for any reason the Chinese in Chad join in this, the prospects for Egypt are very grave."

President Weisskopf soberly took this in. There was little doubt that Hasan Sayeed was eliminating western influence, and particularly U.S influence in the Mid East. But in attacking Turkey, the stakes had been increased significantly. Would the NATO nations honor their commitments?

"Fred and Tim, can we expect full support and involvement by all of NATO in protecting Turkey?"

Tim Hattering considered this. Militarily it would require a full NATO mobilization to repel the GIR forces that were currently a.s.saulting her, and those mobilizing to support that a.s.sault. But, whether or not all the NATO nations would do so was the question. Those nations were much more dependent on the oil from the Middle East than the United States.

"Mr. President, if all of NATO honors their treaty obligations, we can repel this invasion. My concern is the oil issue and the influence it is sure to have on many of these nations. Fred, what is your read? I believe we can really only count on Canada, Great Britain and Germany."

Fred Reissinger had been talking to his counterparts in Europe over the last week since it had become clear that a potential for an attack on Turkey existed. The results had not been good.

"Mr. President, I believe we can count 100% on Great Britain and Canada. I believe Germany is 90% there, but we are going to have to help them find alternate sources for petroleum. Outside of this, I believe the Danes, the Poles, the Czechoslovakians and most of eastern Europe may also join, but the French and others are very iffy."

The President again soberly considered this.

"Well, I guess there is no great surprise there, particularly from the French. Let's get the House and Senate leaders.h.i.+p of both parties over here. In the mean time, Fred, get the Prime Ministers Great Britain and Canada and the Chancellor of Germany on the line in that order. It is my intention to request declaration of war between the United States and the GIR as of this evening. I want the vote in Congress done quickly so I can announce the same in a nation wide broadcast."

January 18, 2006 22:30 The Oval Office, The White House Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C.

"My fellow Americans. It with heavy heart but with crystal clear intent that I must speak with you tonight."

"Most of you have heard of the declaration of war announced by the leader of the Greater Islamic Republic earlier today on the nations of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirate. These are some of America's most trusted and loyal allies in the Middle East."

"The GIR has followed up that announcement with immediate attacks on Turkish and Saudi Arabian installations and cities. With great regret I must announce that these attacks included attacks on American installations in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. There has been significant loss of life. Incirlik airbase has once again been devastated by an unprovoked and overwhelming attack. GIR airborne forces have landed there and there is fierce fighting going on there as I speak to you tonight."

"My fellow citizens, we have strict obligations to our allies in this region. Turkey is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to which we also belong. In the fifth article of that treaty, we are bound to treat any attack on any member as an attack on ourselves. We intend to comply with and fulfill our treaty obligations."

"In addition, our own forces have been attacked in an unprovoked and malicious way. It is clear that Hasan Sayeed and his leaders.h.i.+p intend to coerce all Islamic nations to join with them. Those that will not are to be forced into their totalitarian and dogmatic society, a society where the most basic and fundamental of rights to religion and free speech are not only denied, but brutally suppressed. The United States of Americawill not stand by and watch our friends and allies be coerced into such an environment in any way, and particularly not at force of arms."

"This is not like the attack we suffered a few years ago that we all remember. In that attack, a rogue network of terrorist organizations supported by one or two governments a.s.saulted our homeland. In this instance, we have dedicated and large armies invading our allies. Where the "War on Terrorism" was against fiercely dedicated but small cells of terrorists and the relatively minor governments that supported them, this conflict will be waged against large nations and their armies. These nations have demonstrated their intent on conquering other nations and will, if not stopped, ultimately threaten our sh.o.r.es with similar attempts at conquest.

Therefore, I have consulted with the congressional leaders.h.i.+p and a vote by your representatives has already taken place. As of 10:00 p.m. this evening, January 18, 2006, a state of war officially exists between the Greater Islamic Republic and the United States of America."

"I must urge calm upon all of our citizens. This war will not be easy or quick. The GIR and its allies represent a population greater than our own, and production capacity almost equal to our own. The GIR sit astride some of the largest oil deposits in the world. They are in the process of attempting to take, at force of arms, oil deposits for which we and our allies have contracted with friendly nations to make use of. The hards.h.i.+ps that this situation has the potential of inflicting on our citizens are enormous."

"I am calling up 300,000 reservists today, to bolster our Army, Air and Naval forces so that we can contain and then kill this naked aggression."

"As tyrants, warmongers and despots have discovered: when aroused, the American people are capable of not only suffering through great hards.h.i.+p, but are capable of rising to levels of production and commitment unseen throughout the rest of the world. This is because we are free and because our freedom is founded upon absolutely firm moral principles."

"I urge all Americans to make tomorrow, January 19tha national day of prayer and reflection. Let us consider the roots of our liberty and what it is all based on. Then let us ask the hand of Providence to support us as we go forth once again as a people to defeat tyranny that would crush ourselves and our friends under its unrelenting heel."

"In conjunction with this announcement, I am informed that the Canadian and British parliaments are in session considering similar articles of war which will place them in this war at our side. We expect to hear of the positive results of these votes within the hour."

"Announcements regarding mobilization of all reserve units, of emergency actions regarding production and usage of strategic materiel and of war time policies will be forth coming beginning tomorrow."

"My fellow citizens, let us rise to the occasion and as a people answer these atrocities and these incursions with fierce resolution and with the American ingenuity and att.i.tude that has been the hallmark of American history. G.o.d bless you all. Good night."

January 19, 2006 07:00 News stands New York City, New York "Extra, Extra! Read all about it...War Declared in Mid East. US declares WAR on the Greater Islamic Republic! President calls for national day of prayer and reflection...read all about it!"

The newsboys were shouting it all over the city, waving the latest, hot off the press editions of the New York Herald Post. Similar scenes were being played out across America's major cities and throughout the world.

Herald Post Special Edition WAR DECLARED!.

Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C., January 19, 2006-An indignant Hasan Sayeed announced to the world yesterday that his nation, or group of nations making up the Greater Islamic Republic, had declared war on the nations of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirate and Egypt. Coincident with this announcement was the announcement that Syria, Jordan, Sudan and Ethiopia would be joining the GIR.

Within eight hours, and after attacks on U.S. military installations and personnel in the area, the President of the United States, Norm Weisskopf, announced that the U.S. Congress had met and declared war on the Greater Islamic Republic. This announcement was followed shortly thereafter by similar announcements from Great Britain and Canada, which are now added to the earlier announcements by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirate.

As of 5 a.m., EST, GIR armies had already penetrated into Turkey on two fronts and were closing on the Kuwait border. Heavy fighting is reported in both areas, as well as at the U.S. Air Force base at Incirlik, Turkey, where GIR air borne forces landed in strength after a ma.s.sive ballistic missile and air attack rendered the air base inoperable.

In addition, two GIR Army groups are ma.s.sing near Egypt, one to the west of Egypt near the Libyan border and another to the south along the border with Sudan. Both of these groups are expected to invade Egypt within the next few days.

The news rocketed around the globe.

January 19 became known as another "Dark Thursday" as both the DOW and NASDAQ plummeted.

By the end of the day, both indexes were down record amounts on the day, despite safe guards that halted trading and then restarted it several times. Total losses for the day were in excess of ten percent.

Trillions of dollars of wealth evaporated against the fear of negative impact on energy and against an antic.i.p.ated expanding war.

German politicians continued a very hot debate regarding their treaty obligations under NATO. By the end of the day, Germany voted in favor of honoring article five of their NATO treaty commitment, but it was a very narrow victory.

In Italy and Spain, the vote never occurred. Those against those nations entry into the war held enough power for the moment to thwart the vote coming to the floor of their respective legislative bodies.

In the far east, j.a.pan, Korea, The Republic of China and other far eastern nations took "wait and see"

att.i.tude about the conflict, although Australia immediately voted to logistically support the United States and her allies in any way possible short of declaring war themselves.

The CAS released a harshly worded communique on behalf of Red China and India, denouncing what it called "the hasty decision" by NATO countries to declare war on a member state of the CAS. That same communique praised other NATO countries for showing restraint in what it viewed as a regional issue centered around religious persecution and intolerance by those states upon whom the GIR had declared war. Both the Russian Federation and Red China offered to mediate and called for an immediate meeting of the UN Security Council to work out a meeting of the parties at the negotiating table.

January 22, 2006 21:30 local time CP, 39th Security Forces Squadron Incirlik Air Force Base, Turkey Captain Hanson surveyed what he had left as a fighting force. He was down to about one-third strength for his security forces, but had augmented that with various grades of enlisted and officer rank personnel left over from the 39th Support, Transportation, Logistics and Medical groups and a few from the Air Wing Group. A few members of the 628th Air Mobility Support Squadron and US Army Corps of Engineers were also with him.

He had been fighting a rear guard action since the major evacuation from the base after the devastating ballistic missile and air attacks of the 18th. His original job had been to ensure that all critical equipment and materiel left behind in the evacuation was destroyed and that any stragglers were gathered up for the final evacuation which was supposed to have occurred late yesterday afternoon. But that was before the GIR had landed in battalion strength in airdrops to the south and east of the base the afternoon of the 20th, soon after the major evacuation was completed. They had been lucky that the transport, support and escort aircraft had made it out, and that the ground convoy had escaped.

The GIR had been reinforced and now controlled roughly two-thirds of the base. He had destroyed a lot of cla.s.sified materiel and equipment, but useful equipment had still fallen into the hands of their attackers.

Captain Hanson did not expect any further re-supply. The first evening, the U.S. Air Force had returned in strength and supported him, accomplis.h.i.+ng close air support and dropping ammunition, medical supplies and other materiel to the beleaguered defenders. But last night the sky belonged to the GIR, and it was looking like they had established air superiority in the region. His radio communications were being effectively jammed, and the last message had given him the initiative to continue the fight for as long as practicable, or retreat at his discretion. Reports indicated that an entire GIR Army group, numbering in excess of one hundred and twenty thousand men, had broken through Turkish defenses near Osmaniye, fifty miles to the east. This meant that advance elements would be arriving very soon, possibly this evening, and certainly by tomorrow morning.

Hanson had decided to withdraw this evening. He had six deuce-and-a-half trucks for transportation, his last three Avenger-2 Missile systems (mounted on HUMMV cha.s.sis) for anti-air coverage, his last three V-150 APC's, six Peacekeeper APC's and six HUMMV's (two of which were outfitted with TOW missiles). Altogether, he had two hundred personnel to transport, with twenty-seven of these being severely wounded and unable to a.s.sist in any defense.

In order to accomplish the withdrawal, the Captain had requested a volunteer force of twenty security personnel, which he would lead as a diversion. He planned to use one Avenger, one V-150 and one of the Peacekeepers with this force to punch through the GIR lines and attack a logistics depot on the opposite side of the base near the northern perimeter. Two of his scouts had discovered this logistics point last evening as they were reconnoitering behind enemy lines. The depot appeared to be fairly well defended.

This "diversion" would be Captain Hanson's answer to the GIR brokered cease-fire for him to consider terms for surrender. A part of the diversion included an escape route north into the hills for any who could manage it.

An hour ago there was still an open corridor back through Adana to a small security detachment, also under his command, with the 39thWing A 39 Supply Squadron in Yumurtalik, thirty kilometers away.

Once his XO joined up with them, they would retreat to the east and join U.S. or Turkish forces north of Mersin along the defenses being created there.

January 22, 2006 22:23 local time GIR logistics point Incirlik Air Force Base, Turkey The firefight was over. It had been short and incredibly intense. Colonel Ahma.s.s could hardly believe the audacity of it. Twenty minutes ago when he had been informed that the Americans had made a breakthrough and were proceeding towards his position with several APC and an unknown number of personnel, the Colonel had prepared accordingly.

Colonel Ahma.s.s' unit was a lead element of the large GIR/Syrian Army that was invading Turkey along the Mediterranean coast. The Colonel had arrived yesterday and was the one who set up the logistics depot and its defenses.

Those defenses consisted of a detachment of one hundred and fifty soldiers with two ZSU-234 AAW vehicles, four BMP-2 tracked APC's, four BTR-152 wheeled APC's and several 7.62 MM PK machine guns.

As the Americans approached, the Colonel called in air support in the form of two Mi-28N Havoc attack helicopters from locations just behind the advancing GIR army group. When they arrived, the lead unit immediately attacked one of the American APC's, the Peacekeeper, with an Ataka anti-tank missile, and completely destroyed it. To the Colonel's shock, the small U.S. attacking force included a very capable AAW platform, the U.S. Avenger, which immediately engaged both Havoc helicopters and shot both out of the air with Stinger missiles.

The American V-150 laid down a deadly fire with its 20 mm cannon, immediately engaging one BMP-2 and destroying it. As the other GIR BMP-2's came into play, American soldiers on foot employed their man-portable M47 Dragon anti-tank missiles and destroyed two of them. Finally, the last BMP-2 scored a direct hit on the rear of the V-150 with an AT-4 Spigot missile, and then finished the vehicle off with its 30 mm cannon using twenty to thirty AP-T (armor piercingtracer) rounds. That BMP-2 then quickly dispatched the American Avenger unit as it tried to escape to the north. This was accomplished with a second AT-4 Spigot missile which quickly traveled the 1,500 meters that separated the two vehicles, completely destroying the lightly armed Avenger in a spectacular explosion as its remaining Stinger missiles cooked off in the conflagration. After this, a brief firefight ensued which ended up driving off the last four or five American soldiers who retreated to the north.

The GIR logistics depot had been defended, but it had cost Colonel Ahma.s.s the two Mi-28N attack helicopters, three of his BMP-2's, one of his BTR-152's and about forty personnel. For this carnage, he could count two American APC's, the Avenger and what appeared to be the bodies of about fifteen American soldiers.

Captain Hanson was among the five survivors who escaped into the hills to the north where he ultimately joined up with Turkish partisans in what would prove to be a very long and bitter fight against the GIR forces which were sweeping across Turkey.

January 22, 2006 22:35 local time Outside Adana International Airport Adana, Turkey As the firefight at the logistics depot ended, the retreating American column sped along the four-lane highway on the outskirts of Adana near the International Airport. The Americans were unaware that just two hours earlier a number of transports had landed GIR Special Forces at the airport. These forces, supported by attack helicopters, took control of the airport in a brief firefight with elements of the local Turkish defense forces. Thereafter, twenty-five transport aircraft landed a full armored reconnaissance company at the airport as an advance contingent of the armored division that was currently en route along the coast.

As the retreating Americans pa.s.sed the airport entrance, four Type-63 light tanks had just taken up position there along with four BMP-2's and four BTR-80 APC's. Both sides were completely surprised to encounter one another. The ensuing fight was brief and deadly as the Americans attempted to force their way past.

In the fight, the Americans lost four of their six deuce-and-a-half trucks and most of the personnel riding in them. In addition, they lost both V-150 APC's, four of their six Peacekeeper APC's and three HUMMV's. Most of these vehicles were destroyed by cannon fire from the Typre-63 tanks and anti-tank munitions from the BMP-2 and BTR-80 APC's. Both Avenger AAW units were able to speed past the airport entrance in the fighting and confusion.

Of the nearly 200 personnel retreating in the American convoy, only sixty-five personnel made it past the airport and ultimately joined up with the smaller security detachment for the A 39 Supply Squadron that was anxiously waiting for them in Yumurtalik. One hundred and three Americans were killed, most in the loaded and unprotected deuce-and-a-half trucks, and another forty-three were wounded and captured along with twenty other personnel who had not been injured in the fighting. Of these sixty-three captured personnel, the GIR spared fifteen officers and senior enlisted men for questioning while mercilessly executing the rest where they stood or lay to the horror of the fifteen survivors.

In the fight, the American V-150's and the TOW equipped HUMMV's exacted a heavy toll from the GIR forces. Two of the Type-63 tanks, three of the BMP-2's and three of the BTR-80's were destroyed. Most of the soldiers in the GIR APC's were killed as the units had just arrived and the troops had not unloaded from them when the fighting began. In all, eighty-three GIR personnel were killed and fifteen wounded. An armed scout helicopter that was sent to attack the fleeing Americans was shot down by one of the escorting Avenger AAW vehicles, and thereafter the American retreat was not interfered with.

With this battle, the fall of the U.S. airbase at Incirlik, Turkey was complete and the GIR had established a strong foothold along the coast of Turkey.

January 24, 2006 16:35 Lazy H Ranch Outside Montague, Texas Jess took off his over boots as he stepped onto the back porch.

Boy, that north wind is howling, he thought as he took off his insulated coveralls and placed them on a peg.

At least those are still easily found, Made in America, he thought as he went through the back door. Jess took great satisfaction in only buying "Made in America" goods for his own personal clothing and implements. The rest of the family had never been quite as serious about it, though they did make the effort, for which Jess was grateful. But, Jess had been to many of those "foreign" places and saw how the people lived, how their governments treated them. He did not want that for America and figured, in his own small way, he could help avoid it by "buying American."

"Hey sweetheart," he called, "what's to eat?"

Cindy not only heard Jess come in, what with that north wind blowing, she also felt him come in by the blast of cold air that accompanied his entry.

"We've got some Chili Beans and cornbread honey, made just the way you like it and piping hot."

"How cold is it out there, anyway. Wind's been blowing all day and I know I've seen some flakes of snow blowing past the windows here."

Actually, the snow was coming down harder now and Jess thought they were in for at least several inches by morning. Temperature had been dropping since yesterday when that norther came through and it had fallen through the twenties today and was sitting at eighteen degrees right now. Despite impressions to the contrary, here in north central Texas, especially up here near the Red River, snow, ice and cold were a typical part of winter, even if the winter was relatively short.