ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 46627
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| Date: | Wednesday 27 February 1991 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon |
| Owner/operator: | 10th TFSqn /50th TFWg USAF |
| Registration: | 84-1390 |
| MSN: | 5C-172 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | ca 30 miles NW of Basra -
 Iraq
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Al Dhafra AB, Abu Dhabi (DHF/OMAM) |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Shot down 27th February 1991 approximately 30 miles north-west of Basra, Iraq, during combat operations as part of operation "Desert Storm". The pilot, Captain William F. Andrews, ejected and became a PoW, but was released eight days later after the end of the war.
Reportedly the F-16C had been flying too low and was hit by a shoulder-launched SA-16 SAM. Captain William F. Andrews was awarded the Air Force Cross for preventing missile shooters from getting a lock on his wingman. According to the official citation of the Air Force Cross award:
"The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pleasure in presenting the Air Force Cross to Captain William F. Andrews, United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against the armed forces of the Republic of Iraq, while serving as a Pilot with the 10th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Hahn Air Base, Germany, in action approximately 30 miles north-west of Basra, Iraq, on 27 February 1991, during Operation DESERT STORM.
On that date, while leading an F-16 flight against heavily defended armor and mechanized forces, Captain Andrews' F-16 suffered major damage from enemy air defenses forcing him to eject in enemy territory.
While in the parachute descent, he made contact with his flight using his survival radio and, despite being fired upon by enemy forces while in the parachute descent, provided an area description and direction to his flight.
After landing, at which point he broke his leg, Captain Andrews made numerous threat calls and directed members of his flight to execute a break turn and to initiate decoy flares in response to surface-to-air missile launches. Shortly thereafter, he was in radio contact with NAIL 51, an OA-10 in the area, and twice directed the pilot to break and expend decoy flares when he saw missile launches.
In both cases, the pilots indicated that they would have suffered direct hits from enemy infra-red seeking missiles had Captain Andrews not made the threat calls from the ground. Captain Andrews provided the support despite the fact that he had just suffered a broken leg and could not move, was exposed in the open, and was being fired upon by enemy forces.
Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, Captain Andrews reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force."
A UH-60A (78-23015) was shot down whilst trying to rescue Captain Andrews. Five of its crew died while three where taken prisoner.
The aircraft carried nose art at the time applied for the war. Art was a blond woman in a white bikini lying sideways on the right side of the aircraft below the canopy. Before the 84-1390 was destroyed, it had flown 43 combat missions.
Sources:
1. http://www.f-16.net/aircraft-database/F-16/airframe-profile/1720/
2. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1984.html
3. http://web.archive.org/web/20170218120105/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/Aircraft_by_Type/F-16/USAF/f_16_USAF_90s.htm
4. http://luckyaviation.blogspot.co.uk/2007/11/ds-tail-code.html
5. http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=3547
6. http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2011/February%202011/0211desert.aspx
7. http://www.pownetwork.org/gulf/ad069.htm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Nov-2008 10:35 | ASN archive | Added |
| 14-Jan-2009 11:29 | harro | Updated |
| 03-Jul-2009 04:54 | Jakub Cikhart | Updated |
| 07-Nov-2013 18:04 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Nov-2013 18:13 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Country, Source, Narrative] |
| 12-Oct-2019 18:54 | TB | Updated [Other fatalities, Location] |
| 26-Feb-2021 11:26 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Operator] |
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