North Korea Harbor Strike

[Dan Verssen]

Here you go...

[Holly]

Okay, here we go. I had a little trouble getting my AAR to stick - Thanks Dan for the help.
 
-Holly

[Holly]

North Korea 2007
Harbor Strike

October 2007
Pacific waters off the coast of North Korea
U.S.S. John Stennis CVN-74

My team has been assembled and I plan to show the admiral my grit in North Korea.
We have been assigned to destroy Wonsan Harbor, which undoubtedly will hinder shipping into and out of the country for quite some time.

I know this will be a difficult mission, in fact my superiors have told me that only someone with my ‘Veteran’ status would have a chance at success. They honor me with their confidence.

[Holly]

I can’t deny, my first view of the projected mission defenses is daunting. I have confidence in my team but these odds are near overwhelming.

[Holly]

I have been asked to submit my mission plans before tomorrow morning’s flight. Here are my considerations:

I plan to fly my team together, as a unit from the northeast. While at high altitude, I plan to take out any Radar-Guided Sites present. This will leave only sites with low altitude range. If I fly at high altitude, my team and I should be immune from their fire, focusing on Air-to-Air threats.

I will then cross into the target area, drop to low altitude and let my fastest pilots take out the SAM sites. When the SAMs have been eliminated, or at least reduced, we will drop all Air to Ground bombs in an attempt to destroy the Harbor. Finally, we will climb back to high altitude and fly out over the east defenders.

[Holly]

On the way to the target, I have been given the opportunity to aid in a Search and Rescue. Obviously, my heart would lead me there without hesitation but the success of my mission could alter the course of the war. I must focus on my mission today.

[Holly]

On first arrival, it is not as bad as I thought it would be. There are far fewer Bandits in the area than anticipated.

I tell my men to fire upon the Radar-Guided sites and Bandits at will in the hopes of making this a quick and decisive victory.

Our first contact with the enemy was a terrible and bloody trade. They lost two Radar-Guided sites and two Bandits but with grief I must report that Fox was locked onto by a Mig-29, and after heroic evasion attempts, shot down.

As the battle continued, we got a little luck. Banzai took out the final Radar site in the east egress area. We miss Fox dearly in our fights with the Bandits. Several members of the team have been locked onto but all have been able to evade. A few men seem shaken but otherwise unharmed.

We now dive into the target area. The men want to focus on the target but the SAM sites are menacing. I have told them to follow the plan and take out the sites now, then we should have a clear path to the Harbor.

[Holly]

My frustrations know no bounds. All shots fired have missed. Well, technically I only mean all of our shots. The enemy has done well targeting us. We have been sighted no less than 12 times in the last short while. I am actually amazed that only one of our team has been damaged. Blob’s Hornet is damaged and all munitions jettisoned to keep it in the air. It is another heavy blow to our mission.

[Holly]

The men continue to miss with their ordinances. The target still looks terribly intact. I don’t see how we can pull a success from this disaster. I only hope we leave here with our lives.

Griffin has been hit with a damaging shot. His plane is still air worthy but it’s only good enough to get him away from the area.

Good news, we survived. We’re shaken, bloodied, damaged, but alive and able to return to the carrier. After one last barrage of SAM and Bandit fire, we dropped our bombs and fled the area. We did damage to the Harbor, but not enough to matter. I hope we are given another crack at this place. I am ashamed of the failure but relieved that no one was killed. We just got word that Fox was successfully pulled from the water.

[Holly]

This mission, considered near suicidal from the beginning was a complete failure. I hope to gain knowledge and experience from this and future battles so that this may never happen again. It is a stain upon my history.

[NefariousKoel]

I saw the initial target intel and [X(][X(]

That's one nasty place to be.

[Holly]

No joke! Really a bad place to be.
Unfortunately, my guys were so torn up by the end of the mission that I couldn't get enough useful pilots together for the next mission, so that one was a failure too. I should have started smaller and built up some experience. This was day 1.
 
Also, I don't picture trying the Veteran level again for a while. Yikes! I think I'll return to Newbie. Nothing like success to improve the old self esteem. : )
 
-Holly

[Shadow of the Condor]

Wow - well protected indeed! And watching your ordinance fall from your damaged planes is no fun either. Almost makes one wish for a bid red abort button somewhere. Good try!