9/11 scenario faced-- In '72, airmen conf. poss. of having to shoot down hijacked airplane

Richmond Times Dispatch ^ | Dec 1, 2003 | PETER BACQUE

[putupon]

The command "Stand by to arm" got his undiluted attention.

"Wait a minute," the air defense fighter pilot thought. "We don't do that."

On that dreary day in 1972, a military controller was ordering the Air National Guard captain to get ready to destroy a hijacked DC-9 airliner filled with Americans.

[DefCon]

I used my special decoder ring to decipher the title.

9/11 scenario faced
In 1972, airmen confronted possibility
of having to shoot down a hijacked airplane

[putupon]

I used my special decoder ring to decipher the title.

You have a ring that lets you fit in long titles in allowed space then, I suppose?

[DefCon]

Be sure to drink your ovaltine.

[putupon]

ab·bre·vi·a·tion ( P ) Pronunciation Key (-brv-shn)

n. The act or product of shortening. A shortened form of a word or phrase used chiefly in writing to represent the complete form, such as Mass. for Massachusetts or USMC for United States Marine Corps.

[Buy it]
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English
Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

[texas booster]

Children, children.

The article was about a hijacking in 1972. I only vaguely remember the incident. It seems that there is truly nothing new under the sun.

Anyone around with first hand knowledge of this hijacking?

[Timesink]

In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire ... the A-Team.

[tgslTakoma]

!

[bootless]

And a bump for the F-102 - W's jet of choice in the ANG.

[tgslTakoma]

I bumped this thread because the fellow interviewed in the story is the same one who flew with GW Bush in the Tx ANG, and who wrote that awesome letter to the Washington Times today.

[hoosierboy]

Recent news stories detailing how U.S. fighter pilots are training for the grim possibility of shooting down hijacked civilian airliners did not shock Campenni, a 63-year-old retired Virginia Air National Guard colonel living in Herndon.

Oh whats does he know he was only in the air national guard, was he trying to avoid going to vietnam. The next thing the press will tell me he went awol. (/sarcasm)

[bootless]

Oh, no kidding! I didn't realize it was the same guy! I have the WashTimes article bookmarked. Awesome.

Just started Ann Coulter's column on this whole miserable flap, and so far, she's right on: Since when did the Dems care about honor? And they're suddenly interested in whether someone actually deserved an honorable discharge. Whatta buncha weenies.

[July 4th]

Yeah, I saw the author and thought to myself, I just saw this name somewhere!

[NonValueAdded]

bump

[momto3ntx]

I have lots of first hand knowledge of this event. I was only 8 months old at the time but, believe me, I've heard the stories a million times! I'd be glad to share what I know.