BRAVEST OF THE BRAVE

A Misty pilot recounts a mission of utmost courage

- BY MAJ. GEN. DONALD SHEPPERD, USAF (RET.)

THE MISTY MISSION

IN 1967, a group of experienced fighter pilots formed Operation Commando Sabre, a top-secret unit with call sign, “Misty.” The mission was to fly fast and low to find hidden targets such as truck parks, POL (petroleum, oil, and lubricants) storage sites and SAM missiles. They flew the two-seat F-100F, armed only with 20mm cannon and smoke-marking rockets. Typically, Mistys were up at 0300, off to a quick breakfast and then into a mission briefing. They studied HHQ reports, photos from Intel and previous Misty flights and then made a predawn takeoff. They flew for 30 minutes, let down over the South China Sea and crossed the coast at high speed. Often, the whole sky lit up with tracers as they turned, banked and pulled high-G, looking for camouflaged, heavily defended targets. The front-seat pilot flew the aircraft while the backseater handled radios, maps and a hand-held 35mm camera. When a target was discovered, they marked the target for bomb-laden fighters. Of the 155 Mistys officially assigned to fly missions over North Vietnam from June 1967 to May 1970, 34 were shot down. Eight others were shot down when flying non-Misty missions, and two were shot down twice. There were seven KIA (killed in action) and four POWs.

The third generation of Misty pilots gathers in the Phu Cat Officers' Club in 1968. Author is in the back row on the far left.

We Mistys were legendary for bravery, certainly in fighter pilot lore; this was usually because of our high loss rate. It could be intellectually argued that our reputation for bravery was owed to incompetence, stupidity, lack of judgment and a disregard for rules; we prefer to think our buddies were right and we were just brave.