Thursday, June 28, 2007
Secret Missions to Norway
In Oct 61, Don Coyle flew a classified mission to Norway, one of several such. Does anyone know anything about such missions? Coyle picked up a Norwegian nav at Bodo, then flew north around the top of Norway. To escape Soviet radar detection, they descended to 300' AGL, below the tops of the fjord walls, flying to a field built by the Germans during WW2. It was probably near Kirkenes. The unknown cargo was discharged to trucks on a small road near the field.The field was a single runway to narrow to turn around, so the airplane had to be backed to the end of the runway for departure.
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Yes, I remember as well being on a few 'secret missions' normally a SAM. These were in the early 60's and to India. The crew, all with Top Secret clearances, were briefed in a small room at KDOV base ops and advised to carry weapons. Also, we were to wear civilian clothes after flying East from Germany. Lastly, the families, when calling the Squadron, could only be told that the mission had departed Germany in an Easterly direction with no knowledge of time of return or destination.
One of these missions took us to Dum Dum AP in Calcutta where we landed in 'secrecy'. And, we were able to enjoy the beginning of the Monsoon season!
However, I was the 39th squadron historian and noticed a complete report of our arrival in the local newspaper and brought a copy back to include in the monthly analysis of the squadron's work.
After landing we flew VFR for about an hour without filing a flight plan to a seemingly abandoned WWII base on the Northern border and off loaded 'listening apparatus'. We never really knew what we carried on these missions and never really asked.
There were a lot of SAM missions in the early 60's almost all to interesting places with interesting cargo. I do not remember the other crew members as I did not keep orders that I can now review.
Rick Spencer
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