Gaillard R. Peck Jr. - Americas Secret MiG Squadron The Red Eagles of Project CONSTANT PEG

Dedicated to the men who restored, maintained, and supported our MiG aircraft, thus permitting American fighter pilots to train realistically and achieve a formidable air combat capability.

All of the Red Eagles kept their mouths shut about the MiG operations at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada until November 2006 when Project CONSTANT PEG was declassified. After so many years, it was a struggle to recall facts and figures about the project, especially since the written records had largely been lost, either to the shredder or in the attack on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, as has been alleged. Nevertheless, the discussions I have recently had with other Red Eagles (and Red Eagle adversaries) have enabled me to put together this story. I dont claim that it is 100 percent accurate, but it is as close as I could come given the lapse of time and the advance of age.

My fundamental encouragement came from the first Red Eagles author, Steve Davies (who wrote Red Eagles Americas Secret MiGs for Osprey), who has been a cheerleader for me throughout this book writing process. Steve, you will always be my friend.

I thought I knew a lot about leadership and management until I heard Simon Sinek speak at the USAF Weapons School (WS) at Nellis Air Force Base (AFB), Nevada, in 2010 and then read his book, Start With Why! I previously understood the basics of the Why, How, What and the Golden Circle, but Simons explanations brought the basics into focus for me and legitimized the outline I had selected why we formed the MiG adversary program, how we built the airfield and restored the MiGs for use in combat training, and what the USA received as a combat performance dividend. Simon, I will always be your cheerleader.

And now to my friends both within the circle of Red Eagles and those on the outside cheering me on and/or critiquing this work. First, a profound word of thanks for your candor, your stories, and your help. Gen Vandenberg got this project going back in the 1970s and then applauded the results in a summer 2011 letter to me which included the lines:

All you Red Eagles can be justifiably proud of the great contribution you made in winning the Cold War. From such an inauspicious beginning to what you became and what you all accomplished is carved in stone. I am proud to be even a very small part of such an unequalled organization.

Air superiority rules!

Sandy Vandenberg

Boss Vandenberg, without you, generals Chuck Donnelly, Jim Currie, and Charlie Gabriel, and then Col (later Gen) Dick Murray, the Gang of Three (Glenn Frick, DL Smith, and I) would not have been able to make CONSTANT PEG happen.

A special word of thanks to fellow Red Eagle commanders Earl Obi Wan Henderson, Phil Hound Dawg White, and Mike Scooter Scott for sticking with me and providing information that helped put the pieces together with some degree of historical accuracy. Earls son Neil Henderson has also been a champion of this project, providing insight and help. We all owe former Red Eagle commander Jack Madjack Manclark a word of thanks for leading the effort that led to the declassification of the project. And a tip of the hat to the guys that followed the Gang of Three, Bill Saki Sakahara at the Air Staff and Joseph CT Wang at TAC Headquarters. These men, along with the subsequent commanders of the Red Eagles and the replacement staff at the Pentagon and Langley AFB, Virginia, kept the momentum going and ensured the success of the Red Eagle program.

I owe a special word of thanks to my 433rd TFS combat colleague and fellow FWS air-to-air instructor Ed Fast Eddy Cobleigh (author of War for the Helluva It) who gave me great advice on the dos and donts and then read and critiqued the entire manuscript, providing insight and critical comment. My F-4 FWS fellow IP and long-time friend Gen Jeff Cliver pored over the document and helped so much with the rewrites. FWS instructor Billy Gordon patiently told me combat stories that helped me lay the foundation for the story about the need for change in fighter tactics and training. My new ski buddy, and fellow fighter pilot, Gabby Hayes and his lovely wife Ava also took the time to read the manuscript and help me with the details of alternative language, organization, and flow. My Air Force Academy classmate Gen Don Shepperd and fighter pilot friends Mark Berent and Walt Boyne, all accomplished authors, provided encouragement, contacts, and pointers that are gratefully acknowledged.

A special thanks to my new friend Gholi Darehshori, a true American patriot and champion of the US military who enthusiastically offered to partner with me to be sure this work would be published. Gholi, that was a special and wonderful push from you and your lovely wife Georgia, with great help from your brother Nader.

Christine Biederer always smiled when I asked her to make another graphics art fix for me. And then she got it done and her product always exceeded my hopes. Thanks Red.

To Sam Moore, the Department of Energy site manager at Tonopah at the beginning, to John Pollet at Holmes and Narver (our architectural and engineering contractor), to Del Gaulker at Reynolds Engineering and Electrical Company (our construction firm), and to all the others in your organizations that lent us total support and unequalled performance, thanks and a tip of the hat.

Now to some Red Eagles that I especially treasure. Ben Galloway and Bob Bro Breault and Bens lovely wife Melody I could not have gotten this done without you guys. And at the same time you were building and refining the fidelity of our Red Eagle rosters and preparing the newsletters. Just what I would have expected from Red Eagles. Wow! Thanks for being on my team. P. Cox, the keeper of the historical personnel records and the man that can do anything. Keep charging. We love you man! Rich Samanich and Chief Mac McMurtrie thanks for the stories and the pictures. Gifted artist Joe Mike Pyle and the flight doctors, especially Doc Gerbil Funke, fed me great information about life at Tonopah after my watch was over. Joe Mike, perhaps we can energize your talent and beg you to do a painting depicting our jets on the tarmac at Tonopah for the National Museum of the Air Force. Possible?

The enlisted team put together by Bobby Ellis was without equal anywhere. You guys could do anything, and you did it regularly. Over the years I have kept up with the initial Assistant Chief of Maintenance Don Lyon, along with master aircraft mechanics Steve Hovermale and Tommy Karnes, and jet engine mechanic Ike Crawley. Our chats, laughs, and memories have been the fuel that motivated me. I love hanging out with the pilots too, but you guys, along with the rest of the initial cadre, make me smile just to think about you. Thanks so much for everything that ALL of you Red Eagles accomplished. My heart still aches over Bobbys loss.

To the USAF, US Navy, and the US Marine Corps Red Eagle MiG pilots and controllers, and to the combat fighter pilots that scored kills and validated our project, Ill fly or drink with you anytime, anywhere. You guys are my heroes. US Navy pilots Tom Squid Morgenfeld and Chuck Heater Heatley and the sea service pilots that followed brought a tremendous dimension to the Red Eagle team.