DOOM 34 – Trey Morriss

Bernie and Steve exchanged a knowing glance as the young airman’s lips seemed to mouth a few colorful expletives. Steve chuckled over our interphone, “Did you see that?” “Yep,” Bernie replied, voice tinged with amusement but still locked in concentration. “Bet we gave him a big surprise.” The young airman’s excitement quickly faded as he shifted focus back to Clipper. Everyone settled into their roles, prepared for the critical task at hand—transferring 120,000 pounds of fuel in under twenty minutes. While I often called this process “the dance,” it was more like a wrestling match— a delicate yet demanding struggle for control.

For a BUFF pilot, maintaining position in the air refueling envelope required constant, minute adjustments to the throttles and flight controls. It was a grueling exercise in precision. As the directional lights on the tanker steadied, signaling approval, the A/R boom began to snake toward Clipper. It extended with a mesmerizing, almost predatory grace, as though it might pierce the wind-screen before zeroing in on its target.

There was something primal and awe-inspiring about watching that boom—equal parts engineering marvel and raw power —connect with the jet. From my seat, I could hear the subtle changes in pitch as the boom altered the airflow, followed by a solid thump as the funnel-like receptacle guided the boom into place.

In sequence, Steve called out, “Contact.” Above, a soft green light illuminated the overhead panel. Connection achieved. Clipper was locked in, and the critical transfer of fuel began—our bridge to the next phase of the mission. My job during air refueling was straightforward but essential— monitoring a small Plexiglas window just below the A/R valve. It served as an early warning system, revealing any fuel or hydraulic fluid leaks. To prepare for the darkness, I’d rigged a small adjustable lamp, dim enough not to distract the pilots but bright enough to spot even a faint trace of liquid in the window.

There was no checklist line that said, “This is an emergency.” Old heads just told me, “You’ll know it when you see it.” Small weeps were nothing—a few lazy drops of JP-4 and we kept right on trucking. But that window formed a shallow “bowl,” maybe two cups in volume.

The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. government. The public release clearance of this publication by the Department of Defense does not imply Department of Defense endorsement or factual accuracy of the material. OceanofPDF.com DOOM 34 A Firsthand Account of the Top-Secret Mission That Launched Operation Desert Storm TREY MORRISS WITH BONI PELUSO Essex, Connecticut OceanofPDF.com An imprint of The Globe Pequot Publishing Group, Inc.

64 South Main Street Essex, CT 06426 www.GlobePequot.com Copyright © 2026 by Trey Morriss All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information available Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available ISBN 978-1-4930-9361-8 (cloth : alk.

paper) ISBN 978-1-4930-9395-3 (electronic) Printed in India OceanofPDF.com CONTENTS Cover Half Title Title Copyright Contents Foreword Prologue: Reunion Chapter 1: The Day That Changed Everything Chapter 2: The Guys Chapter 3: Planning, Training, Waiting Chapter 4: Ready for Takeoff Chapter 5: The Best Laid Plans, Oft Get Laid Chapter 6: The Most Dangerous Dance Ever Chapter 7: Watch Your Six Chapter 8: Fight’s On! Chapter 9: Wing and a Prayer (aka New Enemies) Chapter 10: No Slumber Party Chapter 11: Eight Hours to Go Chapter 12: Celebration Epilogue: Finest Hour Crew Roster Acknowledgments OceanofPDF.com FOREWORD BY GENERAL THOMAS A.

BUSSIERE Senior Surprise and DOOM 34: The Mission That Set the Bar IN MILITARY HISTORY, THERE ARE MOMENTS THAT BECOME TURNING points— defining moments that not only reshape the course of individual careers but alter the trajectory of entire nations. Senior Surprise is one of those pivotal moments. It was more than a mission. It was the harbinger of a new era in how the United States would project power globally. It was a challenge unlike any before it—one that would demand everything from those involved, testing their resilience, skill, and resolve in ways few could imagine.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

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• ISBN: 9781493093618, 9781493093953
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• Language: English (en)

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