DATE=12/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243390
TITLE=IRAQ ATTACK WOMEN (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: WOMEN WERE AT THE CONTROLS OF SOME OF THE WARPLANES THAT
ATTACKED IRAQ DURING "OPERATION DESERT FOX." PENTAGON OFFICIALS
SAY IT APPEARS TO BE THE FIRST TIME U-S WOMEN HAVE FIRED MISSILES
AND DROPPED BOMBS IN COMBAT. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS, BOTH
PILOTS AND GENERALS GREETED THIS BIT OF MILITARY HISTORY WITH A
SHRUG.
TEXT: REPORTS FROM THE CARRIER U-S-S ENTERPRISE SAY F-18 PILOT
KENDRA WILLIAMS, A LIEUTENANT, WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO FLY AND
FIRE MISSILES IN COMBAT. OFFICIALS SAY LT. WILLIAMS FLEW ONE OF
30 PLANES IN THE FIRST WAVE OF AIR STRIKES LAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
SHE IS ONE OF THREE WOMEN WHO FLY THE F-A-18 ON THE ENTERPRISE.
THERE ARE 277 FEMALE PILOTS IN THE NAVY, BUT ONLY 14 WOMEN FLY
THE F-18 FIGHTER BOMBER.
TWENTY-SIX YEAR OLD LT. WILLIAMS GOT A LOVE OF FLYING FROM HER
FATHER, WHO ALSO FLEW JET FIGHTERS. HE LET HER TAKE THE CONTROLS
OF A SMALL PROPELLER PLANE WHEN SHE WAS ONLY TEN YEARS OLD. IN A
NEWSPAPER INTERVIEW, LT. WILLIAMS SAYS SHE WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS
FLYING IN COMBAT FOR THE FIRST TIME. BUT INSISTS SHE WAS "JUST
DOING HER JOB."
/// OPT /// THE U-S AIR FORCE SAYS FIRST LIEUTENANT CHERYL
LAMOUREUX BECAME THE FIRST WOMEN ON A COMBAT AIR MISSION IN THAT
SERVICE. SHE IS A CREW MEMBER ON A B-52 THAT FIRED CRUISE
MISSILES AT TARGETS IN IRAQ. /// END OPT ///
LORY MANNING, OF THE WOMEN'S RESEARCH AND EDUCATION INSTITUTE IN
WASHINGTON, SAYS AFTER CONGRESS CHANGED LAWS BARRING WOMEN FROM
FLYING WARPLANES, IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE WOMEN FOUND
THEMSELVES IN FRONT LINE JETS.
/// MANNING ///
WOMEN HAVE BEEN FLYING THESE AIRCRAFU FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS
NOW, AND THEY'VE CERTAINLY FIRED THESE MISSILES IN TRAINING AND
THAT SORT OF THING. BUT IT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE FIRED THEM IN
A REAL ACTION.
/// END ACT ///
MS. MANNING IS A RETIRED U-S NAVY CAPTAIN WHO SPENT MORE THAN 25
YEARS IN THE SERVICE. HER CAREER SHOWS HOW MUCH OPPORTUNITIES
AND RISKS HAVE INCREASED FOR WOMEN IN THE SERVICES. WHEN SHE
JOINED THE NAVY, WOMEN COULD NOT ATTEND CLASSES AT THE SERVICE
ACADEMIES, AND WERE BARRED FROM JOBS AT SEA, IN GROUND COMBAT OR
IN THE AIR.
THE MAN WHO COMMANDED OPERATION DESERT FOX, MARINE GENERAL
ANTHONY ZINNI, SAYS THE REMARKABLE THING ABOUT WOMEN FLYING IN
COMBAT IS JUST HOW UNREMARKABLE IT NOW SEEMS.
/// ZINNI ACT ///
SOMEBODY ASKED ME TODAY HOW MANY FEMALE PILOTS AND NAVIGATORS
(WE HAVE). I HAVE NO IDEA. I CAN'T FIND ANYBODY THAT COUNTS
(THEM ANYMORE). SO IF YOU WANT A SIGN OF THE TIMES, THERE IT IS.
/// END ACT ///
PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY WOMEN MAKE UP ABOUT 14 PERCENT OF THE
OVERALL U-S FORCES. (SIGNED).
NEB/JR/WDC/PT
21-Dec-98 8:07 PM EST (0107 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
The Arabian Gulf, Dec. 17, 1998 - A Navy fighter pilot from Strike-Fighter Squadron Thirty-Seven (VFA-37), the "Ragin' Bulls", discusses her mission into Iraq with another member of
her squadron. The aircraft were launched from the deck of USS Enterprise (CVN 65) in the opening stages of Operation Desert Fox.
U.S. Navy Photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Tedrick E. Fryman III. [981217-N-33962F-002] Dec. 17, 1998.
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