[right][h2][b][i]The Burlington Raid[/i][/b][/h2][/right][hr]
Cloud cover was at 1500 feet and dense. The moon may have provided 20% illumination above the clouds, but under this ceiling there was only 5% illumination making it very difficult for the Green Mountain Boys to move into position in some locations. Since the J. C. McNeil power station at Chittendon was still operational, the street lights were still working. The Rangers and Special Forces soldiers relied on the locals to help guide them to the right place. The distinctive advantage the Green Mountain Boys had over the Russians and the Stasi was they knew the ground.

The F22 Raptor took full advantage of its stealth capabilities, but were taking no chances. They remained under the radar which is actually quite high due to the Green Mountains. In order to be effective in Northern Vermont, the Russians needed to place radar platforms upon the highest elevations in the region, specifically Mount Mansfield. But the F22’s initial assignment was in the act of Suppression of Enemy Air Defense or [i]SEAD[/i].

The F22s worked in pairs with the lead aircraft equipped with Electronic Warfare (EW) or Radar Jamming equipment. The second aircraft in the flight of two was equipped with AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARM). The EW package blinds the enemy Air Defense systems, while the HARM package destroys them.

It was zero five hundred hours in the morning when the lead Raptors crossed the Canadian US Border at East Alburg. The six flights of two began picking up Radiation signatures immediately. The aircraft focused on their targets beginning a process of systematically eliminating the northern sited Air Defense systems at Jay Peak (3,858 feet), Mt. Mansfield (4,393 feet), Fletcher, Milton, Colchester and Essex. At the Burlington International Airport BIA, a pair of ZSU-23-4 Shilka’s were positioned at either end of the runway as a local Air Defense means. 

Several minutes after the first Raptor struck distant Air Defense Artillery stations in Northern Vermont, the Soviets, or more specifically, their East German associates were able to launch a flight of four MiG-31 Foxhounds at BIA. Once the air threats entered the Raptor’s Area of Operations, the F-22 disregarded the ADA systems on the ground and angled to strike the Foxhounds. A rapid engagement of Air Combat erupted over Northern Vermont pitting two F22 Raptors against four MiG-21 Foxhounds, with the Raptors quickly winning the contest.

The first of four A10 Thunderbolts made their approach at 1600 feet, just above the clouds. When they were five kilometers from the end of the runway, each A10 individually, shot up to four thousand feet, rolled over and arced into a dive just over one kilometer from the runway. The Thunderbolt planned to approach the runway at a seventy-degree angle using radar and GPS for accurate limited visibility navigation. As the A10 passed through the cloud cover, it signaled the Burlington Raid to begin with a burst of 30mm cannon fire from it single powerful weapon. The distinctive [b][i]“Brrrrrrrrrrt!”[/i][/b] could be heard for several miles around. 

[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWCPxV12wEc[/youtube][/center]

Unfortunately, the A10 was unaware of the Shilka at the end of the runway. The Thunderbolt was able to get off one burst when four 23mm cannons unloaded on the diving attack aircraft. The bullets ripped through the wings and tore up the A10s fuselage. The stricken aircraft pulled out of the dive with three new holes more than ten inches in diameter in its tail section and chunks of aluminum missing at various locations around the aircraft. The sturdy A-10 Thunderbolt was built to take extreme punishment. The Pilot immediately detected the effects of the weapon and notified his squadron mates about the presence of an ADA platform at the north end of the runway. As the A10 pilot banked west away from the airport, it took another burst from the southern ADA system, which struck the flailing aircraft’s fuel tank. The shots were not enough for the aircraft to be destroyed. Rounds penetrated the tank, but its rubber sealant prevented the fuel from leaking or otherwise exploding. Rounds impacted the bottom of the armored cockpit preventing loss of life. Rounds impacted with the primary rotary cannon and rendered it unable to function, but surprisingly the pilot could still operate his aircraft. It would be a workout returning to base, but he had the rest of his life to get it back home. He returned to base remaining clear of enemy combat units in the New York area of operations.

The next two A-10s eliminated the ZSU-23-4s with little effort, then the three surviving A-10s took turns working over the parked the F-31s and Su-27s. In less than ten minutes, the wrecks of Soviet built aircraft sent pyres arcing skyward over Burlington International Airport. Seemingly as soon the A10s began their work, a lone lumbering C-17 Globemaster dropped down to combat jump altitude of 1,000 feet above the ground, which was below the overcast ceiling enveloping Northern Vermont.

At 0532 hours, the C-17 slowed to just over 100 miles per hour. It’s rear two doors open, the one hundred airborne ranger paratroopers on their feet having just conducted their equipment check. They stood in four lines along the interior of the aircraft waiting for the red lights at the doors to turn to green and for the jump masters to give the first paratrooper the signal to  jump. The northern ZSU-23-4 may have been damaged and out of operation when the A-10s made their presence, but the East German crew somehow repaired the gun just as the Globemaster came into view. Four 23mm cannons began firing toward the over-sized craft. Bullets ripped open the starboard wing igniting fuel.  The tail section ripped up like Swiss cheese. The pilot instantly turned the green light on for the soldiers in the back, realizing his aircraft was doomed. “Bail out! Bail Out! Bail Out!” the Co-pilot called over the radio and intercom for all who could hear it. He notified Chanute Air Force Base almost a thousand miles away that his aircraft was going down.

For the Rangers inside, life became precious. The first few jumpers did not know what was going on. They stepped outside, port and starboard sides of the aircraft expecting darkness, but found their transport  in flames. The USAF crewmen strapped on their chutes, joining the US Army Rangers for the jump; out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Eighty-nine people made it out of the doomed aircraft alive as the C-17 rolled to the right and dropped nose first toward the ground. The over-sized transport took seventeen lives with her as it struck the Walmart off Harvest Lane. The bulk of the aircraft continued to slide along the pavement of the parking lot following the impact into the adjacent Home Depot less than a thousand feet from where Joe Sullivan, Danny Douglas and the others from their cell were just starting their raid on the Williston State Police Station. A large mushroom cloud shaped fireball erupted into the morning darkness casting a wave of heat to spread over anyone out of doors in the Route 2A/I-89 area.

Five CH-47s traveling with the C-17 less than one mile to its right made their descent into Jaycee Park off Patchen Road. The five Chinooks began offloading equipment and personnel as soon as their wheels were down. Two minutes later, the ten Ranger Vehicles and ten motorcycles raced toward the airport. The five, twin rotor aircraft left the ground behind just as the C-17 erupted in a ball of fire over southern Burlington. The lone ZSU-23-4 picked up the rising Chinooks and fired a burst into the trail aircraft sending it rotating violently back to earth. The four crewmen aboard the ill-fated CH-47 were killed on impact.

[right][h2][b][i]Williston Station[/i][/b][/h2][/right][hr]
Preston and Ben Giguere hid in bushes behind the Vermont State Police station on Route 2A. They couldn’t see much due to Dick’s Sporting Gear and Staples’ building to their right. The sounds of aircraft flying overhead, accompanied by impacting air to air missiles followed by resulting explosions was the only feedback they received that the raid was actually happening. Ben was overwhelmed with fear and anxiety listening to the sounds. ‘Is Burlington an actual battlefield?’ Ben thought to himself. The notion seemed ridiculous. All these guys doing their part of the mission. It was incredible. It was exciting. It was too much. 'I need to go home to the farm in Bellows Falls. I don't belong here.' Ben was very frightened; nonplussed by the actions around him. He looked at his brother who seemed to be in complete control of his faculties. It did help Ben to see Preston calm and unnerved by the sounds.

When the A10s began their runs into BIA, Master Sergeant Tyus Morse, joining Danny and the rest at the police station muttered under his breath, “that always sounds like elephants farting.” This comment made Ben smile, imagining the sound to be elephants. He was referring to the sound of the 30mm Autocannon discharging several hundred projectiles at 6,000 rounds per minute. “That’s our cue, ladies. Time to get to work.”

[i]Beginning Morning Nautical Twilight (BMNT): 0545 Hours
Sunrise: 0630 Hours[/i]