Description
‘Call Sign – Aspen 76’ – by Keith Hill
At 1008hrs on July 26 1968 Majors Tony Bevacqua (pilot) and Jerry Crew launched in SR71 ‘Blackbird’ #976 from Kadena AFB. Their mission was to gather photographic and electronic intelligence over Hanoi…at that time the most heavily defended city in the World. The flight would be a ‘Double Looper’…make one pass, hook up with a KC135. take on fuel and make exactly the same pass again.
On the first pass Jerry Crew warned Tony that a SAM fire control radar had locked onto them. Almost immediately he warned him that they had been fired upon. The two missiles failed to reach them and exploded about a mile below them! This was the first time that an SR71 had been fired upon by the SA-2.
The print comes with signatures of Major Tony Bevacqua and Major Jerry Crew.
The print border contains images of Major Tony Bevacqua (pilot) and Jerry Crew (RSO) and the following text:
At 1008 hrs on July 26 1968 Majors Tony Bevacqua (pilot) and Jerry Crew (RSO) launched in SR71 ‘Blackbird’ #976 from Kadena AFB. Their mission was to gather photographic and electronic intelligence over Hanoi…at that time the most heavily defended city in the world. The flight would be a ‘Double Looper’…make one pass, hook up with a KC135, take on fuel and make the exact same pass again. On the first pass SA-2 missiles were launched at the aircraft…the first time an SR71 had been fired upon by surface-to-air missiles.
