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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=400316" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>Wings of destiny</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">I</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Ask any parabat that jumped at Cassinga<br>and he would tell you<br>that destiny has wings.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">While facing a battalion of <br>Cuban tanks and armoured cars, <br>out of the blue and as if by magic<br>a Buccaneer appeared.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">There was nothing more beautiful<br>than to see that jet <br>making self-sacrificing dives, <br>before it flew off to disappear<br>into the blue sky, <br>but let me tell that heroic story<br>as I know it.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">II</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Coming back from a bombing raid on Cassinga<br>the next target of Captain Dries Marais was<br>the Swapo camp at Chetequera<br>and he insisted<br>on arming the Buccaneer bomber, <br>with armour penetrating rockets<br>in addition to the standard<br>high explosive rockets.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Andries Marais himself<br>couldn’t explain the reason<br>for the irregular request, <br>but kept on insisting<br>that every third rocket<br>should be armour piercing.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Even navigator Ernie Harvey<br>was perplexed with this request<br>and they were tense, <br>while preparing for <br>the strike mission.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">The Buccaneer took of<br>and in a short while<br>crossed the Angolan border<br>and just when Ernie Harvey <br>were going to check in<br>with Tactical headquarters<br>things went mad<br>on the operational frequency.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">The pilot Warneke<br>who had relieved them at Cassinga, <br>reported a armoured battalion<br>consisting out of tanks<br>and BTR 152 personnel carriers approaching.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">The operational frequency<br>was far too cluttered<br>to get through to Tactical headquarters<br>and they heard <br>two Mirages being scrambled, <br>but there wasn’t time to arm them<br>and they had only<br>only 30 mm cannon.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">You need an excellent navigator<br>to keep tract to a target<br>over the featureless Angolan countryside<br>and navigator and weapon systems operator Ernie Harvey<br>had replaced the maps<br>with the ones of the new target, <br>but the navigation computer<br>still had the settings.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">III</div><div style="margin:10px 0">When fighting against tanks<br>and armoured cars<br>with only a few landmines<br>and rocket propelled grenades<br>to stop them, <br>even light machine guns<br>are quite useless<br>and still I kept on shooting<br>while the LMG’s barrel got red hot<br>and I tried to keep the enemy back.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">There was great joy<br>to see two Mirages<br>cutting the armoured cars apart, <br>but the surprise on the enemy<br>of that Buccaneer<br>dropping out of the sky<br>with its armour piercing<br>rockets will stay with me<br>to eternity.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Two tanks were shattered<br>and stood burning <br>after the first past<br>and the twin-barrelled 14.5 mm anti-aircraft guns<br>that the BTRs were trailing<br>were being deployed<br>and the Buccaneer<br>took one of the anti-aircraft guns out.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Suddenly the air was filled<br>with Puma helicopters landing<br>and the Buccaneer <br>took out a BTR<br>and two tanks started shelling us<br>and the Buccaneer kept diving <br>at close to the speed of sound<br>until the tanks disappeared <br>into the bush<br>and we lifted of safely.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">There was nothing more beautiful<br>than to see that jet <br>making self-sacrificing dives, <br>before it flew off to disappear<br>into the blue sky.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Later I heard that 17 hits<br>were counted on that Buccaneer<br>that safely landed at Grootfontein base<br>and to this day, <br>I know about no greater heroes<br>than the two <br>flying in that Buccaneer.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">.<br>[Reference: Cassinga Swapo military camp / town. Parabat=> South African Airborne / Parachuting soldier.]</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />poem by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=Gert+Strydom">Gert Strydom</a><div class=q>
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<script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=citatepedia" async="async"></script><div style="display:inline-block" class="addthis_sharing_toolbox" data-url="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=400316" data-title="Wings of destiny de Gert Strydom" data-description="I

Ask any parabat that jumped at Cassinga
and he would tell you
that destiny has wings.

While facing a battalion of 
Cuban tanks and armoured cars, 
out of the blue and as if by magic
a Buccaneer appeared.

There was nothing more beautiful
than ..."></div>
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