Off taker the weather looks great so we immediately accomplish our fence checks. I send #2 to the ABCCC for words as we cruise to the contact point (CP). He checks back in with a SA-6 active near Pristina. Overall, a fairly light threat picture which I liked. We checked in at the CP with the Forward Air Controller (FAC). He quickly brought us north to an army barracks area he was working. As we flowed north he asked me to call 15 miles out so he could mark the target area with his own GBU-12. He warned me there was a large caliber anti-aircraft artillery gun north of the target, too. I got my wingman into line abreast formation and we pressed north. I told the FAC I was 15 miles out and asked for the mark. He called in and then his bomb splashed. I see the bomb impact in my pod and confirm some other target landmarks with him to make sure I have the correct area in sight. He was satisfied I had the target and cleared me to drop. In the midst of this, my wingman observed the AAA gunfire and called it out. It wasn’t coming up to our altitude so I wasn’t concerned. #2 then told me he was blind and asked my heading. I guess he lost sight as he was making sure the AAA wouldn’t whack us. We got back together in short order and I set up for my first attack. The barracks complex had lots of buildings and my plan was to stitch a row of them from north to south with my bombs and then bring #2 in if I couldn’t find a bigger target for his 2000 pounders. I quickly ran through 4 passes and shacked four buildings. I was running in from south to north and off setting east during the last legs so the AAA gunfire never came up again. As I finished, the FAC asked me if I preferred another target for my wingman’s bombs. I said yes and that I wanted to hit a couple of bridges north east of the current target. He said fine, go for it, so we pressed to them. Both were obscured by weather so we headed back to the original target. I got clearance for #2, and since we were low on gas he dropped both at the same time and started a last leg to the north. Sure enough the big AAA gunfire came up. He was probably firing at lead's jet noise. That put it well behind him but in pretty fair lead for me. I started a 2-3 G AAA jink but about the time I got the jet moving the stuff air burst five or so thousand feet below. I saw #2’s bombs hit short of the buildings. He confirmed and said he didn’t know what caused it. We then climbed and egressed the area. We post strike tanked and then returned to Aviano. During film review, the Wing King noticed that while one of his bombs hit short the other actually guided but didn’t blow up. Oh well, a 2000lb object going through the roof is no small thing so we figured the place was trashed anyway. All in all, not a bad night.

Buzzard Standard!!!