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		4
 Then you got into the conversion business from the F-4
 to the F-15E?
 A: That's correct. Yes, I was in the first class that went
 out from here to convert and then back.

 Q: What did this conversion consist of, as far as your
 training?
 A: Basically, it was a re-qualification in the airplane and
 it was at Luke AFB, Arizona. They taught you all the
 systems of the airplane and then you got some flights,
 just to bring you up to speed in your new airplane.
 Q: What is your appreciation (opinion) of the F-15?
 A: I think it's a great airplane. When we look back at what
 the airplane accomplished in the war later on, I think
 it will be pretty astounding considering the age of the
 weapons system and the experience of the guys flying it.
 We've only been flying it here for two years, we're the
 only operational base. And a lot of the guys who flew
 it in combat out there were brand new lieutenants and
 some guys who weren't brand new only had 50 hours in the
 airplane. Technology-wise and the number of different
 missions it can do, I think it's the best we have today.
 Q: It seems amazing that it's considered to be an old air
 plane, though. Seems like only yesterday that it came
 out. But everything's relative, I guess. All right, and
 then from February '89 to December '90 you were a flight
 examiner again?
 Q: Assistant Chief, Standardization and Evaluation?
 A: Yes, in the F-15E.

  Q: That leads us up to the war. Would you recall the events
  leading up to your being sent over to the Middle East and
  what the situation was like?
 A: Okay. I first went over on 9 August with the 336th
 Tactical Fighter Squadron when they deployed. After we
 had been there for about two months, it became apparent
 that we had stopped him [Saddan Hussien] in Kuwait, he
 wasn't going to invade Saudi Arabia, and that we would
 be there for, as they said, the long haul. As we were
  still building up the second squadron here [Seymour
  Johnson], the 335th, and since I was an instructor and
  a flight examiner I left to come back here with about
 five or six other guys. We came back here, we were

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