by Staff Sgt. John Wright, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

A weapons system officer from the 389th Fighter Squadron at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan was recently named one of four Airmen to receive the 2010 Mackay Trophy for her part in a combat mission near Turkmenistan April 6, 2010.

Capt. Leigh "Breaker" Larkin along with F-15E Strike Eagle pilots Lt. Col. Donald D. Cornwell, 333rd Fighter Squadron, Lt. Col. Dylan Wells, 48th Fighter Wing and fellow WSO 1st Lt. Nicholas Tsougas, 4th Training Squadron, were members of "Dude Flight," a combat mission killing more than 80 Taliban insurgents and saving approximately 30 coalition troops.

On that day, Dude Flight 01 took off from Bagram Airfield to support "Jaguar 12," a Joint Terminal Attack Controller supporting troops-in-contact in Bala Morghab, Afghanistan.

The coalition ground forces were part of a Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force that was in the final phase of clearing a town of Taliban fighters. As the troops reached the heart of the town, they were surrounded and ambushed by the enemy. They became pinned down and began experiencing casualties.

A Quick Reaction Force was dispatched to help reinforce the patrol, but was hit by an improvised explosive device, and subsequently began receiving small arms fire.

"Due to the densely populated area, dropping ordnance wasn't the best option," Captain Larkin said. "The JTAC on the ground immediately requested a 'show of force' flyover. However, low cloud cover and the terrain made this a difficult and dangerous endeavor."

Captain Larkin, who is deployed here from the 389th Fighter Squadron at Mountain Home Air Force Base,Idaho, studied the terrain and found the optimum let-down area that helped guide the pilots through the best possible flyover route using terrain-following radar.

In all, Dude Flight performed five 'shows of force' flyovers that interrupted enemy operations and bought the coalition ground forces valuable time.

Unfortunately, the show of force was only a temporary victory as enemy fire intensified. Sniper rounds pierced mud huts as the JTAC relayed the situation on the ground to the F-15s above.

The situation became desperate. The enemy grew bolder and descended on the surrounded collation forces, who were outnumbered and low on ammunition.

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