By HARRIET PROTHRO PENROD

They walked onto the field at Independence Stadium Friday afternoon in below-freezing temperatures wearing green blazers emblazoned with the “Secret Squirrel: Crusader Against Evil” emblem.

Fans in the stands for the 46th Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl were bundled under heavy winter coats, blankets, gloves, and face-coverings.

But not these guys, who were being honored with the 2022 Omar N. Bradley Spirit of Independence Award.

“Yeah, it was cold,” says Col. Trey Morriss, “but we’ve been under worse conditions.”

In the early-morning hours of Jan. 16, 1991, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) deployed seven B-52 Stratofortresses crews from the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base (AFB) to Iraq in a single, secret mission that would mark the beginning of Operation Desert Storm.

The Stratofortresses took off heading toward Iraqi targets and launched 35 AGM-86C Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missiles, annihilating Saddam Hussein’s forces and striking key points of communication infrastructure – and returned in secret. The 35-hour mission marked the first time GPS had ever been used to guide a missile toward a target and was the first combat use of the CALCM.

“I was first informed of the mission in August 1990 and then had six months to train on the new weapon. We couldn’t tell anybody anything,” explained Warren Ward, Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) deputy chief of programming division and 596th BS B-52G Stratofortress co-pilot. “The 62nd BS and part of the 596th BS were largely deploying forward yet a large portion of the 596th stayed at Barksdale. We were watching our brothers in arms going forward, yet we were staying back. We had to work under a veil of secrecy.”

While Operation Senior Surprise was the official name of the classified mission, aircrew and maintainers creatively came up with the name “Secret Squirrel” so they could track schedules and discuss the mission in unclassified areas.

“The Secret Squirrel mission was used to blind Iraq by eliminating certain power and communication nodes throughout the country,” said Morriss, who was a new captain when he served as a B-52G electronic warfare officer.

“This severely hampered their response in the initial phase of the war. We proved to U.S. citizens, our allies, coalition partners, and even to our enemies that we will do what we say we’re going to do. In doing so, we solidified the B-52 in the realm of long-range strike capability.”

Twenty-five years after “Secret Squirrel,” the aircrew members that kicked off Operation Desert Storm reunited at Barksdale Air Force Base on Jan. 15, 2016.

And, almost 32 years to the day of the historic mission, those brave airmen were honored with the Omar N. Bradley Spirit of Independence Award on Dec. 23, 2022. Four of the 57 airmen have passed away since the mission, and 18 were present to receive the award.

“We defended freedom, which is a big honor in itself,” says Morriss. “To be recognized for that is thrilling. When you look at the list of previous recipients — to stand with the Tuskegee Airmen, the Berlin Airlift Veterans, Bob Hope, to name a few – it is humbling to be part of that exclusive club.”

The Omar N. Bradley Spirit of Independence Award was established during the bowl’s second year (1977) to honor an outstanding American citizen or organization which symbolizes the spirit of freedom upon which our country was founded.

“To be able to honor these men was spectacular for us,” says Independence Bowl chairman Rob Rubel. “When I look at the name of the award, two words come to mind – ‘I’ll go.’ The people that defend our nation consciously say that every day.

“I grew up in a veteran’s household, so it means a lot to me. These are the guys that left Barksdale Air Force Base and went to the Middle East to defend our freedom. They are indomitable Americans.”

Contact Harriet at sbjharriet@gmail.com