Maj. Adam Thornton, 56th Training Squadron instructor pilot, stands next to an F-16 at Aviano AB. Thornton deployed to Aviano in support of Operation Unified Protector where he received an Air Medal for acts above and beyond the call of duty. [USAF photo]
This image is also used in
-
News: Fighter pilot goes above, beyond call of duty [2013-11-15]
"It was dusk, one of the worst times to use night vision goggles. The sun was going down over my right shoulder. The Mediterranean was dark and the sky was dark, like being in a gigantic black hole. It was hard to tell which way was up and which way was down. We started looking for targets outside of Tripoli. We had determined, by the amount of surface-to-air equipment there, the Gaddafi regime would be using it to target coalition aircraft. Eliminating the equipment was a high priority."
Link this photo
- Use in a forum post
- Use to link from other websites