<S> To the US Naval Aviator.
Talked with my sister-in-law who was with 41 on that cruise, and I'm pretty sure she was one of the pilots flying that night. Totally a CF from the beginning to the end. No one should have been flying....they were out of combat headed to Australia for a liberty port, five months into their hitch, and it's decided they need to stay current?? In s**t like that?? WTF?? The CO of the one squadron (the Shrikes?) even alluded to it while he was being interviewed at the beginning of the first vid, and my hats off to him for taking the place of the cone during the night tanking evolution. Don't know the guy, but wish I did...helluva leader to do that.
I never made it that far to "enjoy" one of those nights, but even just watching these two vids made my heart race, and palms get sweaty.
I leave you with a joke and a thought:
"There's an F-18 pilot who is emergency bingo and about to line up for his final approach when tower calls and asks him to take it around once. Now...emergency bingo is a real no sh***er ...if you don't land, you stand a good chance of floating in the silk. So the pilot asks Tower basically WTF, and the response? They have a B-52 on long final for an emergency approach with an engine out. Being the stellar Naval Aviator that he is...his reply. Roger tower...will take it around, would hate having to deal with the dreaded 7 engine approach."
And finally....
"Flare to land......squat to pee"