MiG kill during Gulf War

Aircrew and ground support personnel were during the Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, (August 1990 until March 1991) deployed at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. The 32nd, reinforcement for the 525th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) of Bitburg Air Base, was assigned to the 7440th Combat Wing.

On one of the many sorties during Operation Desert Storm 32nd Tactical Fighter Group (TFG) pilot Captain Donald "Muddy" Scott Watrous made a MiG kill. He flew 19 combat missions in the Operation Desert Storm and made its kill on January 28th 1991. That day part of a set of four filled up Eagles armed with 4 AIM-7M and 4 AIM 9M Captain Donald S. Watrous '(call sign BITE 04) was flying, under AWACS control, over Turkey. At a certain moment the AWACS draw their attention to four to Iran flying aircraft. In pairs the Eagles were send to intercept the aircraft. Two Eagles chased after the Iraqi aircraft at the back. These Iraqis had good luck they turned off sharp and disappeared from radar and escaped. The other two F-15's gave chase to the other two enemy aircraft. The pilot of one of the F-15´s was Captain Watrous. He threw off his fuel tanks and set course for the enemy aircraft and fired three radar guided missiles. The rocket motors on the first two missiles failed to fire. These missiles fell harmlessly to earth while the third missile failed to guide. The MiG was escaping into Iranian airspace when Captain Watrous elected to over speed his F-15 and fired his last radar missile. The MiG-23 was finally destroyed but Captain Watrous shot $1.2 million worth of radar missiles and ripped off a portion of his left wing in the process.

The first Wolfhounds kill was listed. Though the kill was made flying an aircraft (BT 79-0022) of the 22nd TFS/36th TFW which was deployed with the 525th TFS stationed at Bitburg AB, Germany. MiG killer "Muddy" next to his F-15 Eagle. On the left the map of Iraq as symbol for his kill.

Later they made jokes about the kill and said "Muddy" was a dangerous person due his barter with the enemy. An enemy aircraft for one of their own aircraft. Actually they were pretty mad about the hit. On the one hand a Soesterberg pilot damaged a Bitburg aircraft and on the other hand that the damage on the Eagle cost more than value of the MiG-23 Flogger. On the 19th of January, nine days before Muddy made its kill, the first two Gulf War kills were listed for the 36th TFW. Two Bitburg pilots each shot down an enemy Mirage F-1EQ. Particular one of them, 1st Lieutenant David "Abby" G. Sveden (call sign RAMBO 04) was flying a CR bird (CR 79-0021).

Now a days Donald hold the rank of Colonel and was the commander of the 46th Test Group at Holloman AFB, New Mexico till 2006.