 Stop laughing. That new guy at the supply office trying to requisition 20 yards of chow line and a gallon of relative bearing grease is the newest Black Ace, Maniac, who has been granted a commission at the rank of Ensign (ENS). Once the XO's car achieves that signature Black Aces shine, ENS Maniac will begin his Basic Qualification program in order to earn his Wings of Gold as a Naval Aviator.
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As part of the US military's ongoing efforts in support of Operation Persian Gauntlet, Navy F-14 'Tomcat' and F/A-18 'Hornet' fighter jets tangled with a number of Russian-made MiG fighters flown by the Iranian air force in an effort to achieve air superiority over the Persian Gulf. Losses were reported on both sides. The US Navy listed two Hornets downed, while reporting at least 10 Iranian aircraft destroyed. The identities of the US pilots lost is being withheld pending notification of the next of kin. Additional details were released 
reported a "surgical strike" on the Iranian naval port facility of Havadarya near Bandar Abbas. Ammunition and fuel storage was specifically targeted in the mission orders carried out by a small flight of attack aircraft assigned to the VFA-41 "Black Aces" squadron, currently embarked aboard USS Abraham Lincoln in the Persian Gulf. All mission aircraft returned to the carrier, although one was confirmed lost during landing. The pilot was recovered safely and the cause of the accident remains under investigation. Military operations in support of Operation Persian Gauntlet continue. Additional mission details were published 
