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Now extracts from the Nato report published by Der Spiegel suggest the Germans overrode objections from the US pilots they were commanding, to insist the strike take place.
Radio communication between the F-15 pilot, with the call sign ‘Dude’, and the German officer issuing orders, show that the Americans wanted to carry out not just one or two low flying passes as warnings, but five.
But Colonel Georg Klein, call sign ‘Red Baron’, commanding from the German side, overruled the ‘Dude’ and ordered an attack.
“F-15 recommended a show of force five times throughout the mission in order to disperse the people,” the report says. But the ‘Red Baron’ replied, “Negative. The target should be attacked immediately.”
Wing commander Lance ‘Gipper’ Bunch, commander 335th Fighter Squadron Unit which supplied the F-15, also told the investigators that there was disagreement with the Germans over how many bombs should be dropped on the two tankers.
He said the ‘Red Baron’ had called for six bombs, but that the Americans had refused.
“The crew told him this was not going to happen,” said Bunch. Two bombs were all that were necessary, he said.
The operation, which German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg has admitted in parliament was militarily inappropriate, was initially defended by his predecessor Franz Josef Jung.
Jung and Bundeswehr Chief of Staff Gen. Wolfgang Schneiderhan have since resigned amid revelations the Defence Ministry had withheld information about the air strike called by Col. Klein to destroy the tankers which had been hijacked by the Taliban.
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