<< The toadies you refer to would include the entire crew of some
Naval vessel.
Actually I thinking of the FBI and the news media..but you have a point.
As I recall, you were an Air Force crypto tech. Would
you and your buddies in the Air Force have agreed to keep a secret
equivalent to a shoot-down of this flight? I know my buddies at
the Army communications center (I was an E5, MOS was 72F) would not.
Why do you think the crew of that ship would keep quiet? These
young sailors are fundamentally the same type of guys as you and I
were at that age. (Well, OK, I admit that sailors are different, but
not that way.) >>
In my career field secrecy was a major concern...we were told not to tell
ANYONE.....ANYTHING..... about ANYTHING.... actually it even caused some
psychological problems with some of the younge more trusting guys.
And yeah...I do think that it could be covered up given the scenario I
sketched...particularly if the missel was sub-launched. Very few onboard the
launch vehicle would know what or if the missel hit...it was supposedly an
over-the-horizon shot..
The senior NCO's and the Orificers would be most likely to toe the
party-line...they've been trained in obedience for much longer...and have
more to loose. (from my experience in the VietNam. debauchle....I could tell
you a few stories about THAT..)..and the "sea stories"...(called War Stories
in the AF)..would be irrelevant....there are always War Stories...it's a
major form of entertainment.
Sad to say...I think I'm still leaning toward the missel theory...wish I
wasn't.
EvMick
Ross Tx.
'