A weekend symposium at LSU-Shreveport focused on the historic long-range bombing mission that started Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

According to a news release from the university, veterans of the long-hushed Secret Squirrel mission met Saturday at LSUS and in downtown Shreveport. The event marked the 25th anniversary of the January 16-17 mission that targeted key communications and grid targets in and around Baghdad, Iraq.

"You guys did something 25 years ago that had never ever ever been done," Gen. Robin Rand, leader of Air Force Global Strike Command, told the almost 40 veterans, family, friends and civic leaders who gathered at Sam's Town Casino. He summarized what they did with seven B-52 bombers flying a 35.4-hour, 14,000 mile nonstop mission as "nothing short of spectacular."

This story almost wasn't told at all. The mission was top secret, with those participating in it not even knowing the official name of the mission: Operation Senior Surprise. It was dubbed Secret Squirrel by crews of the 596th Bomb Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base. They weren't allowed to share the details of their mission, friends or family members, or even co-workers without clearance on the mission.

The events over the weekend were the first major public setting honoring the crews involved in this mission. The symposium at LSUS featured short talks by two 8th Air Force commanders -- current head Major General Richard Clark and former commander Robert J. Elder, Jr., who is a founder and senior advisor for the Strategy Alternatives Consortium (SAC).

In this video provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, Col. Russell Mathers discusses his experience during the Secret Squirrel Mission:

 

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