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Capt. “Hoser” Draeger, in Rico Rodriguez's 85-114, with Capt. "Kimo" Schiavi on his wing, on the last of day Desert Storm. Images taken by Bill Eaton from a KC-135R.





“Draeger, hanging out off of our right wing while Schiavi gassed up, saw me taking pictures and came on the refueling freq. "Are you taking some pictures?" I said yes (all I did during DS was pump the fuel and shoot photos) so he pushed it up and came alongside. He seemed to laugh at that so as he moved the jet around we chatted about taking pics and how the air war had gone. Schiavi pulled up alongside Draeger and I asked for them to stack up a little and Schiavi moved a little high so both planes were visible. I moved them out front a little for the "moon shot," which may have been Draeger's idea. They then moved back to the boom area so my boom operator (we never said "boomer," we called them "boom") could take some pictures too. They then began to head back to their CAP and I asked for a little AB on their way out. Draeger said, "Tell me when you're ready." I was and I expected him to come past our right wing but he actually came up under the right wing. We were in a right turn when he did and all I could see was the huge F-15, very close, come up past the cockpit below the airplane. I could clearly see Draeger looking up at the jet and he couldn't have been more than 40 feet away. The vertical stabs on the Eagle seemed to graze our #3 and 4 engines. My camera lens was not adjusted for such a close shot and I was too impressed to say anything as the Eagle went past under my side window. Then the roar of the blowers as he got out in front and pulled up and away, fast. I took a quick photo and then we hit his wake turbulence. Schiavi was wider to the right so as to stay out of Drager's wash and he sped past in pursuit of Draeger. We lived for that in the tanker!
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