Frequently Asked Question #4
What qualifies the authors to write this book?
Larry Tart:
A. 21 years experience in special Air Force intelligence (U.S. Air Force Security Service); ten years of which he flew on Air Force C-130 and RC-135 recon aircraft as a voice intercept operator, airborne analyst and airborne mission supervisor in charge of onboard reconnaissance. He logged approximately 3,000 hours on aerial surveillance missions, being awarded eleven air medals and three Meritorious Service Medals. During his Air Force career, Larry served as a signals intelligence analyst; intercepting, analyzing and exploiting Soviet and other intercepted foreign military communications. From 1967 to 1973, Larry was assigned to the same squadron as the reconnaissance crew lost aboard C-130 60528, and flew recon missions on the same fleet of C-130s. An expert on airborne signals intelligence reconnaissance, Larry spent 15.5 years on overseas tours in England (2 tours), Germany (3 tours), Japan and Greece (1 tour each). He retired as a senior master sergeant (pay grade E-8) in 1977.
B. 16 years experience in programs management and systems engineering--conducting research and designing, developing specifications for, building and documenting intelligence gathering systems for Department of Defense customers. Retired in 1993. Started research on Air Force reconnaissance in 1995.
C. Held U.S. government special access top secret security clearance throughout military and civilian careers.
D. Degree in Russian; reads, writes and speaks Russian
E. Understands Russian military psyche, military command structure and modus operandi; has visited and lived with a Russian family in Moscow and conducted research at the C-130 crash site in Armenia.
F. Five years research on Air Force intelligence and reconnaissance activities directly related to The Price of Vigilance.
G. Interviewed hundreds for inputs to The Price of Vigilance--former recon crew members, witnesses to air incidents and affected family members.
Robert Keefe:
A. Four years experience in special Air Force intelligence (U.S. Air Force Security Service) flying aboard Air Force RB-50 and C-130 recon aircraft as a voice intercept operator--intercepting and transcribing Soviet military communications. From 1957 to 1960, Bob was assigned to the same squadron at Rhein-Main AB, Germany as the recon crew lost aboard C-130 60528 and flew recon missions with many of the lost crew members.
B. Bob personally knew, lived with and worked with the recon crew
members lost aboard 60528; he lost his best friend in the shootdown.
C. Ph.D. in English; trained as a Russian linguist in the Air Force; reads, writes and speaks German fluently.
D. 35 years experience as English professor, teaching English writing and composition and serving as advisor to advanced degree candidates in the University of Massachusetts at Amherst English Department.
E. Bob has published widely in his field, Victorian literature, including two books: Charlotte Bronte's World of Death, and Walter Pater and the Gods of Disorder.
F. He has traveled and lived extensively overseas, including a four-year overseas tour in the Air Force and four widely separated years as a guest professor at the University of Freiburg, in southwestern Germany.