Pre oko 35 minuta, Gen. Jack Ripper (prev. Džek Trbosek), komandujuci general Vazdušne Baze u Burpelsonu, poslao je naredenje svojim 34 B-52 avionima koji su se nalazili u vazduhu u to vreme, kao deo specijalne vežbe nazvan Operacija Dropkick (prev. Baci pa šutni).
About 35 minutes ago, Gen. Jack Ripper, the commanding general of Burpelson Air Force Base, issued an order to his 34 B-52's which were airborne at the time, as part of a special exercise called Operation Dropkick.