All-Female, American Sortie Flies Bombing Mission Against Taliban – Meet ‘Dudette 07’
- Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:16pm by
Mike Opelka
- Print »
- Email »
Does this qualify as ‘breaking the glass ceiling’ from above?
One wonders what Afghanistan’s Taliban troops would think if they knew the American F-15s dropping bombs from high in the sky were flown by an all-female crew? The entire crew of ‘Dudette 07’ happens to be female, from the pilots and weapons officers to the mission planners and maintainers.
Captain Jennifer Morton is seen doing a pre-flight check.
The official statement on this historic event comes from the US Military:
3/31/2011 - BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) – A team of female Airmen made history here March 30 when the F-15E Strike Eagles of “Dudette 07” blazed down the runway to provide close air support for coalition and Afghan ground forces.
The two-ship formation consisted of all females, two pilots and two weapons system officers, but more importantly, it marked the first combat mission flown from Bagram to be planned, maintained and flown entirely by females.
Meet these ‘Top Guns’ up close and personal:
Indeed, a perfect way to close out ‘Women’s History Month.’





















Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (179)
alaskajohn
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:50pmIf the crew was put together with the intent of having an all femle crew it’s a bunch of pc crap. If however, they were thrown together as a crew without knowledge of gender, than it’s pretty kool. Either way, smoke a camel for me girls.
Report Post »Edgar Bennet
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 5:13pmWhat odds do you give that this is happenstance? 100% PR move
Report Post »Ray2447
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:49pmOf course the PC military, and PC media (right wing and left wing), would never again hype a story about women in the military, like they did with Jessica Lynch.
Report Post »tiredofprogressives
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:46pmWhen they were bombing I hope they were eating pork sandwiches and wearing bikini’s.
Report Post »★Upson Downs★
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:42pmMay God bless them, and keep them safe.
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:41pmrock and roll,or should i say bomb baby bomb????? at least they are not wearing those rags on their heads, and any what took so long,heck,if these women are like my wife of 25 years, then they should be dang good at multitasking and trust me my wife can do anything i can do and probably do it with out all the stress, so i say let more fly and then you will find osama bin laden. heck my wife can hit a deer from about 250 yards, so let them have the bombs amd lets see how many of the tallywackers rag heads will come out and play. keep up the good work ladies and may god please you and protect everyone of our troops, FLY LADIES FLY
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:44pmshould have said may god bless you and please protect them all,
Report Post »Rickfromillinois
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:40pmMy main concern about this article is I believe that it is obvious that this was set up as a publicity stunt. When public affairs concerns over ride military concern then there is a problem. This would be like someone deciding that it would be great for public affairs if they set it up with everyone named Douglas, so they go through all sorts of contortions to make sure that everyone assigned has the same last name. It could quickly come to the point that a person’s last name would be more important then their actual skill or experience. I just think it is a slippery slope to start out on.
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:51pmExactly correct. It’s propaganda, pure and simple. And judging by this thread, it works.
The airs were cleared years ago of any actual aircraft that could oppose our bombers, by male pilots. The anti-aircraft ground capability of the ground forces we’re supposedly “fighting” are nil. There was less risk to their lives than any of us took this morning driving to work on the freeway.
All pure, distilled propaganda extolling the Glorious Emancipated People’s Soldier, and nothing else.
Report Post »FLyoverman
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:39pmThe idiot who released the information about these pilots should have their career ended on the spot. Te idiot on The Blaze who released this information should also have their career ended on the spot. What utter stupidity.
Report Post »old guy in SC
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:37pmI’m retired Navy. Was on a ship when the Commanding Officer, Executive Offficer, Chief Engineer; 9 of the 14 officers and half the crew were female. Capability is not a problem. That ship (USS MERRIMACK, AO-179) could have been run by a full complement of female sailors. We had a female Boatswain’s Mate who could outwork any two of the others (male or female). The problems begin when our sisters, wives, daughters, and grand-daughters get captured by the 7th century barbarians were are engaged with in the current situations. GOD help them. When (hopefully never) a pilot or crewmember is captured and treated like Lara Logan the news reporter, maybe the whole “women in combat” idea will be re-considered. My wife, sister, daughter, or grandadaughters will not got war unless it’s on our shores. Certainly not to some 1400 year old conflict in which we don’t belong in the first place.
Report Post »Thing
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 5:04pmThey are not that into woman at all, there was even military report about popularity of this ancient Greek tradition and its efects, but was completly ignored as GaYtes ,Mullen Liberman and Snow were preparing to repeal DADT. So information, about country where majority are gay, would seriously damage this born that way legend and efforts to turn US military into American Red Army
Report Post »fourfreedom
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:36pmFinally, kick ass girls!!! They train the same, why not, they know the repercussions of getting caught, as one female vet, you know..
Report Post »1952
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:36pmYou can’t get more patriotic than this… they know what would happen if they crashed, but they still go ahead. Anyone brave enough to face this is OK in my book. Just hope we don’t make them wear head scarfs while on their missions!!!
Report Post »Gates
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 3:35pmFor the sake of Political Correctness we are allowing women to be subjected to much more serious consequences than men should they be captured. Sorry, that just absolutely WRONG!
Report Post »Ray2447
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:35pmMore than 97% of dead and wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are men, less than 3% are women. Historically, 99.999% of dead and wounded in America’s wars are men. Of the more than 58,000 American men whose names are on the Vietnam war memorial, approximately 42% died for America without ever having the right to vote. Eight women’s names appear on the Vietnam war memorial. All were old enough to vote at the time of their deaths. Four of the Iwo Jima flag raisers (all men) died for America without ever having the right to vote. We hear a lot of feminist propaganda about “gender equality” both from the left, and the right, but it appears it’s mostly men who are the disposable sex. Spare me the hypocrisy.
Report Post »Drum Man
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:34pmGive ‘em hell ladies!
Report Post »thomas242007
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:34pmNow thats how you fight a war drop bombs on the enemy! these women know how to fight a war bring back the oldschool way of fighting wars please!! mass bomb dropping all over the city then napalm then send in the troops to clean up! keep up the good work!
Report Post »TenStrings
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:33pmThe psycological affect this story alone has on the fanatic muslim jihadists makes me grin. They’ll never know for sure if that 2000 lb JDAM they catch from above was delivered them by a woman NOT wearing a burkah. I love this!
Report Post »hi
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:33pmhow ironic that women are kicking the butts of those muslim women-hater bastards!!
Report Post »Czar Casm
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 11:05pmWhat do you think the Afghan women are thinking about this?
Are they thinking “go girl!” or are they too steeped in their ancient culture and see’s them as infidels in the worst way. I think the latter. Kinda like some women that never leaves an abussive relationship.
Report Post »GoldenRudy
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:32pmI thought the job/mission of our military was not to “make history” but to kill our enemies and destroy our enemies’ property. I think our new military is focused on the former and not the latter. This article, along with the one about women in combat wearing the muslim headgear rather than the issued GI helmut for which taxpayers paid a lot of $$$ to develop. Why put women in harm’s way? I wonder what “history” the enemy will make when/if any of these women are captured? Is it worth the risk?
Report Post »jdhood
Posted on April 5, 2011 at 8:06amPerhaps these crews are quite capable of the task at hand, and last time I checked, they had to train, and COMPETE *awfully* hard to get in these positions – none were forced into them.
These warriors just happen to be women. They not only have worked extremely hard to earn our respect and support, they certainly deserve it outright for volunteering to do their chosen job. I’ll be damned if I would deny these warriors their chance to do the job they have trained for!
Unleash hell on those barbaric ****** dogs, ladies!!
Report Post »Smurf
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:30pmThis will be sure to get the Mysogynistic Mosqueteers to shred their Taliban mandresses!
Report Post »UpstateNYConservative
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:27pmYeah, right.
And if one of these crews is shot down over an Islamist country, and out pilots are raped, the Left will scream it‘s Bush’s fault.
Report Post »Venom
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 2:11pmDo you think men don’t get raped?
Report Post »dmgs
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 2:43pmBeat me to it, Venom. First heard about their favorite passtime during the war with Russia.
Report Post »LifeProject2012
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:25pmOK, I get it…. the “blank” photo… It’s an all-white crew, right?
Report Post »Its Gonna Getcha
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:23pmAll the young dudettes, carry the news!
Report Post »UpstateNYConservative
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:28pmOh, cool!
Got my Kiss records out….
Report Post »Its Gonna Getcha
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 1:04pm@UpstateNYConservative – Haha, right on.
Report Post »MrSunshine
Posted on April 5, 2011 at 5:12pmHey UPSTATENY, don’t you mean your Mott The Hoople record?
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:22pmA nation that bases its military on female participation is a nation that will be extinct when it faces its first line of catastrophic challenges on the battlefield. Reproductively and socially, men are expendable, women are not, that’s simple biology, and should be respected militarily but of course, in the age of Wonder Woman and the Wimp, are not.
It’s a strange day we live in when women are celebrated as “warriors”, who bomb nations that don’t even have a Piper Cub of Cessna C-150 to their name. I remember how Americans used to think that the Soviets employing women on the front lines was barbaric.
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 1:00pmYes, of course, thank you for bringing me back into the proper correct-think veld with your kind and instructive words, comrade.
The countless millions of men who have actually died on the battlefield, borne injuries such as losing entire limbs, had their brains blown out, lost their innards inside of flights suits in *real* aerial combat where an actual enemy could and did strike back, who in history ran across fields en masse to confront archers and men with long halberds which were wrenched into their chests, who endured days, months even years and decades being tortured in ways of pain unknown to any but the least fortunate in history, well, they’re weak. Much stronger are those who dilate naturally to allow the passage of a baby through a birth canal that is naturally fitted to accommodate such a passage without generally sustaining any damage.
I’ll get back on the wagon, I swear comrade. Just pass me some Victory Gin if you’d be a good lad.
We’ve come a long way, baby.
Report Post »1chancey1
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 1:08pmGHOSTOFJEFFERSON – That was the most stupid thing I’ve read today. Kudos.
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 1:16pm@Chancey
“the most stupid thing”
I think you meant “stupidest”.
You’re entitled to your opinion. Reality doesn’t care about opinions of course. Wipe out a lot of the females in a society in a protracted engagement where they too are combatants and the society dies for lack of a viable way to reproduce. Wipe out most of the men and the society can continue. Ask Australia about the latter.
Simple fact.
Hope your day improves.
Report Post »1chancey1
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 3:25pmAnd you’re entitled to your far fetched opinion as well. Thanks for caring.
Report Post »corbecket
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 3:28pmGhost!
You’re going Darwinian on us! Frankly, there is no danger that the the US population will be decimated based on women serving in combat positions. Sure, if you had a really HUGE war involving the full population (male and female) there might might be a reduction in the population. However, your “reality” also needs to make room for the fact that the percentage of true warriors in the entire population is really small even with two+ wars going on, and that applies to the male population as well. As to the female population, it’ll be significantly lower.
I‘m wondering whether you’re feeling a little threatened by mere symbolism. If these gals wanna’ blow around in F-15′s, more power to them. Their mere presence in the cockpit is not going to deplete the US population. After all, animal/human populations fluctuate up and down all of the time. If you’ve had access to the current US population figures, it hasn’t threatened the survival of our species.
As a career “cockpit practitioner”, I can attest that the flight deck is a good deal more civilized with a mix of gals. Of late, it’s very much a merit based position. They don’t get there based on their chromosome ratio. With few exceptions, they’ve earned the position. If they wanna’ play in the boys sandbox, they can play by the boy’s rules. They do. There’s your reality.
No one should expect it to be all home and hearth, when they’re embedded in weather at 4 am burning down to minimum holding fuel. If a gal can handle it, more power to her. I don’t know what your specific qualifications are in this matter, but most folks that “have been there” judge pilots based on their qualifications and accept the “reality” that they are mature enough to assume the risks and rewards of following their profession. You’re welcome to your opinion, of course. :-)
Report Post »sleazyhippo
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 4:19pmGhost! Bring back the Draft! Make everybody respectful of Military Duty – not just these 1% volunteers!
Report Post »Edgar Bennet
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 5:01pmUr my fav poster. Plz elaborate on any view you have. PC be damned
Report Post »Soldiers_Son
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 5:31pm@GHOSTOFJEFFERSON,
When it comes right down to it, I agree with you that women should not be on the front lines or in a combat situation. Men and women are different, yes it is true, and as such are better suited to different roles. And the roles, while not the same are very much equal in almost every way. Men and women were meant to compliment each other, not be in competition with each other, which is why some things are suited for one over the other (even though both could do either). The problem is that the progressives and the media have shamed women into thinking that being a woman means they wear pants and storm citadels instead of nurturing and raising children, comforting the sick and afflicted, and providing stability and support in a world where all of those things are fading into a memory and dream. What can be more important than having and raising valiant children who love God, country and all people? We need more women who understand what it means to be a woman instead a woman trying to be a man.
But with that said, I will tip my hat to ANYONE who will volunteer to put their life on the line to protect this great country. Man or woman, you have my respect and everlasting gratitude. Thank you for your service!
Report Post »jblovesAmerica
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:22pmand if shot down-then what?
Report Post »on the ground in the air on the ship-is great until???
war is hell folks-history will then tell the story/
GhostOfJefferson
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:25pmWell, here’s how it goes.
When they’re not shot up, they are Emancipated Participants in the Motherland’s Glorious Military Of the People.
When they’re shot up, we get to hear months of whining, droning sympathy stories, tears on television and “inspirational” clap trap about how they survived (with no such claptrap of course being present for men).
It’s barbaric.
Report Post »duckwalker
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:28pmWhat happens next? They get beaten, raped, tourtured, and possibly killed. Welcome to the military. They volunteered and are well aware of what waits for them if they go down. With the exception of rape, what do you think might happen to a male pilot?
Report Post »Rickfromillinois
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:31pmWhat do you think happens to male pilots who are captured by the taliban? It would be a long and painful death for either one of them.
Report Post »valricoslash
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:58pmWhen i entered active duty as a youn g lieutenant in 1972, all the females were in a singel squadron (WAFs) on each base. Then the the PC crowd dook over. First, they were intergrated into the other squadrons and the WAF squadrons ere disbanded. Within a couple fo years they were integrated into the aircraft maintenace function and then after some whining byu female congresswomen, they were allowed into flight school. On a limited basis at first. They needed a poster child before going full bore. Then they were allowed to train for fighter aircraft becuase promotion to the higher ranks required one to be a combat veteran and fighter juets are made for combat. However, they were not allowed in combat at first. And now after nearly 40 years, they are back to having an all female squadron. I guess what goes around comes around. LOL. as a rtired veteran, I do not doubt their skills, or their patriotism for without either they would not be givent he opportunity. I do question the PC and affirmaitve action programs that have given females certain advantages over their male collegues throughout the years to get to this point. And I agree that should one be shot down and captured the whining from the liberal left and the media attention will be non-stop, just like it was when the young lady was captured in Iraq, while driving supplies to the front lines during the early stages of that conflict.
Report Post »DonkRoberts
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 4:46pmIn case you folks forget, males get raped by those dogs, too.
Report Post »red_white_blue2
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:20pmGood for them. And just imagine those Muslims and how they feel about women..let alone the fact that they bombed them..Keep up the good work, and God Bless you ladies!
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:18pmI ain‘t wearing no stinkin’ garb!
Report Post »Browncoat359
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 4:24pmThat mean yer gonna fly nekkid??
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:18pmGod bless them. Hope and pray none ever get shot down over a Muslim nation!
Report Post »greggor
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:29pmThey better have a hijab just in case they do get shot down. It should be standard survivor equipment.
Report Post »(yes.. I am being sarcastic)
Revere1
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:34pmA bunch of women bombing terrorists? Now that’s some feminism I can get behind. The left hates it of course: http://www.battlefield315.com/2011/02/feminism-explained.html Left-wing feminists only care about political power, not empowering women.
Report Post »gramma b
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:42pmThat will really drive the Taliban crazy. I hope we drop leaflets along with the bombs, informing them of this fact. I think the Israeli army took women off the front lines, because they discovered that the Muslim men would continue to fight rather than surrendering to a woman. They were otherwise pretty quick to surrender.
Report Post »KenM
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:58pmGod help them and protect them should they get shot down and delivered to some Islamic nut job crowd. I’m all for women doing the hard work right along the men in our military but in the middle east its not a pretty place for a woman to be taken captive.
Report Post »marine249
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 12:59pmSemper Fi ladies
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 1:00pmMuch respect for their willingness – and I would gladly buy these ladies a drink …
But it’s very shameful that we have women doing this. It‘s not a woman’s role. I want women out of our military, now.
If we want our men to be men, and our women to be women, we need to stop this craziness.
sleazyhippo
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 1:18pmIt would be unreasonably harsh to say something insulting about these aircrews, no matter what one’s politics are. These are true patriots. You won’t find them whining while they carry out their duties! (big Group Hug)
Report Post »BIGJAYINPA
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 1:43pmBeing female or male makes no difference when captured by these animals. The have no idea where Geneva even is much less the conventions. It is not unusual for these God-forsaken excuses for people to skin captured prisoners. So you go girls, the world will not be a safe place to live until all of these bugs are exterminated and the only place Islam is practiced is in Hell.
Report Post »TSUNAMI-22
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 1:43pmLather up the ordnance with bacon grease before pickling their weapons, please.
Report Post »Tulsatime
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 2:18pmOne word… COOL!!!
Report Post »shazam3
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 2:45pm“smokem if ya got em” ladies…….
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 2:50pm…………
Report Post »You go girl!
I just have one question?
How does she hold her cell phone under the helmet?
TabB
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 2:55pmNow if we could just teach “pigs” to fly! That would really put a knot in their skirts.
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 4:26pmThe safest place for a woman in combat in Afghanistan is at 3000 feet.
Report Post »GODSAMERICA
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 4:36pmThey are woman – Here them roar (or explode or something).
Report Post »TERMLIMITSNOW
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 6:11pmlooks like they suffered a direct hit from an ugly missile
JustaThought
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 6:17pmLove the Dudettes and love what their job is even more. How appropriate for them to bomb the hell out of a bunch of women abusers. Women who would be stoned in their countries bombing them back to the Stone Age.
Report Post »bert2020
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 6:22pmMy mother saws a WAC. This was before the WAF’s. Shrews a mechanic, stll is actually. She was told to go into a part of the plain only a 5′2″ 90lb woman could reachh and tighten the bolts. When she asked how tight he wanted the bolts. He smaller at her saying don’t worry about that homey. When she produced the broken bolt because she had tightened it to hard she said was that to hard. When given the choice as to whether she wanted to fly in a plane she worked on s,he never hesitated to choose hers. She went back to being a farmer after the war and was better than my father at fixing the family cars and farm equipment.
We have had women in the military get captured in a combat zone in many of our wars and they are brave courageous patriots
Report Post »jblaze
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 7:33pmThat will send the Taliban into orbit! Women dropping bombs on them is the ultamate insult! Go girls!
Report Post »Nick697
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 8:03pmIf they are shot down and captured by the Taliban, will God have given your prayer the back of his hand?
Report Post »kengosnell1
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 8:11pmwhat is this world coming to when we turn our our women into killers?
Report Post »vennoye
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 8:50pm@kengosnell1
Report Post »Sorry guys, you need to go to Judges and read about Deborah.
Judges 4:4 ¶ And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
Judges 4:8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go (to war): but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.
Ladies have been going to war a long time :-)
Blazer334
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 10:44pmOur rescue guys would get in there extra fast to pick ‘em up and bring ’em home….so they can do it to the female abusing Taliban again. Go get ‘em gals.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on April 4, 2011 at 11:01pmLadies, Thank you for your service to OUR Country….GO USA!
Report Post »Anti_Spock
Posted on April 5, 2011 at 12:18amObviously this squadron isn’t BLACK enough. And isn’t MALE enough. And where are the Mexicans?
Report Post »Jungle George
Posted on April 5, 2011 at 1:54amWomen have fought since the beginning of our country, Sarah Hartwell Shattuck of Pepperell formed a milita to protect their town on April 19, 1775 when the men went off to
Concord. They captured a Tory officer Capt. Leonard Whiting with imprortant documents on him. They were armed with what muskets were left and pitchforks. It is only politics that have kept them out of the continuing fight for freedom in our recent history.
“ United we stand divided we fall” Way to go girls!!
Jungle George
Report Post »RWVA Instructor
Seabee79
Posted on April 5, 2011 at 7:11amActually that’s a great idea, if not hurt dress like Muslim women and blend in.
Report Post »