Fallen Angel: Realworld 303 FS pilot's Distinguished Flying Cross over Afghanistan

[Wing]

“Any Hawg. Any Hawg on Guard, this is Dude 31.”

“Dude 31, this is Hawg 73.”

“We have a Fallen Angel in the Kapisa province, requesting air support.”

“Hawg 73, en route.”

One of the most gripping real-world combat stories involving an A-10 Warthog over Afghanistan from a pilot’s perspective comes from Air Force Maj. Mike “Vago” Hilkert, who flew a harrowing mission on April 23, 2011, in Kapisa Province. This account, drawn from his experience during an intense combat search-and-rescue operation, showcases the A-10’s capabilities and the pilot’s skill under extreme pressure. Hilkert, then a major with the 303rd Fighter Squadron, was scrambled to support a dire situation unfolding in northeastern Afghanistan.

Two Army OH-58D Kiowa helicopter pilots had gone down, and the 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron dispatched two Pave Hawk helicopters—call signs Pedro 83 and Pedro 84—to retrieve them. The rescue team, including five pararescuemen (PJs), immediately came under heavy enemy fire upon arrival. One Kiowa pilot was found alive on a ridge, but the other remained unconscious in the wreckage, and the situation deteriorated as the PJs and helicopters took hits.

From his cockpit, Hilkert faced a chaotic battlefield. He described it as “one of the most intense combat rescue missions” of the Afghanistan war, a sentiment echoed by his peers. His A-10, armed with its iconic 30mm GAU-8 Avenger cannon, became the linchpin of the operation. Coordinating 21 heavily armed aircraft—including Apaches, surveillance planes, and a tanker—Hilkert had to juggle multiple roles: engaging enemy positions, directing air traffic, and ensuring friendly forces weren’t caught in the crossfire. “I was peering through binoculars to keep an eye on one group [of soldiers],” he later recounted, while simultaneously using the A-10’s targeting pod to track another. The enemy was entrenched nearby, and the stakes couldn’t have been higher.

As the rescue unfolded, Hilkert’s Warthog roared into action. He unleashed precise bursts of 30mm rounds to suppress enemy fighters, saving the lives of PJs Staff Sgts. Zachary Kline and Bill Cenna as they worked to extract the downed pilots. But the mission didn’t end there. Later that morning, two groups of 16 Army quick-reaction force soldiers came under attack, suffering casualties. Hilkert split his focus, directing Apache helicopters to strike enemy positions while keeping the airspace clear, all while his A-10 provided close air support.

His multitasking was relentless: calling in fuel from a tanker, tasking surveillance aircraft to pinpoint threats, and ensuring the Pave Hawks could evacuate a wounded soldier.

The emotional toll was heavy. “Several people lost their lives during this mission,” Hilkert reflected. “We flew back to Kandahar in silence.” Yet his actions saved over 30 soldiers and airmen, earning him the Distinguished Flying Cross with valor a decade later, on October 2, 2021. From his perspective, the A-10 wasn’t just a machine—it was an extension of his will to protect those on the ground. The Warthog’s raw power and his ability to wield it under pressure turned a potential disaster into a testament to courage and precision.
This story stands out not only for its intensity but also for Hilkert’s candid reflection on the bittersweet reality of combat—where success and loss coexist in the roar of the A-10’s cannon.

https://www.442fw.afrc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2826133/fallen-angel-the-story-of-a-303-fs-pilots-distinguished-flying-cross/