Winchester Over The Hammurabi by Rick Herter

During the opening stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom A-10 Warthogs had a critical role of destroying ground targets throughout the country. One mission in particular featured A-10's flown by pilots from the 110th Fighter Wing, a unit of the Michigan Air National Guard. The Hawg crews attacked a large area occupied by the vaunted Hammurabi Division of the Iraqi Republican Guard. The target area included ammo storage buildings, command and control facilities, tanks, trucks and other assets. An eerie filter of moonlight sifted through a thin overcast and as the A-10's attacked, huge secondary explosions and massive fires lit up the surrounding landscape. The light was so bright the pilots flipped up their Night Vision Goggles and flew by the ambient light. Before long both Warthogs were "Winchester" by expending all of their 30 mm ammunition, bombs, missiles and rockets.