During my time working the Outer Air Battle problem, that would not have happened. Clancy isn't that clued in (we had our ways of knowing where the targets were and really screwing them up).
My first squadron during an IO deployment when ADM Zap was CAG on Carl Vinson, I went to the carrier for a couple weeks as the VP liaison officer since there were a couple of Sov subs hanging around out of Sacotra. After everything had cooled down, Zap went back to Dodge with me for a little P-3 appreciation time. He decided to test his air wing. I was squadron Tactics officer and he & I sat down and planned a harpoonex against the carrier (well he planned and I supplied the P-3 capabilities check). We launched 8 P-3s from 4 different IO locations and managed to get 4 of them well within harpoon range prior to their being intercepted. Zap & my CO were on my plane (we made the shot) and his DCAG was in charge on the carrier end. When C7F got the results he was not happy and he came screaming out of Cubi on a P-3 to Dodge and an immediate US-3 to the carrier with Zap and I on his wing in a second US-3. Another debrief on the carrier and then C7F, the BG commander and Zap disappeared into a closed meeting. Afterward Zap told me both he and the BG commander came very very close to being relieved....
It's nice to have inside info and I'm sure that's the only reason we were successful.
I saw Zap when I was on my carrier tour and he was BUPERS (I think). It was after he had the Midway BG and after the tailhook blow-up. I told him I wanted good orders or I'd start handing out the picture I have of him mooning some of his air wing from the P-3 cockpit. I sent him the negative at his request.
