Are there any Memories? Any thing anyone may remember about it on the Developement? Mark Ogden worked on it before it was public.....worked off the coast of San Diego...One of the most Beautiful places at the time.... the 80's it wasn't dirty yet..........
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Did not work on them, but during flight testing they were launched in the Sea Range off the central coast of California, some I believe flown from Santa Catalina Island.
Here just outside of Vandenberg AFB was a flight path, where Tomahawks would go "Feet Dry", making landfall in the proximity of Gaviota State Beach, flying in a due northerly direction.
Soon taking a turn to the N N W, the missiles would fly through a canyon parallel to CA. Highway 1 until reaching the Santa Inez River, and with another short jog they were again flying due north.
Then, at the northern end of the city of Lompoc they would turn due west for about ten miles, going "feet wet" again in the vicinity of "Vandenbird Beach" (AKA Surf Beach/Ocean Park), the notorious habitat of the Snowy Plover, which are locally, seasonally protected, otherwise nuisance fowl.
Beyond this point their flight path and destination I have no solid knowledge of. I heard somewhere in Oregon possibly, but of course the possibilities were varied and many, within their operational range limit.
Numerous sightings occurred, fleeting glimpses of Tomahawks jinking their way along the riverbed at high speed and producing very little noise.
One reason I found this all significant is that while the test flights were likely for evaluation and refinement of the terrain following guidance systems onboard, evidently the Air Force was using the same flight path for their ALCMs, at least through the phase starting at Gaviota and ending at Surf Beach. I'm curious as to whether the Navy and Air Force collaborated with their test data.
One ALCM happened to crash along Jalama Road very close to the house occupied by my brother in law and his family. They were put up at a motel for several days or so, the road having been closed off even to residents as investigators surveyed the crash site and a work crew performed debris removal.
One resident I know said he walked the site after the AF had left and poked around in the dirt.
The site had been "Surgically" cleaned.
OK, go ahead and take that nap you now need after perusing this protracted diatribe.
Regards, Rich P. zzzzzzzzzz