U.S bravery medals for York pilot

Squadron Leader Al Monkman flew many missions over the war-torn country in the distinctive high-tech plane in 1999, dropping laser-guided missiles on Serbian positions.

The former St Olave's School pupil has now been singled out for his "bravery and heroism" by chiefs at the United States Air Force after notching up more than 500 hours in the plane.

They are giving him the U.S. Air Medal and the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross for his service in an American plane while based at the Stealth base in New Mexico.

The honour is so rare that the Queen had to be asked to give her permission so Al could wear a foreign bravery medal.

The father-of-two was chosen for a two-and-a-half-year exchange posting three years ago, putting him on the front line in the Kosovo war.

He remembers vividly how he came under anti-aircraft artillery fire and missile attack in the single-seater jet while over Serb positions.

He said the cockpit could be a "lonely place" at night and that the adrenaline would hit him as the seconds counted down towards bomb release.

He added: "The most powerful instinct is to do the job right - to positively identify the correct target and to guide the bombs in. The skill is to prioritise, compartmentalise, focus on the task at hand and ignore all distractions.

"The standard aircrew prayer is always the same, 'please don't let me screw up tonight.'" Al flew his Stealth bomber from a base in Germany, refuelling in mid-air en route, alongside other Stealth's piloted by Americans.

The plane, officially known as the F-117 Night Hawk, is the world's most sophisticated single-seat attack aircraft and is invisible to radar.

Al, who spent ten years in York as a youngster and fondly remembers the "prevailing smell of chocolate", is to take over as commanding officer of the legendary 617 Dambusters squadron at Lossiemouth, Scotland, next year.

Updated: 12:00 Wednesday, August 28, 2002