61.   Mobs of angry civilian and bandits trying to steal food and supplies are challenges not often faced by combat missions, he said.

62.   Meanwhile, two defense officials confirmed reports that an unmanned American spy plane armed with missiles has been used for the first time in combat missions over Afghanistan.

63.   Much of the information about non-U.S. involvement in combat missions is sketchy, with exact numbers of those participating difficult to come by.

64.   NASA astronaut Norman Thagard nearly slammed into a mountain while flying a combat mission in Vietnam.

65.   Neither pilot had flown combat missions before.

66.   Nevertheless, the party still officially wants to bar German soldiers from combat missions and work toward scrapping nuclear power.

67.   Newspaper reports over the weekend, however, said the planes had carried out combat missions earlier.

68.   Regular Army combat troops would handle combat missions.

69.   Refugees and civilian mobs, renegade snipers and bandits trying to steal food and supplies are among challenges unlike combat missions, he said.

70.   Reserve pilots are called up out of civilian life several times a month to fly for the air force and take part in combat missions over Lebanon.