1 0 0 ▁American ▁personnel ▁taking ▁part . ▁ ▁Ex erc ise ▁Fl int lock ▁ ▁September ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁marked ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁a ▁long ▁and ▁successful ▁F L INT LOCK ▁exercise ▁series . ▁J oint / Com b ined ▁Ex erc ise ▁F L INT LOCK ▁I ▁was ▁conducted ▁in ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁and ▁consisted ▁of ▁four ▁sub - ex er cis es ▁located ▁in ▁West ▁Germany , ▁Greece , ▁Spain , ▁and ▁Den mark . ▁The ▁ 7 th ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Squadron ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁exercise . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁Ex erc ise ▁Fl int lock ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁Element s ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 3 1 st ▁Com bat ▁Communic ations ▁Squadron ▁( DC ▁A NG ) ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁exercise . ▁On ▁ 2 6 ▁April ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁during ▁the ▁Fl int lock ▁ 8 2 ▁exercise , ▁Serge ant ▁First ▁Class ▁Cl iff ord ▁Str ick land ▁was ▁picked ▁up ▁by ▁a ▁Lock he ed ▁MC - 1 3 0 ▁Com bat ▁Tal on ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁Special ▁Oper ations ▁Squadron ▁at ▁CF B ▁L ahr , ▁Germany , ▁using ▁the ▁F ult on ▁surface - to - air ▁recovery ▁system . ▁However , ▁he ▁fell ▁to ▁his ▁death ▁reported ly ▁due ▁to ▁fault y ▁equipment ▁in ▁ 1 4 0 0 ▁h rs ▁accident . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁last ▁ever ▁attempt