Topper starts to show more feelings for Ramada, but she is conflicted by her past with Gregory. On the carrier S.S. "Essess" (a play on the Essex-class aircraft carriers, the last of which were decommissioned in 1991, and the fact that many boat names start with S.S., which is pronounced the same as 'Essess'), Benson reveals the mission to be an attack of an Iraqi nuclear plant and Block assigns Topper to lead the mission, much to Gregory's chagrin. Wilson, who is also on board, instructs a crew member to sabotage the planes, putting the pilots' lives at risk. In the midst of the mission, Block mentions Buzz Harley to Topper, who becomes overcome with emotion and unable to lead. Block just starts to call out for the mission to be aborted when Iraqi fighters attack the squadron. All the planes' weapons fail, and Block, realizing what has happened, tells Topper that he saw what really happened with Buzz and Mailman: That Buzz tried to do everything possible to save Mailman, but ended up falling out of the plane, failing in his attempts.