Operation Black Jack, on December 9th, 2031 , was the first counter-strike by the United States to strike the Chinese Mainland during the Flood War. It demonstrated that China itself was still vulnerable to American naval power, and it exploited a vital psychological need and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the Thanksgiving Day Attacks on 21 November 2031. The raid was planned and led by Captain John "Mad Jack" McCain. McCain would later recount in his memoirs that the opperation was intended to bolster American morale and to cause the Chinese State to begin doubting their analytical computers and their leaders: