Return With Honor

2 Pages 602 Words

Return With Honor
By: Capt. Scott O’Grady


“Return With Honor” is a book whose author was an American pilot, Scott O’Grady, who was shot down above Yugoslavia in his F-16 fighting falcon. He tells about how he managed to survive and evade capture. He describes the religious trials he went through and what key events took place before, during, and after his ordeal.
He begins by explaining how he had become an Air Force pilot, and how he managed to end up in the triple nickel squadron in Italy. On the day he was shot down his commanding officer, “Wilbur” asked him if he wanted to fly a mission that day. He hadn’t flown a mission all that month so if he flew one that day he would’ve gotten an extra 150$ for hazard pay, he figured why not and agreed.
In the locker room he suited up, put on his G-suit, boots, and helmet, but he forgot his flight vest. O’Grady didn’t want to take everything off and put it back on again just for the vest, so he went on and decided to crank up the excellent climate control system in his F-16. He didn’t know how much he would need that extra layer of clothing in the up coming days. On this mission he was to be a wingman for “Wilbur”. They both took off and headed for Yugoslavian air space. On their trip they switched formations various times and their computers told them constantly that other radar stations were watching them.
The both of them ignored the computer’s warning until it told Mr. O’Grady that a missile was tracking him. He looked around for the white trail of smoke and didn’t see the missile. It barely missed him and “Wilbur”, then he heard another warning that another Surface to Air missile was tracking him. Before he could turn his head the missile slammed directly into the middle of his fuselage. The airplane broke into two halves and he started to plummet towards the ground.
O’grady pulled the handle of his ejection suit and rocketed out of his...