Capt S. O'GRADY

[Pistlpetet]

Was stationed at Bragg years ago in 1st Batt.

 

[RJP]

Nobody takes anything away from the guy. The fact that the guy got shot down, and survived the bail out, evasion, and rescue is highly commendable.

What burns peoples shorts is how the whole matter was blown out of proportion, when there are 100's, if not 1000s of common guys who in past wars had to endure far worse conditions, and much more harrowing experiences in order to survive. These other guys go through life as humble regular guys who rose to the occasion when bad luck came their way.

The whole Scott O'Grady rise to stardom was just a precursor to today's PVT Lynch Story. Highly unpreventable, and unstoppable once the America media decides they need a "Hero".

I don't know the guy personally, so I can't really pass judgement on his personality, and whether he could have been more humble, and not fueled his whole legend.

My 2

Uh, you got most of this correct. He "GOT SHOT DOWN". You cannot be a hero if you're droning along with your ECM off and get blown out of the sky. Sorry.

I'm still waiting for a book from the "killer chick" that miraculously brought her hog back on one motor in Iraq. Wow. Either that or the ONLY alied pilot to get shot down by the enemy in this latest affair. Is he a hero too for bailing out and not dying? I think not.

But your take on the media is dead-balls-accurate. They need a hero.

 

[Jafar]

I had dinner with Scott way back in '97. I was a young PFC in the Marines at the time and he was staying at a resort my old man ran. He was a very nice guy and it was my pleasure to have met him. At that he was with the 419th FW out of Hill.

If anyone's got any contact info on him drop me a PM.