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I was just going to post a link to that also.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/12/09/military.jet.crash/index.html

"
"He is one of our treasures for the country," Yoon said in accented English punctuated by long pauses while he tried to maintain his composure.
"I don't blame him. I don't have any hard feelings. I know he did everything he could," said Yoon, flanked by members of San Diego's Korean community, relatives and members from the family's church."
 
I was just going to post a link to that also.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/12/09/military.jet.crash/index.html

"
"He is one of our treasures for the country," Yoon said in accented English punctuated by long pauses while he tried to maintain his composure.
"I don't blame him. I don't have any hard feelings. I know he did everything he could," said Yoon, flanked by members of San Diego's Korean community, relatives and members from the family's church."

Wow...we could all learn a lot from this man.


But according to Sig...he deserved it. He moved near a military airport and it cost him two infant daughters, his wife, and his mother. Sig's concern is the pilot may not sleep at night.
 
Wow...we could all learn a lot from this man.


But according to Sig...he deserved it. He moved near a military airport and it cost him two infant daughters, his wife, and his mother. Sig's concern is the pilot may not sleep at night.

My post was in direct response to your heartless post of "having a pilotless F-18 hit your house" and the rheotic that's sure to follow from the nay sayers. My other point is something like this was destined to happen. If I had to guess however I would have put my money on NAS Oceana. When you purchase a home in a location like that, you have to sign paperwork acknowleding the risk. Much to the protest of the Navy and KNTU, they built a huge mall right under the 180 (and associated houses). I hope it never does, but it's bound to happen again. The same thing is happening at LeMoore right now as well. The Navy built a huge base in the middle of nowhere, and there are developers trying to encroach because of the cheap property. The all mighty dollar prevails.

Don't even pretend to know what I'm thinking when a brother of mine has to go through something like this. I cannot even fathom the grief being felt by either the Widower or the Pilot. If I ever had to endure what he's going through, I don't know that I'd ever be able to strap myself in a Hornet again, or even live with the memory. He'll have to live with this forever, as will Mr. Yoon. It's a horrific and tragic set of circumstances.
 
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My post was far from "heartless" but quite honestly on point. The F-18 had no pilot..true or not?

As to being destined to happen. Statistics do not support that...at all. There are plenty of homes right next to bases that have NOT had a plane drop on. I live near one right now and cannot think of a single time a plane has crashed into a house. I can think of plenty of crashes that have been AWAY from base that HAVE found their way into homes. It is not like homes near a military base are plane magnets...are they at higher risk..sure.

I cannot imagine what the Hornet driver is feeling or how he will feel in the future but I cannot imagine it is more difficult than what the man feels about losing his family in a matter of seconds. I am sure that Hornet guy will get some counseling and all that goes along with not bringing a jet back. I am sure he will find the courage to strap another jet back on. What I would be concerned about would be the choices he makes if he were to find himself in a similar position again. I am sure Mr. Yoon will get some counseling too but that will not make him or his family whole again.

I would hope someday that the pilot of that F-18 visits Mr. Yoon and they sit down for a talk. I think both men will be much better off for it. It will help the pilot find some peace and it will give Mr. Yoon an opportunity to demonstrate his amazing compassion and heart to this young pilot and assure him that he does not hold him responsible. That will go along way towards healing.

It seems that this thread was dismissing Mr. Yoons grief and I have a serious problem with that. As a military aviator, I have lost friends and I still feel that loss. I know of some who have unintentially caused loss of life...they live with that still to this day but most will openly say it is miniscule compared to the loss of a loved one...never to come home.
 
If we are judging a man that he lived in house near an airport....

then what about San Clemente or Coronado? Both airfileds have approaches over the water....

Let's wait for the details....and facts....
 
As to being destined to happen. Statistics do not support that...at all. There are plenty of homes right next to bases that have NOT had a plane drop on. I live near one right now and cannot think of a single time a plane has crashed into a house. I can think of plenty of crashes that have been AWAY from base that HAVE found their way into homes. It is not like homes near a military base are plane magnets...are they at higher risk..sure.

F-14 crash after take off from KBNA, 3 on the ground killed

F-16, Pensacola, 4y/o boy killed in his house

Evansville IN, C-130 kills 11 in 1992

1995 T-38 crashes into apt complex after takeoff, kills 2.

U-2 lost after takeoff from Beale, 1 on ground killed.

T-38 crashes on short final at KVPS and goes into a house.

AA A300 crashed after takeoff from NY in Nov '01.

Just the ones I could come up with off the top of my head, or from other threads. Check your stats again. Living within 2NM of an airfield ups your chances, and makes it a statistical certainty that it will happen to someone. Everyone at Oceana NAS agrees it's only a matter of time before it happens. I pray it doesn't, but the odds of NEVER are pretty slim. Come to think of it, every T-45 that's been lost in recent memory (7 or so) were all in the traffic pattern. Luckily, no one has been dumb enough to drop a development next to either location.

Airplanes congregate at airports, and airplanes crash from time to time. Same theory can be applied to traffic accidents at major intersections vice a long stretch of country road.

Back on topic, I pray that they both find peace within themselves over this.
 
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Everyone at Oceana NAS agrees it's only a matter of time before it happens. I pray it doesn't, but the odds of NEVER are pretty slim.

Already has - late 80's A-6 crashed just after takeoff onto Oceana Blvd just outside the fence. Pilot and B/N ejected too late and were killed. So was the pregrant lady driving her car that was hit by the aircraft. Making it worse, pilot error caused this one.
 
What I would be concerned about would be the choices he makes if he were to find himself in a similar position again.

You need to STFU. You don't know anything about what happened or what caused this. You don't know if he did the exact right thing or not.

And to add to the list, an F/A-18 crashed just short of the runway (1-2 miles IIRC) at Miramar about 2 years ago. Fortunately, it was in one of the few pieces of dirt that was owned by the base on final to that runway.
 
F18

I think I saw a Picture on one of the media outlets of the pilot standing in front or near the house/crash site. I cannot imagine the weight on the pilot and the family. Everyone lost. I think the idea of the pilot meeting with the family is a fantastic idea but an extremtly tough one. I hope that they all have some guidance from church or whatever gives them strength. I also hope that the pilot gets back into the air sooner rather than later.

Let the investigators work through this so hopefully-potentially this may not happen again. We all know that this can be a dangerous game we are in. Lets all be on the same team.

Just my thoughts - don't hang me on it
 
You need to STFU. You don't know anything about what happened or what caused this. You don't know if he did the exact right thing or not.

And to add to the list, an F/A-18 crashed just short of the runway (1-2 miles IIRC) at Miramar about 2 years ago. Fortunately, it was in one of the few pieces of dirt that was owned by the base on final to that runway.

What is your aviation background?

I would be willing to be that next time that young Marine finds himself in a jet that is not working right, this incident will pop up in his head...if ever so briefly. I am not questioning whether he did the right thing or not but flying skills and judgment is based on past experience and training. This experience will most likely effect his judgment IF he finds himself in a similar situation. Statistics and studies prove it. The man is human and has suffered a traumatic event and one that he will remember for the rest of his life. It WILL be there when and if. This is in no way an indictment on his abilities as a pilot, Marine, or a human being. He is not super human...this will stick with him. I am sure he will have the mental and emotional fortitude to strap a jet back on and be a wonderful asset to the community.

The same factors effect ground forces to include the most elite of special operations forces. It is the sum of their experiences both good and bad that help guide their actions when bullets start flying.

Let me suggest a good book called "On Combat" by Dave Grossman. http://www.amazon.com/Combat-Psychology-Physiology-Deadly-Conflict/dp/0964920514

There are no pictures in it...just so you know.
 
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Wow...we could all learn a lot from this man. [Yoon]
Behavior like Mr Yoon's has been one of the scarce bright spots in human behavior over the last few years. More and more I am seeing forgiveness and less emphasis on blame and revenge. I hear more things like "This has been a terrible family tragedy but we forgive the [other]" and fewer things like "They took her away and I will never forgive them."

Somehow, the spirit of forgiveness is growing.
 
Behavior like Mr Yoon's has been one of the scarce bright spots in human behavior over the last few years. More and more I am seeing forgiveness and less emphasis on blame and revenge.

Agree. In Mr. Yoon's case it appears he draws his incredible strength from his faith. He was quoted by the LA Times, "I believe my wife and two babies and mother-in-law are in heaven with God." The article also referenced that he attends the Korean United Methodist Church of San Diego.

Too often Christians appear in a paper because of reprehensible public behavior. It's encouraging to see this humble man instead proving to be such a public example of grace and forgiveness in the midst of this tragic event.
 

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