Wednesday, May 19, 1999

Rescued pilot insists peace is worth risks

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BY EARNEST WINSTON
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Scott O'Grady, left, talks with Evan Thorpe, Cadet Wing Commander of the Air Force ROTC at UC. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

        Air Force Capt. Scott O'Grady knows that bringing peace to Kosovo is a dangerous mission.

        Shot down in 1995 while patrolling a NATO no-fly zone in Bosnia, he eluded enemy capture for six days before being rescued by U.S. Marines. As other American fliers now risk their lives over Yugoslavia, Capt. O'Grady says peace is worth the risk.

        “There are a lot of innocent people who (are getting) killed and hurt. We don't like to see that,” Capt. O'Grady said before a speech Tuesday.

        Speaking to about 500 people gathered at the Salvation Army's annual Civic and Recognition Luncheon at the Hyatt Regency downtown, Capt. O'Grady shared how he survived in a war zone.

        Capt. O'Grady, now an instructor at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash., was part of the NATO peacekeeping force brought in to help end the bloodshed between Bosnian Serbs and areas held by the Muslim-led government.

        On patrol in his F-16 jet fighter, Capt. O'Grady never saw the Soviet-made anti-aircraft missile that slammed into his plane. In the seconds that followed, he prayed, “Dear God, please don't let me die.”

        He ejected from his crumbling plane. As he parachuted into some woods, he hit the ground running, seeking cover.

        He had run only about 200 yards when he heard footsteps and gunshots. Bosnian Serb soldiers had seen the parachute and were searching for him. At that moment, Capt. O'Grady said, the situation seemed surreal: One minute, he was thousands of feet above the battlefield; the next, he was running for his life.

        In the thick brush and woods where he had fallen, Capt. O'Grady lay motionless on the ground. Cold and wet, he radioed for help, but the transmission wouldn't go through. He was afraid the Air Force would think he was dead.

        Over the next six days, he survived by eating ants, grass and rainwater. He even wrung out his socks over a plastic bag and drank the water. He never slept for more than 30 minutes at a time. And though he thought about death, his faith, family values and patriotism kept him going.

        On the sixth day, he heard a faint transmission. “I wanted to laugh. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry,” he said.

        His rescue team included 40 aircraft, such as Cobra attack helicopters, A-10s and AV-8B Harrier jump jets. The Marine unit that rescued him was on the ground less than 10 minutes. They were attacked by missiles and rifle fire as they flew out.

        Despite similar dangers facing NATO forces in Yugoslavia, Capt. O'Grady is adamant in support of the effort.

        “People need to realize that what's happening there is devastating. ... As human beings, we can't just stand by and accept that,” he said.

       

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