Guest tenguFlyer Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 Today is the anniversary of when Scott O Grady was shot down. It was a featured article on wikipedia today. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_O%27Grady I figured I would share. What an amazing story.
discus Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 Today is the anniversary of when Scott O Grady was shot down. It was a featured article on wikipedia today. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_O%27Grady I figured I would share. What an amazing story. Haven't been to survival school yet, have you? 1
Spoo Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 (edited) Today is the anniversary of when Scott O Grady was shot down. It was a featured article on wikipedia today. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_O%27Grady I figured I would share. What an amazing story. Amazing alright, amazing he got on the ground in one piece, didn't get captured, or get his ass shot off by his own rescuers. EDIT: What Discus said - go talk to a SERE instructor. Edited June 2, 2009 by Spoo
Guest tenguFlyer Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 Haha, no I havent been to SERE. I'm very ignorant. Can you guys share or is this something I need to wait for? He was featured in the new CBT on the code of conduct we got. So it couldnt have been anything too bad could it?
discus Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 (edited) Haha, no I havent been to SERE. I'm very ignorant. Can you guys share or is this something I need to wait for? He was featured in the new CBT on the code of conduct we got. So it couldnt have been anything too bad could it? I can't remember what in that report I am and what I am not able to say on the net, so I'll just go with "He screwed a lot of stuff up...BADLY". We should call it "Badass SAR dudes day" x 1,000,000 to those guys. Edited June 2, 2009 by discus
sky_king Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 Amazing alright, amazing he got on the ground in one piece, didn't get captured, or get his ass shot off by his own rescuers. EDIT: What Discus said - go talk to a SERE instructor. Well he did survive didn't he? So regardless if he went about it incorrectly or not, he still did better than some.
M2 Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 Well he did survive didn't he? So regardless if he went about it incorrectly or not, he still did better than some. No thanks to his own actions! The man epitomizes the old saying about "better lucky than good;" and those that he did better than (your words) most likely did a lot more things right but just weren't as lucky! And how is O'Grady the subject of a code of conduct CBT? He was never captured (the B-Serbs didn't want him, and no matter what he claims, they would've gotten him if they wanted to) so he had no conditions under which his actions could be judged. He basically went on a hiking trip in the RS for a couple of days... But thanks for the reminder of the anniversary, it brings back great memories of drinking a lot of German beer and discussing the circumstances surrounding the event.
Spoo Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 Well he did survive didn't he? So regardless if he went about it incorrectly or not, he still did better than some. Yeah, that's why it's amazing.
Toro Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 O'Grady penned two books along with Michael French and Jeff Coplon detailing his experiences of being shot down over Bosnia and his eventual rescue — Return with Honor and Basher Five-Two. Not quite. As mentioned, he is the SERE example of what not to do on multiple subjects, and the guy's call sign is ZULU. Most memorable story for me from the instructors, "When the rescue team arrives to pick you up, do not make a mad dash towards them waving your 9mm...like O'Grady did...or you'll get laid out" I won't even get into the actions that led to his shootdown.
tac airlifter Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 Not quite. As mentioned, he is the SERE example of what not to do on multiple subjects, and the guy's call sign is ZULU. Most memorable story for me from the instructors, "When the rescue team arrives to pick you up, do not make a mad dash towards them waving your 9mm...like O'Grady did...or you'll get laid out" I won't even get into the actions that led to his shootdown. Please elaborate, I fail to understand the significance of this.
Wolf424 Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 Want to see a SERE guy cringe? Tell him you read O'Grady's book in order to have a good understanding of the code of conduct and survival.
contraildash Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 (edited) No thanks to his own actions! The man epitomizes the old saying about "better lucky than good;" and those that he did better than (your words) most likely did a lot more things right but just weren't as lucky! Prime example: Colonel Bud Day a.k.a. American Bad@ss Read his book and the book written about him. Absolutely amazing man. Edited June 2, 2009 by contraildash
ClearedHot Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 O'Grady penned two books along with Michael French and Jeff Coplon detailing his experiences of being shot down over Bosnia and his eventual rescue — Return with Honor and Basher Five-Two. He even FUBARed the book. Return with Honor is also the title of Col Bud Day's book, just the most decorated pilot from the Vietnam war. Col Day is an attorney in Niceville Fl and as I recall he (or his publisher), took O'Grady to court over the title. Not sure what the outcome was, ultimately the "Return With Honor" moniker was from the 31FW at Aviano where he was stationed when the shootdown occurred.
Hacker Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 Up next: Doc Foglesong Day! Still to come (sts): Tony McPeak Day.
Spoo Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 Up next: Doc Foglesong Day! Still to come (sts): Tony McPeak Day. Thanks for ruining my day. I wasn't going to drink...
Smokin Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 "After he expended all his missiles and low on fuel, Capt. Wright now handed over the chase to his wingman, Capt. Scott F. "Zulu" O'Grady, who had been flying top to cover his flight leader. O'Grady dropped down to engage and fired a AIM-9M but it did not lock-on and missed. Black flight was now approaching "bingo fuel", the point at which a plane will not have enough fuel to return, so they pulled off to refuel..." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banja_Luka_incident O'Grady was/is a complete tool, anything amazing happened around/to him, not by him and was pure coincidence. He had a chance to shoot down an enemy bomber and forgot to uncage his Aim-9 first (for those of you who don't know, that means it is a rocket, not a missile, and obviously will not hit the target). That was after 6-9 minutes of horrible comm when O'Grady goes blind and has to get vectors back to the fight by his flight lead who is busy shooting down enemy aircraft. He could have been a hero and come home with at least two kills. First rule of being a wingman, don't got blind, especially when there are some baby seals to club.
capt4fans Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 (edited) "The film Behind Enemy Lines is loosely based on his story. Although he gave it a positive rating on the movie review television show Hot Or Not, he sued the movie company in 2002 for making the film without his permission." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_F._O%27Grady I would have sued them for making such a sh!tty @ss movie and trying pass it off as my story....but then again, O'Grady is a "Wedge" and should be afforded all the rights as such. Edited June 2, 2009 by capt4fans
Toro Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 Please elaborate, I fail to understand the significance of this. Dead F***ing Last in everything he does - just like Z is to the alphabet. Funny thing is that I read one of his books prior to starting pilot training (I don't remember which one) and one of the parts that stuck with me was when he described his own pilot training class. He detailed a flight stand-up where his USEM had him in a stand up that he basically didn't know the answer to and he said, "Sir, am I solo or am I dual (with an instructor)?" The USEM responded, "You're dual." Lt O'Grady said, "Roger sir, at that point I will tell my instructor, 'Sir you have the aircraft." The guy was a dipshit before he even entered phase 1, how he graduated is beyond me. The fact that he got himself shot down, became a mockery of the Air Force to anything who knows anything about aviation, and has now profited off two books and sued a movie maker should tell something. Scott O'Grady is a load that should have been swallowed.
08Dawg Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 "He is a former cadet in the Civil Air Patrol and a 1989 Air Force ROTC graduate from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University." There's your problem right there. *Ducks*
JarheadBoom Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 We should call it "Badass SAR dudes day" x 1,000,000 to those guys. Just call it "'Standard MEU Mission' Day". After hearing the story a few years later from someone who was there (I worked with one of the -53 crewchiefs who flew the mission), O'Grady is VERY FUCKING LUCKY to be alive after what he did in his final minute on the ground.
Fud Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 Lt O'Grady said, "Roger sir, at that point I will tell my instructor, 'Sir you have the aircraft." WOW! It seems like the person in charge of standup should have tore him a new one.
Guest peanut Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 (edited) Oh come one, you know that sounds exactly like some of the stupid crap said during UPT/UNT. Of course, MOST people are smart enough to realize that's a huge foul, there are those that few that fall through the cracks. Just read some of the stories on here. I'm not saying he shouldn't have been ripped a new one, but it does go along with some of those dumb UPT stories. Edited June 3, 2009 by peanut
F16Rooster Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 Scott O'Grady is a load that should have been swallowed. Thats some funny chit.
busdriver Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 For anyone curious about what a good survivor is, read the account of Dale Zelko (Vega 31) and compare it to O'Grady (Basher 52). Basically Zelko was close to perfect and O'Gradey was plain lucky. You facilitate your own rescue.
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