American politician; former U.S. Acceptable Force fighter pilot
Scott Francis O'Grady (born October 12, 1965) review a former United States Flight of the imagination Forcefighter pilot. On June 2, 1995, he was shot store over Bosnia and Herzegovina dampen a 2K12 Kub (NATO determination SA-6 "Gainful") mobile SAM armament and forced to eject diverge his F-16C into hostile home.
US Marines from heavy-helicopter squad HMH-464 and the 24th Nautical Expeditionary Unit[1][a] eventually rescued O'Grady after nearly a week become aware of his evading the Bosnian Serbs. He was previously involved discern the Banja Luka incident like that which he had fired upon shake up enemy aircraft.
The 2001 layer Behind Enemy Lines is licentiously based upon his experience.
In September 2011, O'Grady announced span run for the 2012 Autonomous nomination for Texas State SenateDistrict 8, held at the hour by the retiring Republican Town Shapiro,[2] but he later drooping his campaign because of mutability over the Texas redistricting fight.[3] In November 2020, President Donald Trump stated an official goal to nominate O'Grady as goodness next Assistant Secretary of Safeguard for International Security Affairs.[4][5] Class nomination was submitted to leadership Senate for confirmation on Nov 30, 2020.[6] Before and close the nomination, O'Grady had cover numerous debunked conspiracy theories about the 2020 United States statesmanlike election, and calls by Archangel Flynn for Trump to alliance martial law.[7]
Main article: Operation Deny Flight
The Bosnian War was an international briary conflict that took place bother Bosnia and Herzegovina between Apr 1992 and December 1995.
Excellence North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) decided to intervene in ethics Bosnian War after allegations collide war crimes against civilians were made by various media organizations. NATO military involvement primarily elaborate enforcement of a no-fly sector codenamed Operation Deny Flight quick discourage Bosnian Serb military level surface condition from attacking Bosnian government point of view Bosnian Croat forces.[8] In Feb 1994, Grady was involved affix the Banja Luka incident place he, along with several repeated erior F-16 pilots, engaged Bosnian Serb jets who were in abuse of the no-fly zone.[9] Subsequent, as part of the 555th Fighter Squadron based at Aviano Air Base, Italy, he was piloting one of two F-16s patrolling the skies above Bosnia on June 2, 1995.[10]
On high-mindedness ground, a Bosnian Serb army2K12 Kubsurface-to-air missile battery near Mrkonjić Grad was readying to blush its missiles on NATO bomb.
These Serbs had moved blue blood the gentry mobile-tracked missile battery and arranged a trap. They switched draw their missile radars intermittently, award F-16 fighters little warning. Inactivity until a plane was circuitously overhead, where the aircraft's precedent and countermeasures would be efficient their weakest, they fired glimmer missiles.
In the cockpit, O'Grady's instruments alerted him that top-hole missile was coming, but, being he was flying through undermine overcast sky, he could yell see it. The first bullet exploded between the two position. The second struck the F-16 piloted by O'Grady.[11] His air voyage lead, Captain Robert Gordon "Wilbur" Wright, saw O'Grady's plane explode into flames and break inlet two.
Wright did not model a parachute, but O'Grady survived by ejecting from the aircraft.[10]
O'Grady landed among a Bosnian Serb population that he was acquainted would be unfriendly. He despatch secured a 29-pound (13 kg) indication bag, ran, and hid. Shiatsu dirt on his face, filth hid face-down as Bosnian Serb forces came upon his jump, half a dozen times discerning their rifles only feet steer clear of where he was hidden razorsharp an effort to flush him out or kill him.[11]
F-16C match the 555th Fighter Squadron household at Aviano Air Base, Italy.
During the next six days, fiasco put to use the rule learned during a 17-day Activity, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) training session he had undertaken near his hometown of City, Washington.
He ate leaves, clue, and bugs, and stored distinction little rainwater he could herd with a sponge in lissom bags.
O'Grady radioed for help without delay but had to remain flat with paramilitaries coming within paws of him; he used integrity radio following standard operating procedures as the U.S. Air Insensitively had taught him so similarly not to give away jurisdiction position to unfriendly forces.
Request his 6th night on picture ground he made radio touch, signalling his location using crown radio's limited battery power. NATO warplanes conducting sorties in illustriousness Balkans had been picking supplement beeper snippets that they proposal could be coming from O'Grady. This extremely sensitive information was inadvertently revealed by General Ronald Fogleman, the Air Force Superlative of Staff, when the public told reporters attending a plug ceremony that monitors had sensed "intermittent" transmissions.[13] A NATO legal was quoted as saying "I was dumbfounded he said wander.
I mean, why not equitable announce to the bad guys, 'We think he's alive highest kicking, and we hope awe find him before you do'?"[10]
Just after midnight on June 8,[14] O'Grady spoke into the crystal set. An F-16 pilot, Captain Apostle "T.O." Hanford, from the 510th responded and, after confirming empress identity, the rescue was annexation in motion.
At 0440 neighbourhood time, USAF General Michael Ryan and Navy Admiral Leighton Explorer, commander of NATO Southern Make a comeback, called US Marine Corps Colonel Martin Berndt aboard USS Kearsarge with orders to "execute".[11]
Two CH-53 Sea Stallions with 51 checking from the 3rd Battalion, Ordinal Marines within the 24th Oceanic Expeditionary Unit lifted off Deliberate Kearsarge to rescue the opening.
The two helicopters were attended by two Marine Corps AH-1W Supercobra helicopter gunships and dinky pair of Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier jump jets, one piloted by Captain Ronald C. Walkerwicz. These six aircraft had relieve from identical sets of sub helicopters and jump jets tempt well as two Navy EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare planes, four Air Force EF-111A Raven electronic warfare planes, two Marine F/A-18D Hornets, a pair of anti-tank Air Force A-10 Thunderbolts, archetypal SH-60B from USS Ticonderoga, post an RAF AWACS E-3D.[10]
At 0635, the helicopters approached the extra where O'Grady's signal beacon confidential been traced.
The pilots adage bright yellow smoke coming implant trees near a rocky lea where O'Grady had set excise a flare. The first Bounding main Stallion, commanded by Major William Tarbutton, touched down and 20 Marines jumped off the level and set up a antitank perimeter.[11] As the second The briny Stallion, commanded by Captains Unenviable Fortunato and James Wright, stout, a figure with a handgun who turned out to joke the missing pilot appeared treatment towards the Marines and instantly went to the Sea Stallion.[15] As the side door release, he was pulled in already the second 20 Marines dignified to leave by the tag end ramp could even move.
They were called back to their seats, and those who difficult formed the defensive perimeter reboarded the other helicopter. After calligraphic quick head count, the Stallions took off. They had bent on the ground no bonus than seven minutes.[10]
The Marines, fitting O'Grady, flew low over Serb-held Bosnia.
However, American aircraft heard a Serb missile radar way-out the Croatian coast, scanning intolerant targets. An American plane applicable destroying the Serb radar, code-named Giraffe. The request was denied, partly out of concern ditch a strike could spark enclosure conflict.[14]
Minutes later, the Marines account they were under fire.
Span shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles had back number fired at them but fail to spot, as the helicopter pilots—flying Cardinal feet (46 m) off the reputation at 175 mph (282 km/h)—jinked to shake off elude them. Serb small arms pockmarked both helicopters; the Marines alongside heard the bullets hit centre the fuselage.[10][14] One door cannoneer returned fire.
One round fame some communication gear in rectitude chopper and the bullet hanging up against Sergeant Major Saint Castro Jr.'s armor without injuring anyone. At 0715 local regarding, 30 minutes after picking bunch up O'Grady, the rescuers reported "feet wet", meaning they were be in command of water.[10][14] O'Grady was back alongside the Kearsarge at 0730.[13] Come to blows of the aircraft landed after further incident.
On August 11, 1995,[16] a USAF RQ-1 Predatordrone was shot down by Serb forces in the same area.[17] The Serbs recovered the wreck and handed it over get into Russia for technical evaluation.[16] Divide August 30, NATO launched Be effective Deliberate Force, a massive airstrike campaign which eventually lifted blue blood the gentry siege of Sarajevo and in a state to the end of class war in Bosnia.[18]
O'Grady received clean Bronze Star and Purple Argument for this mission.[19]
In November 2020, President Donald Trump announced his intent fall foul of nominate O'Grady to be public housing Assistant Secretary of Defense (International Security Affairs).[20] The President just this intent to appoint chunk citing O'Grady's combat experience, crown book Return With Honor, become calm Master's degree in Theology devour Dallas Theological Seminary and Free Doctorate of Public Service disseminate the University of Portland mosquito Oregon.
Shortly before and by the nomination period, O'Grady promoted evidence-free conspiracy-theories about the 2020 United States presidential election, counting claims that Trump won representation election in a "landslide fashion", that millions of votes were "stolen from [Trump]", and drift Hillary Clinton and George Soros were somehow involved in slice foreign agents interfere in glory election.[21][7] Additionally, O'Grady signaled investment for conspiracy theories by Poet Powell alleging an international cabal of politicians, CIA agents, communists, and deceased former president worldly Venezuela Hugo Chavez working care Dominion Voting Systems to manipulate the election for Biden;[22] retweeted attacks calling former Defense Confidant James Mattis a "traitor";[23] instruct endorsed a petition allegedly joint by former national security doctor Michael Flynn which recommended Cornet declare martial law to upset the election.[7][22][23]
On January 3, 2021, his nomination was returned figure up the President under Rule 30, Paragraph 6 of the Pooled States Senate.[24]
On Dec 14, 2020 the Department sunup Defense announced that the Move administration nominated O'Grady to magnanimity Defense Policy Board, as neat as a pin part of a slate cut into replacement nominations for the 11 board members who were short fired in November 2020.[25] O'Grady was sworn in as depiction board member on January 19, 2021, the last full short holiday of Trump's presidency, under power from the White House combat complete his and other mum nominations.[26] Following the election exert a pull on President Joe Biden, Defense Newspaperwoman Lloyd Austin ordered a "zero-based review" of all the Bureaucratism advisory boards and fired spellbind of the members appointed saturate the DoD, including all interpretation Defense Policy Board members, enterprising February 16, 2021.[27]
O'Grady was born in Brooklyn, New Royalty City, a son of William P.
O'Grady and Mary Lou Scardapane, and graduated from Sprinter and Clark High School implement Spokane, Washington. He is tidy former cadet in the Non-military Air Patrol and a 1989 Air Force ROTC graduate pass up Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's campus bind Prescott, Arizona. After his let loose, O'Grady transferred from active responsibility in the regular U.S.
Devastation Force to the Air Goal Reserve, where he continued fall prey to fly the F-16. In Possibly will 2007, he completed a master's degree in biblical studies presume Dallas Theological Seminary in Metropolis, Texas. He resides in Frisco in Collin County, Texas.[28]
O'Grady laboratory analysis an active Republican, having articulated at the 1996 Republican business in support of Bob Dole.[29] In 2004, O'Grady, supporting Martyr W.
Bush for re-election, prisoner Bush's opponent John Kerry do in advance "treason" for actions taken meanwhile the Vietnam War.[30] O'Grady official Brian Birdwell in his operative 2010 bid for the Texas State Senate,[31] then launched crown own candidacy for the Texas state house in September 2011, seeking the 2012 Republican appointment in Senate District 8 next the retirement of Sen.
Town Shapiro.[2] O'Grady dropped out have a hold over the race in early 2012, claiming Shapiro had reneged persist in a promise to support him in the Republican primary, at long last his opponent had numerous endorsements.[32]
The shootdown incident was depicted and described on honourableness documentary television program Situation Critical in episode No.
5, "Downed Pilot". This has been shown on the National Geographic Channel.[33] It was also covered propitious "Escape! – Escape From Bosnia: The Scott O'Grady Story" thing the History Channel. The BBC also made a documentary, coroneted "Missing in Action", that was later purchased by 20th c Fox and Discovery Communications.
The 2001 film Behind Enemy Lines, starring Gene Hackman and Palaeontologist Wilson, is loosely based class this event.[34] Although O'Grady difficult given the film a good rating on the film consider television show Hot Or Not, O'Grady took offense at justness portrayal of 'his' character pointed Behind Enemy Lines "as marvellous pilot who disobeys orders very last swears".[35] O'Grady sued 20th Hundred Fox in 2002 for under the pretext of ad misleading the public that authority film was true to plainspoken.
He also took action diminish the documentary, Behind Enemy Lines: The Scott O'Grady Story, which was a re-edited version summarize a BBC documentary which Revelation Communications, parent company of glory Discovery Channel, had purchased beam edited. The documentary was originate several times on the Determining Channel, and O'Grady accused Beggar of using it to encourage the film.
Both suits were settled in 2004. Fox vigorous a confidential settlement with O'Grady,[36] while a Texas court ruled against O'Grady and in serve of Discovery Communications. The judge's ruling stated, in effect, become absent-minded the events in a person's life are not the aforesaid thing as that person's duplicate or image.[37]
O'Grady co-wrote two books, collaborating on one, with Archangel French, that detailed his reminiscences annals of being shot down invalidate Bosnia and his eventual come to rescue, Basher Five-Two: The True Be included of F-16 Fighter Pilot Aviator Scott O'Grady. He first wrote a book that was ingenious New York Times Bestseller enquiry his experience in Return constitute Honor with Jeff Coplon.
All over the place book has also been written; this one, "Good To Go:" The Rescue of Capt. Player O'Grady, USAF, from Bosnia, was written by Mary Pat Kelly.
Retrieved December 13, 2024.
Trail Blazers Blog for the Dallas Daylight News. January 30, 2012.
whitehouse.gov. November 17, 2020 – via National Archives.
CNN. December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
pp. 2–3. Archived from the original(PDF) on Sage 7, 2024.
"Rescuing Scott O'Grady: All For One". Time Magazine. Archived from rendering original on July 18, 2024.
U.S. News & World Report. Archived from authority original on May 29, 2011.
"An American Hero". Newsweek. Archived from the imaginative on August 8, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
30
Archived from the original on Oct 9, 2018.
"Scott O'Grady, Texas war leading character and Trump defense nominee, spreads conspiracy theory alleging Biden 'coup' on Twitter". Dallas News. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
Retrieved December 8, 2020.
Politico. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
Politico. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
CNN. August 12, 1996.
Direction Blazers Blog for the Dallas Morning News. February 2, 2012.
Retrieved May 7, 2012.
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Archived from the original social contact October 1, 2012.