On 02 June 1995, Captain Scott O’Grady, 29-year old American Air Force Pilot is shot down over Bosnia.  He is assigned to Coalition Peace Keeping Force enforcing a NO FLY Zone located over Bosnia.  The NO FLY Zone was established to prevent warring factions inside Bosnia from bombing each other causing great losses in civilian lives.  04 Serb bombers have already been shot down by Coalition / NATO forces.

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Serb forces have already attacked established safe-havens for Muslims.  Coalition / NATO forces responded by targeting and striking Serb ammunition depots.  Bosnian Serb forces responded by kidnapping hundreds of UN peace keepers and using them as human shields.  Serb ground forces had no tolerance for Coalition / NATO aircraft flying over their airspace.  Any aircraft flying over their airspace would be shot down.

Before we get into the evasion of Captain Scott O’Grady, let me give you the stats on the F-16C Fighting Falcon and the SA-6 SAM so you can better appreciate Captain Scott O’Grady’s military experiences and have a better respect for opposing forces.

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F-16C Fighting Falcon Fighter Jet Stats

• Country of Origin—————United States
• Crew———————————–Pilot (F-16D – 02)
• Powerplant————————-Pratt and Whitney or General Electric
• Radios——————————–UHF & VHF
• Fuel————————————7,000 pounds internal and 5,000 pounds 02 external tanks
• Thrust——————————–27,000 pounds
• Max Range————————-2,002 miles
• Max Speed————————-Mach 2 (1,500 miles per hour)
• Max Altitude———————-50,000 feet
• Weapons—————————-20mm 06-barrell gun (500 rds), Air to Air Missiles (06), Air to Ground Rockets, 2,000 pound bombs (02)
• Onboard Computer————Flying Assistance and Defensive Measures
• Number of F-16s—————1,017

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SA-6 Surface to Air Missile (SAM) Stats

• Country of Origin—————Russia
• Nickname————————–Three Fingers of Death
• Self-Propelled Unit————Speed – 40 miles per hour
• Self-Propelled Unit————Range – 161 miles
• Crew———————————-03
• Medium Range Missiles—-03
• Warhead—————————HE (High Explosive) fragment on impact
• Speed——————————-3,000 kilometers per hour (1,864 miles per hour) (Solid Fuel Rocket Motor
• Range——————————-24 Kilometers / 14 miles
• Max Altitude——————-45,930 feet
• Number of SA-6s————-500

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At about noon, on 02 June 1995, flight leader Captain Robert Wright and his wing man, Captain Scott O’Grady head out to their F-16C Fighting Falcons to do their pre-flight checks.

At approximately 1315 hours, Captain O’Grady (Call Sign – Basher 5 2) and his flight leader Captain Robert Wright (Call Sign – Basher 5 1), take off from an air base located at Aviano, Italy on a mission to patrol the NO FLY Zone over Bosnia.  They head in a southeast direction and fly over the Adriatic Sea.  30-minutes after take-off they reach Bosnia and begin their NO FLY ZONE patrol.

Both pilots begin their racetrack patrolling the NO FLY ZONE at approximately 26,000-feet AGL (Above Ground Level).  Each racetrack takes about 08-minutes.  Their mission is to patrol the NO FLY ZONE flying this predesignated racetrack for 02 ½ -hours.

The Serbs SA-6 battery actually outsmarted the American high-tech defense systems in the F-16C Falcon Fighter jets.  They positioned their SA-6 SAM under the F-16C’s racetrack.  The radar for the SA-6 was turned-on just for a few seconds, just to get the altitude, speed and direction of the F-16Cs.  They re-positioned /re-aimed the SA-6 and launched their missiles with their radar off.  This way, the F-16C pilots had no hard warning signs that they were being targeted and SA-6 missiles were on their way to intercept them.  Plus, the commander of the SA-6 battery doesn’t want to keep the radar on so the F-16s have a chance to lock-on to their position and launch their own missiles.

At 1450 hours, Captain Wright gets a short warning signal of a SA-6 threat but Captain O’Grady does not get any warning signal from his instruments.

About 05-seconds before the missiles reached the same altitude (26,000-feet) as Wright and O’Grady, the SA-6 radar system was turned back on so the SA-6 missiles could get a solid lock on the F-16s and intercept them.  Both F-16Cs are now flying about a mile apart.  O’Grady gets a SA-6 warning threat but Wright does not.  Wright sees one of the missiles break through the clouds and warns O’Grady “Basher 5 1 missiles in the air, missiles in the air.”

One missile explodes between Wright and O’Grady’s aircraft.  Another missile heads for O’Grady’s aircraft.  O’Grady gets another warning from his instruments: “Counter, Counter, Counter, Counter,…”  Captain O’Grady states: “My thumb didn’t even get to the decoy button before the missile impacted.  I thought I was dead right then and there.”

At approximately 1451 hours, Captain O’Grady was shot down by a Russian made SA-6 SAM (Surface to Air Missile) by Serb forces.  Captain O’Grady’s fighter jet was completely destroyed.  With his F-16C broken-up, his cockpit fell tumbling to Earth.  He activated his ejection seat at an estimated altitude of 25,000 feet followed by activation of his parachute.  At approximately 13,000-feet his ejection seat drops way.

Serbian and para-military forces sighted Captain O’Grady in his parachute and were already enroute to capture him.

Meanwhile, higher-ups learned of a Coalition pilot being shot down over Bosnia and immediately, a mission was being established to rescue Captain O’Grady.  The Coalition forces are constantly monitoring radios 24/7 to pick-up any radio signals from Captain O’Grady.

After 25-mintues of descending from 25,000-feet, Captain O’Grady landed, deep in Serbian territory.  O’Grady has limited water, a first-aid kit, an emergency radio and a 9mm Beretta pistol.

It was daylight, and Captain O’Grady did one of the smartest actions during his evasion.  He evaded away from his parachute.  A parachute anyone could see from a great distance.  Captain O’Grady evaded a distance of only 200-meters and then he hid himself.  With the many searching eyes of Serb forces, a moving evader can be easily picked-up.  Remember ‘movement attracts the eyes.’  Even to the untrained eyes.  Captain O’Grady hid on the surface and went motionless.  Even the slightest movement will be caught by searching eyes.

At one point, Captain O’Grady recalls Serb searchers came within 05-meters, just 05-meters (15-feet) from his position and they didn’t see him because he was:

• Hidden
• Motionless

Captain O’Grady stayed in his hidden position for 08-hours before he continued his evasion to higher ground to use his emergency radio (voice & beacon).

Another smart evasion Captain O’Grady did was he moved slowly and only moved at night.  Periodically, he’d use his emergency radio (voice & beacon) to try to make contact with friendly forces (fellow pilots).

Captain O’Grady didn’t know this at the time, but on his 2^nd day of evasion Serb military forces were ordered to stand-down on the search for Captain O’Grady so they wouldn’t be blamed for Captain O’Grady’s murder when he was caught by civilian para-military forces.

During Captain O’Grady’s 06-night evasion, he had limited water and no food.  Captain O’Grady’s 06-night evasion led him to using the multi-step Edibility Test and eating grass and eating ants for food and he found a limited water supply.  Still during his 06-night evasion, he periodically used his emergency radio (voice & beacon) to try to contact fellow pilots.  From his hiding positions, he could hear the F-16s flying overhead.

The Serbs know Captain has a radio and they are continually trying to pick-up his radio signals so they can locate his position.

On the 6^th night of evasion, Captain O’Grady reaches the top of a hill.  This high ground gives his radio the best chances to contact friendly pilots.  O’Grady first uses the beacon and waits for a response.  Nothing.  Again, he uses the beacon and waits for a response.  Nothing.  Again, he uses the beacon and waits for a response.  This time he hears 03 clicks.

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On 08 June 1995 at 0125 hours, Captain Thomas Hanford, assigned to the 510^th Squadron out Aviano, Italy, completes his NO FLY ZONE patrol just off the coast with his wingman.  They’re flying at 20,000-feet AGL.  Instead of heading back to base, Captain Hanford makes an attempt to contact Basher 5 2 (Captain O’Grady).

Now flying on his reserve tank, Captain Hanford decides to fly closer inland to get any possible signal from Captain O’Grady.

This could put him in range of Serb SAMs.

Captain Hanford’s wingman radios him and tells him his too far inland.  Plus, they’re both very low on fuel.  At this time he could barely hear traffic – someone is talking.

Captain Hanford flies deeper inland to pick-up the faint radio signal.  It could be Captain O’Grady.  Captain Hanford is running low on fuel as is his wingman.   After a few call signs back & forth, he picks-up Captain O’Grady’s voice loud & clear “I’m alive!  I’m alive!”  Captain Hanford tearfully replies with “Copy that.  You’re alive.”

The Serbs have also picked-up on the transmissions sent by Captain O’Grady and have identified his general location.  Now it’s a race to see who gets to Captain O’Grady first – the Serb para-military forces or the United States Marines.

Immediately the word gets back to higher-ups that Captain O’Grady is still alive and a rescue mission is now in full swing.  US Marines on the US Navy ship USS Kearsarge, are located just off the coast and they have been preparing for this rescue mission.

Just 01-minute before sunrise on 08 June 1995, the rescue mission is launched off the US Navy ship USS Kearsarge.  The rescue force (code name ‘Thundering Eagles’) includes:

• 02 Super Stallion Helicopters (43 Marines & crew)
• Escorted by 02 Cobra Gunships
• Escorted by 04 Harrier Jump Jets
• Backed-Up by 40 heavily armed Coalition aircraft.

Flying fast and low it takes the rescue force approximately 10-minutes to reach Bosnian airspace.  It will take the rescue force approximately 01-hour reach Captain O’Grady.

Captain O’Grady’s survival vest includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) that he’ll use to give the rescue force his exact pinpoint location.  Captain O’Grady gives the rescue force his Latitude and Longitude (Degrees, Minutes & Seconds).

Captain O’Grady hears the rescue helicopters in the distance.  Then he sees the US Marine helicopters.  He states:  “I look up and I see a United States Marine Corps helicopter cresting over the horizon in hostile territory to save my life.  And I’m a patriot, but never have I been more proud to be an American than that moment!”

As the rescue force starts to get closer, Captain O’Grady marks his position with a flare.  This could also be used to verify he is Captain O’Grady and not a trick by the enemy.  Captain O’Grady reaches in his survival vest and pulls out a bright orange boonie hat.  This also identifies Captain O’Grady.

At 0642 hours, the rescue helicopters land, Marines establish a quick security and grab & escort Captain O’Grady to the helicopter.  The security collapses, rescue force boards the helicopters and they take off heading back to their ship flying fast and low.

The rescue force radios to higher-ups using the code word “Pick Up” meaning Captain O’Grady has been rescued.

The rescue force is only 05-minutes from leaving Bosnian airspace when the rescue force is hit with machinegun fire, artillery shells, RPGs (Rocket Propelled Grenades),…

At 0729 hours, the rescue helicopters touch down on the US Navy ship USS Kearsarge.  Television crews are waiting.  And you know the rest of the story.

Captain O’Grady’s successful evasion was due to the following evasion tactics:

• Moved at night
• Moved deliberately and slowly
• Hidden while static and motionless
• Adhered to Noise & Light Discipline

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Go To Sh!+ Plan!

What would happen if the rescue force was shot down inside the borders of Bosnia?  What then?  US Army Special Forces A-Teams have what we called a Go To Sh!+ Plan.  A-Teams consist of only 12 men.  Here’s an example from my own experiences.  What if we were to get completely surrounded and we’re outnumbered and outgunned.  God forbid!  Well we had our own Go To Sh!+ Plan.  I won’t tell you what our Go To Sh!+ Plan was but here’s my experienced guess on the possible Go To Sh!+ Plan for Captain O’Grady’s rescue force.

In the case of Captain O’Grady’s rescue, they never said one single word of their own Go To Sh!+ Plan but I suspect they had one.  I can make a good guess at what it was.  Remember the rescue force (code name ‘Thundering Eagles’)?  It included:

• 02 Super Stallion Helicopters (43 Marines & crew)
• Escorted by 02 Cobra Gunships
• Escorted by 04 Harrier Jump Jets
• Backed-Up by 40 heavily armed Coalition aircraft.

Look at the last item: ‘Backed-Up by 40 heavily armed Coalition aircraft.’  If the rescue force was shot down inside the borders of Bosnia, now you have Captain O’Grady and a couple dozen more evaders (US Marines and crew of aircraft).

Immediately the Go To Sh!+ Plan would be executed.  The 40 Coalition fighter aircraft would have brought the ‘pay back wrath’ of the US military and Allies down on the Bosnian Serb military, Bosnian Serb police and Bosnian Serb para-military.  The gloves would have come off and it would be a real mess.

All possible threats would be eliminated so all US military personnel could be accounted for and evacuated.  I suspect US ground troops would be temporarily inserted to evacuate all US military personnel.

If I was in-charge, I’d definitely use the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team located in Vicenza, Italy that includes 3,300 paratroopers.  I’d of paratrooped (is this a word) them bad boys in as a ‘blocking force’ to repel all Serb opponents.  All they’d have to do is load several planes real quick, fly at combat altitude level for 30-minutes or so with several escorts of fighter jets and you’d have a couple thousand paratroopers on the ground like Right Frickn’ Now!
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Hell Hath No Fury Like A Bunch Of Pissed-Off American Paratroopers!

Joseph A. Laydon Jr. (October 2018)

Important Note:  One thing we did in our own Go To Sh!+ Plan (which I won’t reveal) is very simple.  I was thinking, if Captain O’Grady would have used this same technique, his pinpoint location can be identified and a small American Special Ops team (Navy SEALs or Delta Force,…) could have discreetly infiltrated (HALO) at night into Bosnia to Captain O’Grady’s exact pinpoint location, secured the ‘precious cargo’ and exfiltrated without the Serbs being alerted.  After I post this blog post, even though I didn’t reveal the good stuff, I bet I get a phone call from ‘you know who’ to delete this Important Note and the Go To Sh!+ Plan.  

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