22d anniversary of Scott O’Grady rescue
Mick reminds us that 22 years ago today, Air Force Captain Scott O’Grady was rescued when his F-16 was struck by a Serb SA-6 surface-to-air missile over Bosnia while he was on an “Operation Deny Flight” mission. O’Grady safely ejected from the damaged aircraft and spent nearly six days behind enemy lines successfully evading capture by Serb militias operation in the area around Mrkonji? Grad.
From a CNN article published two years ago;
The enemy often was close. During the first two days, a helicopter was so near, he could see the faces of the Serbian pilots. Men on the ground were shooting at things that moved.
He moved at night, occasionally trying his radio to call for help. He fought the wet conditions, thirst and hunger. He ate ants and plants and drank the water he had in his emergency pack until that ran out on the fourth day. Rain brought more water, but it also soaked him. He developed trench foot from the prolonged exposure to cold water.
On the sixth night, using the call sign Basher Five-Two, he made contact with one of his squadron mates (who was flying on extremely low fuel) and soon four Marine helicopters were headed more than 80 miles into enemy territory. About 40 other aircraft kept watch nearby in case the Serbs caught on to the rescue attempt.
On the morning of the sixth day, they found him, sprinting from the woods into a small opening, 9mm pistol in his hand in case there was enemy fire.
A team of Marines covered him as he got into one of two CH-53E Super Stallions. Two AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter gunships flew nearby in case the enemy fire on the way out became a problem. Those Marines were the heroes, O’Grady said. “I was just doing my job,” he added.
Those Marines were from the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division. I was always upset that the Marines didn’t get as much attention as O’Grady.
Category: Historical
BZ to all involved!
Roger that.
The Marines may not have got the press, but O’Grady seems to have done his best to give them their due.
Good story to study for the “how-to’s”
I was a Plt Cmdr in India 3/8 when this happened. I don’t remember ever seeing a more appreciative man. Very obvious that his gratitude was very genuine.
^^^This^^^ Truly a humble man.
Well, 3/8 has been doing this stuff long before there was a MarSOC or even a Special Operations Command. They had a name for us back then, kinda catchy, no special patch or pin, we didnt even have a tiara or any thing. They simply called us…Marines.
Met him a few years back, humble guy. He, does tell people that the Marines who rescued him were the real heroes.
Putting their butts on the line to do good things, it doesn’t get any better than that.
I cant believe that happened 22 years ago!!!!
All involved must have seriously huge brass balls!!! O’Grady gets major points for giving credit to the Marines!!!! I like the rescue response; SEND A LOT OF GUY, A LOT OF AIR and BRING LOTS OF AMMO!
I remember how awesome it was that one of our own evaded and was rescued right under the “enemies” freakin nose. Bitch Slap!!!
Oh yes…this is the rescue where the MEU CO and SgtMajor just had to be on the helo. Not the greatest of command decisions there but what do I know? I’m but a lowly company grade bubba.
Had a CO and MCPO that always joy rode around. Both had more ammo in their Battle Rattle than troops running the Convoy.
Wonder why both were shit canned?
Oh yes…even after 22 years, isn’t it sad that some Marines still inexplicably find it necessary to continue to second-guess the 24th MEU(SOC) CO’s decisions on 8 June 1995, and isn’t it also sad that some Marines persist in trying to find fault with what was proven to be a successful rescue mission in a very high threat environment and under very adverse weather conditions, and that pulled a fellow American serviceman out of harm’s way and brought him home safely. The 24th MEU(SOC) CO went along on the TRAP mission because he correctly assessed that this tactical mission could have had adverse strategic implications for the U.S. if something went wrong, or if the TRAP mission had to be aborted due to the threat or bad weather. The 24th MEU(SOC) CO has clearly stated on numerous occasions that if the TRAP mission had to be aborted for any reason, he wanted to be the one to make the decision to abort so that he, and he alone, would be responsible for any adverse strategic “blow back” or damage to national prestige that may have resulted. (Please keep in mind that the O’Grady Rescue took place less than two years after the ‘Black Hawk Down’ incident in Mogadishu, so the adverse strategic consequences that could have resulted if something had gone wrong during the rescue mission could have been severe for the U.S.) Also please note that the 24th MEU(SOC) CO went out on the TRAP mission with the explicit concurrence/approval of Admiral Leighton Smith, who was CINCUSNAVEUR at the time, and who was in overall command of the rescue operation. As for the 24th MEU(SOC) Sergeant Major, he went where his CO went. No Marine should have a problem with that. And contrary to some of the uninformed, irresponsible ‘mythology’ that has developed over time regarding this TRAP mission and that still persists out there, the 24th MEU(SOC) CO did not direct, interfere with, or attempt to micromanage any of the tactical actions that took place during the TRAP mission; in fact, most of the Marines on the TRAP… Read more »
If they both had rifles in case the shit hit the fan, great. If they took the space of two riflemen, they were WRONG. Marines do not fail. You should know that.
‘…they were WRONG’?
Why would you say that? They were wrong based on what information, criteria, or objective analysis?
Did their presence in the second CH-53E somehow interfere with the execution of the TRAP mission to rescue Captain O’Grady, or did their presence somehow cause the TRAP mission to fail? If so, I guess that I must have missed that somewhere along the way.
The 24th MEU(SOC) CO and the SgtMaj didn’t displace any riflemen on the TRAP team ground force, nor did they diminish the TRAP team’s capability in any way. Please re-read my post above with specific attention to my comments regarding the potential strategic consequences of the mission if things had gone wrong. Also please note the fact that the 24th MEU(SOC) CO went out on the TRAP mission with the explicit concurrence/approval of CINCUSNAVEUR, because there were potential strategic-level issues in play that day that were much bigger than just the execution of tactical actions in the objective area.
One of the completely unforeseen, and disappointing, consequences of this successful TRAP mission has been the unprofessional, highly emotional adverse reaction of far too many Marines who have found it necessary to persistently disparage and bad-mouth the 24th MEU(SOC) TRAP team and its leadership and the way in which they executed this TRAP mission over the past 22 years. Being that that is how many Marines have reacted to a successful TRAP mission, it makes one wonder just how badly those same Marines would have reacted if the TRAP mission had actually failed.
It’s incomprehensible.
Semper Fi.
They were wrong. If the help the Colonel was on was shot down, there would have been a big hole in the command structure. EVERY single Marine SNCO and Officer I have talked to have agreed with me on this, although it looks you don’t.
And while he was away, the XO was in command? With full authority? LOL.
That would be like an Infantry Company Commander as the lead scout while on a company combat patrol. So he could more quickly ascertain the situation when the ambush is sprung, and he is face down in the mud trying not to get shot..
The Colonel and Sergeant Major were WRONG.
USMC 7757 – Your arguments are sound and well said. I would just say the following. USMC Steve may be right in that if he bumped 2 Marines from the mission to be there that may not have been as good a call. I don’t know the situation, but there should have been a UH-1N that he could have been on, but that may not have been feasible. I wasn’t there so I don’t know. And since I wasn’t there, I’m really not in a place to say he was wrong. In almost all cases, I would defer to the man the USMC saw fit to a) make a colonel and b) put in charge of a MEU.
As for wanting to be as near to the action as possible to make high level calls, I can fully understand. For something that high visibility, having the head honcho (as opposed to the BLT commander) there could have played a pivotal role had things gone south. I was on the 31st MEU from 2012-14 and I can tell you comm is a spotty thing – especially from 80 Miles out. Not having direct communication with the TRAP would not have been an option.
Lots of Monday morning quarterbacking on this. There is no reason, however, that this mission should be thought of as different from all other military missions. You just don’t know the situation unless you were there – and in the command cell at that.
I’ve obviously touched a nerve with you. Let’s remember the MEU had a complete GCE with more than enough qualified Marines to participate. I am merely stating that the commander and his senior enlisted’s place should not have been on that helo. Hindsight being what it is, I get it…everything worked out and it was a great rescue. I just want to state from my viewpoint and a lot of other Marines on active duty at the time, it was an unnecessary risk for a commander to take.
As one of very few CWOs who have been privileged to command (albeit a company), and who has graduated EWS and Command and Staff….my view point is what it is.
By your own account, “24th MEU(SOC) CO did not direct, interfere with, or attempt to micromanage any of the tactical actions that took place during the TRAP mission”… as such, in my opinion, the commander should have been where the bulk of his forces were.
I just think we have a difference of opinion on command philosophy.
Semper fi, USMC 7577
Okay, I’ve read all of the comments, so I’ll throw my two cents in. I’ve discussed this at length with infantry SNCO’s, Tank officers and SNCO’s, Pilots, Force reconnaissance Marines (officer and enlisted) and at great length with a Marine Infantry Officer (with a lot of experience in specialized operations like sniping) I worked with extensively. We are talking ranks SSgt through LtCol. My opinion remains unchanged, and is shared almost uniformly by everyone I talked to.
The need to be there in case an international incident arose was a convenient excuse to take part in a mission typical of the MEU, trained for by the Marines, and led by SNCO’s and Officers certified for the mission by the MEU before deployment.
The above typed out arguments sound exactly like what I would expect to hear from a public affairs Officer and are very similar to prepared statements released when athletes get caught doing bad things.
The Colonel and Sergeant Major on the other helicopter is exactly what it seems. I experienced it too. As a First Sergeant, I sat in a FOB and watched my beloved tanks roll. And when I got to leave the alpha alpha, it was in a humvee. So I completely understand the emotion. Difference is, I did what I was supposed to do. I had no business in the fight, as do none of us when we get to a certain rank. And that is the number one reason I retired. Neither did the Colonel and the Sergeant Major. It was a bad call made for selfish reasons covered up by pretty words that pretty much was bought off by everyone except the professionals.
1811,1812,8511,9999
God bless those Marines. Mr. Grady is a humble and respectful man.
Amen…
I assisted on the dental exam portion of his re-intigration physical at Andrews AFB. Seriously, I’m not making that up. My Irish grandmother was very proud of me and bragged to her neighbors about how her heroic dental assistant grandson helped rescue that Irish pilot.
Fortuna Favet Fortibus
Yut yut!
SERE instructors will sometimes joke that the O’Grady case proves that you can do everything wrong and still get rescued.
David at Work: So Captain O’Grady did ‘everything wrong’, eh? That’s a very interesting perspective on Captain O’Grady’s successful E&E experience and subsequent recovery by the Marines. Are you in the military? If so, and assuming that you consider yourself to be a military professional, why do you find it necessary to criticize and disparage a fellow American serviceman’s actions and conduct during his highly successful six day E&E deep in Bosnia-Herzegovina? Captain O’Grady’s E&E was the longest duration successful U.S. military E&E since the Vietnam War. Knowing that, why do you find yourself compelled to find fault with it? Have either you or any of the SERE instructors who you say allegedly ‘sometimes joke that the O’Grady case proves that you can do everything wrong and still get rescued’ ever been in the same situation as Captain O’Grady and had to E&E deep in hostile territory for six straight days? If you have, then I think that all of us here would like to hear about it, and especially how you performed so much better than Captain O’Grady did under similar circumstances. However, if neither you nor any of those ‘joking’ SERE instructors have ever been in a similar E&E situation, then none of you are qualified or are in any position to judge Captain O’Grady’s actions or conduct during his E&E. If you have never been in a similar E&E situation, and yet you still persist in feeling compelled to disparage and criticize the conduct and actions of someone who has successfully survived in such a situation, then your talk is cheap, unprofessional, and petty. So if Captain O’Grady did ‘everything wrong’, let’s review the factual record: – Captain O’Grady successfully escaped and evaded for six days deep in hostile territory in Bosnia-Herzegovina while the enemy was aggressively searching for him, and then he got himself into a relatively good tactical position where he could be rescued by the 24th MEU(SOC) TRAP team. The rescue was a success. So yes, it’s clear that Captain O’Grady must have done ‘everything wrong’. – Captain O’Grady still goes back periodically and… Read more »