CNN 20: USAF Pilot O'Grady Rescued, June 8, 1995
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: A look back, this day in CNN's history in our "CNN 20" segment.</s>CARL ROCHELLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Captain Scott O'Grady spent more than five days hiding, waiting for rescuers, who finally came and whisked him to safety on board the USS Kearsarge. Since last Friday, through wreckage of O'Grady's F-16 fighter was the only visible evidence of his fate. Officials had intermittently heard a beacon believed to be from his emergency radio. But until they actually heard his voice calling, they were not sure he was still alive.</s>JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN MILITARY AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: When they finally pinpoint where he was, they decided to go ahead and launch a rescue mission using Marines off the USS Kearsarge. Helicopters flew in, in day light, which is not the standard procedure. But it was feared, they didn't want him to have to spend another night on the ground once they located where he was.</s>GEN. TERRY MURRAY, USMC: Captain O'Grady ran out of the woods, helmet on, flight jacket, piston in hand, and he was quite pleased to climb on to 53.</s>COL. MARTIN BERNDT, COMMANDER, RESCUE OPERATION: It was a tremendous feeling this morning as the sun was rising to land in a landing zone or perhaps was not as safe as we would have liked, but to see him running through the brush. When I was out there, I knew you were all there behind me, I could hear you, and I knew it, and I knew that everything that could be possibly done was being done.</s>MCINTYRE: The daring daylight rescue mission went off without a hitch. O'Grady ran to the helicopter and was brought back to the USS Kearsarge in the Adriatic, and he was greeted as a hero.