Warning: Constant ABSPATH already defined in /home/public/wp-config.php on line 27
Rivet Ball — Why Now?
On-line Opinion Magazine…OK, it's a blog
Random header image... Refresh for more!

Rivet Ball

by Bryan

In the early hours of January 13th, 1969 I was forced to accept something that I had known for a while, but had pushed to the back of my mind: I was mortal and was going to die.

This was the first of several incidents when my chance of survival was a good deal less than 1 in 2. This wasn’t the scariest, but it was the first, and following on the heels of the terrible events of 1968, it had the biggest impact.

In the end the only “death” was an airplane, Rivet Ball, the Air Force’s only RC-135S. The military version of the Boeing 707, the fuselage broke in half, like an eggshell, on impact. A very talented pilot, John Achor, the aircraft commander, was responsible for that miracle.

== More on the Shemya mission

2 comments

1 Kryten42 { 01.13.11 at 9:47 am }

I for one Bryan are very glad you made it. 🙂 And I also know how you feel. I still sometimes wonder how I survived my tours, but I walked (or limped on one occasion) away with relatively minor wounds a few times.

I think luck and/or fate plays more of a role sometimes than many others think. 😉

Stay safe my friend! And be well. 🙂

2 Bryan { 01.13.11 at 4:14 pm }

Thanks, m8.