Page 175 - Never Fly Solo

148 | NEVER FLY SOLO
not even know they need help. This is why a good wingman
always checks the six of those around him: to protect their
blind spots. A good wingman takes himself off the flying
schedule and sacrifices the day to give support and hope to
someone whose wings have been clipped or damaged. A good
wingman goes the extra mile and pushes it up by spending the
time with a coworker in need, perhaps even going so far as to
have a meaningful conversation. A good wingman is always
willing to give someone a battle-damage check, to see if he’s
OK. A good wingman lifts others up rather than dragging
them down.
In March 1967, a combat mission flown by two Air Force
F-4 fighter pilots in North Vietnam demonstrated the true
meaning of service before self. Capt. Bob Pardo was the flight
lead, and his wingman was Capt. Earl Aman. Both were hit
by antiaircraft artillery and had damage to their aircraft.
Aman’s fuel tanks were badly damaged and he lost most of
his fuel, which eliminated his chances of reaching the airborne
tanker to refuel. Rather than watch his helpless wingman eject
over enemy territory and risk capture, Pardo put his own air-
craft (and his own life) in danger to help him.
After ordering Aman to shut down his engines, Pardo
maneuvered the nose of his aircraft under the tailhook of
Aman’s jet and literally pushed it to keep it airborne and slow
its rate of descent. Despite having only one engine of his own
operating (he had to shut the other down because of a fire)
and despite a cracking windshield (from the tremendous
structural stress of pushing Aman’s jet), Pardo continued to
put his life in danger to help his wingman. With the slightest
mistake, the tailhook could have broken the one-inch-thick
glass canopy and crushed him. Fortunately, Pardo was able to
keep pushing until he had the two jets in friendly airspace,