Scott O'Grady
An Air Force pilot who survived six days alone in hostile Bosnia after being shot down, becoming a symbol of resilience and survival.
Born 1965 (age 61)·American politician; former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot·Birthday: October 12·Generation X
Biography
Scott O'Grady's life was defined by a single, harrowing week in 1995. A captain in the U.S. Air Force flying F-16s over Bosnia, his jet was struck by a surface-to-air missile. He ejected into enemy territory, where he spent six days evading capture, surviving on rainwater and insects. His rescue by a Marine Corps team was a dramatic, televised event that captured the nation's attention. O'Grady's story transformed him from a military officer into a public figure, author, and motivational speaker, embodying the intense will to survive under extreme duress. His post-military life included a brief foray into politics, running for Congress in Texas, though his enduring legacy remains that of the pilot who came home against formidable odds.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Scott was born in 1965, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Scott Was Born
The biggest hits of 1965
#1 Movie
The Sound of Music
Best Picture
The Sound of Music
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Scott's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1965Born
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1970Started school
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1978Became a teenager
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Could drive
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1983Could vote
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Turned 21
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1995Turned 30
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 40
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 50
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 60
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 61 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Successfully evaded capture for six days after being shot down over Bosnia in 1995.
- Authored the book 'Return With Honor,' detailing his survival experience.
- Received the Air Force Cross, the service's second-highest award for valor, for his actions.
- Transitioned to a career as a motivational speaker after leaving the Air Force.
Did You Know?
He survived on ants, grass, and rainwater during his evasion.
The code phrase used to confirm his identity to rescue forces was 'GBU-24', a type of bomb.
He ran as a Republican candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas's 32nd district in 2000.
His story was adapted into the television film 'Behind Enemy Lines,' though the subsequent feature film of a similar name is not directly based on his experience.
“I learned that faith is a choice. You can choose to believe that you're going to make it, or you can choose to believe that you're not.”
