Basher Five-Two: The True Story of F-16 Fighter Pilot Captain Scott O'Grady (Hardcover)

by Scott O'Grady (Author), Michael French (Author) "In the early afternoon of June 2, 1995, as I sat in my F-16, ready for takeoff from Aviano Air Base in northeastern Italy, I..." (more)
Key Phrases: threat warning system, survival vest, seat pan, Basher One-One, Basher Five-Two, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 5 Up. On June 2, 1995, while 29-year-old Air Force Captain Scott O'Grady flew his 47th mission over Bosnia, his F-16 fighter plane was downed by a Serbian land missile. O'Grady relates the events of his six-day, harrowing adventure after parachuting from his disabled plane. Left with minimal supplies and a radio low on battery life, Basher Five-Two (O'Grady's "call sign" for the mission) avoided enemy detection, protected himself from the elements, and subsisted on a diet of leaves, ants, and rainwater. The author effectively communicates not just the details of his miraculous survival, but also how he relied on his love of family and religious faith in dealing with his fear and despair. To create suspense, the narrative is interrupted at the point that the plane is shot down with a chapter that gives details of the soldier's childhood and military training. This break in narrative flow, however, makes it more difficult for younger readers to stay with this inspirational story. Black-and-white photos appear in a 16-page center insert. The memoir ends with a satisfying account of O'Grady's rescue and subsequent treatment as a national hero, even though he claims, "I wasn't really a hero...I was a survivor."?Jack Forman, Mesa College Library, San Diego
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 6^-10. "The Great American Celebrity Machine wanted to make me a hero. As I'd tried to explain to so many people, I wasn't really a hero, I was a survivor." O'Grady, who miraculously survived six days in enemy territory after his F-16 was shot down, returned to find a nation fascinated with his adventure. In minute detail, O'Grady, with help from French, tells his amazing story, from his parachute drop and endeavors to evade hostile Bosnian Serbs to sustaining himself by eating ants and drinking water from rain-soaked socks. Although it must have been tempting to sensationalize the fascinating events, this title is a model of restraint, and with relevant aspects of O'Grady's childhood and military training interspersed throughout the book, readers get a clear sense of O'Grady's strength of character and will to survive. A great hook for reluctant readers. Lauren Peterson

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers (May 12, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 038532300X
• ISBN-13: 978-0385323000
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #399,212 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars basher 5 2, October 6, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Basher Five-two: The True Story Of F-16 Fighter Pilot Captain Scott O'grady (Paperback)

Basher 5-2, a memoir, was about a pilot, Scott O'Grady, who was in the air force and was shot down when he was flying over enemy grounds. Scott was very loyal and loved his country. I choose this memoir because it looked and seemed very interesting. Scott O'Grady was very brave and never gave up. He is a great man.
One normal day, Scott was on a normal mission. He was flying over enemy grounds over Bosnia and he was shot down. He ejected his parachute and he gradually floated to the ground. He landed and he was very scared that the `Serbs' would see him. Scott runs into the forest and `digs in' - which means he digs himself into a little hole in the ground.
Scott hides for a very long time. Nighttime is the only time he moves. He moves every night for six nights and each night he tries to radio anyone listening. On the sixth day, it seems like there's no hope. Then he gets a radio message from another air force officer looking for him. They talk for quite awhile while they go over his location and his condition. Then about five hours later the rescue helicopters come. They pick him up and they start flying away. As they are flying away, the helicopters get shot at with missiles but they escape. He had some doubts about his experience and he was extra motivated because he had a bracelet given to him by his family which gave him strength.
Afterwards, they find out Scott has hypothermia and is severally dehydrated. His family and the whole United States are very relieved that he is ok. He meets the president and gets a lot of medals. He is very proud of these medals and joyful that he is still alive. Scott is so happy to get to see his whole family again because that's why he was fighting. I think Scott learned a lot about himself during his time he spent stranded in Bosnia, which was somewhere he didn't know. He started wonder if he might not make it, and what his last words were to the people he knew. He didn't want to die! Scott wanted to live and he found power in the bracelet that he had gotten from his family. His family was very relieved to see him and he felt the same. He learned that you don't know what you've got until its gone.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book was very, very suspenseful, December 14, 1999

By	Dianne (Warrednsburg, Missouri) - See all my reviews

This true life story was based on Captain Scott O'Gradywho was an F-16 U.S. Air Force pilot. On his way to his destination point in Bosnia he was shot down by enemy pilots. Captain O'Grady parachuted five miles to the ground and he had no food or water. Scott O'Grady is considered a U.S.A. hero because of the skill, faith, and courage he had while fulfilling his duties as a member of the Air Force.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Short Survival Story, April 1, 2002

By A Customer

This book is very short and to the point but it doesn't leave anything important out. It is the true story of U.S. Air Force Captain Scott O'Grady who was shot down in Bosnia in 1995 by a surface to air missile while flying missions for the United Nations forces there. He ejected from his disintegrating aircraft and had to survive and evade capture for six days behind enemy lines before he was rescued by friendly forces.

While not the most harrowing aviation survival account I've read (BAT 21 was much more intense) it is nevertheless a good, solid example of how people can survive if they have the right training, equipment and, above all, the right attitude. O'Grady's account is told in a frank no-nonsense way and he is quick to admit his own mistakes and fears and he quickly acknowledges that the real heroes were the guys who came to get him.