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American Morning
Captain Scott O'Grady Discusses U.S. Surveillance Crew
Aired April 16, 2001 - 11:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: After Saturday's homecoming at Whidbey Island in Washington, the 24 crew members began a 30-day leave.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, since their return from Hainan Island, the 21 men and three women on that spy plane have been the subjects of considerable public scrutiny and praise. Retired Air Force Captain Scott O'Grady knows what they're going through. He was thrust into the spot -- into the limelight after being rescued from behind the lines in Bosnia. He joins us now from Seattle, Washington.
Good to see you again. How are you?
SCOTT O'GRADY, RESCUED PILOT: Good. How are you? Thanks for having me.
HARRIS: Yeah. Good. We haven't seen you on CNN in quite a while. Glad to have you back. Well, let me ask you what you think about after watching the welcome home these guys got over the weekend. It had to bring back memories for you, huh?
O'GRADY: Oh, it definitely brought back some memories. I was just really happy to see that these individuals maintained their honor and integrity. They did a great job. They served their country well. And they were brought back home here to great welcome, and I was happy do see them come home.
HARRIS: You know, now I'm reading your story and what's happened to you in the years since, and it's hard to believe it's been six years since that -- your plane was shot down. Let me ask you. I mean, they always say, you know, that -- the Andy Warhol quote about everybody getting their 15 minutes. Where do you think you are in your 15 minutes?
O'GRADY: Oh, it's gone on a lot longer than 15 minutes.
HARRIS: Well, I mean, because I -- as I understand it, you're still getting a ton of speaking requests?
O'GRADY: Yes. Actually, this had nothing to do with the incident we just had in China, but this coming month of May -- I'll be busier this coming month than in any other month I've ever been in the last six years. So it's kind of surprising me.
HARRIS: Well, the -- you know, that's what you went through. What do you think they're going to go through?
O'GRADY: Oh, I'm sure that they're going to get a lot of requests, and I -- I know that they will do an excellent job in handling themselves. They've already proven that they've handled themselves very well through the experience they had there in China. I think that we all should be proud of them here in America.
HARRIS: Yeah. Well, you got a book deal. I've got to think there's got to be at least a movie coming out for these guys. What advice would you give them, you know, that -- when the agents start coming after them, when -- with all these different offers?
O'GRADY: Well, one thing is that you have to realize that, when you join the military, you don't do to get on television or accolades or notoriety or fame. You're there because you believe in serving your country, defending the freedom we have here as Americans.
But if you get thrown into a situation, you just up -- you know, uphold the honor of the offices that you're holding in the military, and you realize that you have the integrity of the country to think about. I think that when they have requests coming at them, they'll just have to use their judgment on what they want to choose and pick from to be able to go, you know, ahead and follow. So that's up to them.
HARRIS: Yeah. You guys all belong to one really small club. We can't call it a fraternity or sorority, but you guys belong to a group of people who -- who've actually looked at and expected their deaths and were able to walk away from that. I mean, what -- what does something like that do for you for the rest of your life?
O'GRADY: Oh, I've heard already from, you know, listening to these individuals as they come home that they really appreciate what they have now -- even more so. You know, for me, I have to say that going through a near-death experience was a very positive experience for me. I wouldn't want to repeat it, but it made me appreciate what is really important in my life, and for me, that's my relationship with God, my family, and the love I have here for being an American, patriotism.
HARRIS: Hey, isn't that some paradox of life? If you're offered something like that, you say it was a positive experience, maybe the best ever that happened to you, but you wouldn't want to go through it again. Well, listen, we hope that you never have to.
O'GRADY: Yeah.
HARRIS: Good luck to you. Scott O'Grady, thanks much. We'll see how things -- how this story turns out for those guys. They're a special group. Take care.
O'GRADY: Well, thanks.
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