I've seen Pardo's Push mentioned in other threads on APC, but did not see a thread dedicated to the aviation feat. I thought this short 4:00+ video tells the highlights of the story well in a short timeframe.

www.youtube.com/embed/RRNbcPS3A9c?feature=player_detailpage

 

I met Bob Pardo at the Phinal Phantom Pharewell in 1996 at Nellis. I was "Mr. Vice" and kind of the Master of Ceremonies. We talked and joked and traded Phantom stories.

Then I found out he was selling T-shirts with the famous painting on it in order to raise money for his old wingman, Earl Aman.

Earl Aman had Lou Gherig's disease. Pardo and the Red River Pilots were using the proceeds to get Aman a van with an electric lift.

You better believe I bought one. He signed it, too. He really impressed me. Mutual support 28 years after the fact.

Bob was inspired by a similar feat from Robby Risner in Korea with the F-86. Sadly, that episode did not end as well: the Lt he pushed made it to the Sea and ejected, but got tangled in his parachute and drowned.

 

Same year,... 1996,... I was co-chair of the POW/MIA reunion/banquet that the Freedom Flyers at Randolph do.
We got Bob Pardo, Earl Aman, and Steve Wayne to commit to coming. We wanted all 4 (obviously), since the 4 had not been together since The Push.
No one could find Bob Houghton, but we had the word out.
Sure enough, about 2-3 days before the reunion, we got a call from Bob Houghton: he was doing missionary work somewhere half way around the world, but he would be there if he could. And sure enough, he made it.
So,... we had all 4 of them together. It was a great event.
AND, we had an F-4 from Holloman, and got pics of all of them by the hook.
Of course, we had the F-4 crew drop the hook,... and they hadn't pulled the safety pin! So the hook was stuck up,... but no matter... it was an epic event.
Great Americans, they are.

 

Great story, Huggy.

 

Awesome! this story never gets old and is the definition of mutual support.

 

Very true.
However, I often how it would play out for the history books if it were done today.

 

The more things change, the more they stay the same.