# Casevac pilot flies on after being shot between the eyes **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 6, 2010, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523 "2010-03-06T14:01:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/1 "2010-03-06T14:01:53Z")
Balls that clang, for sure. [Story here. > [@The Telegraph](#): > > The shot hit the rail on the front of his helmet which is normally used to attach night vision goggles. > It penetrated his helmet hitting him between the eyes and causing severe bleeding. > Further bullets hit the helicopter’s’s controls damaging the stabilisation system. > Despite this Flt Lt Fortune was able to fly for eight minutes before landing at Camp Bastion. ]([http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/7373768/RAF-helicoptor-pilot-shot-between-the-eyes-by-Taliban-flies-20-to-safety.html](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/7373768/RAF-helicoptor-pilot-shot-between-the-eyes-by-Taliban-flies-20-to-safety.html)) There’ll be a gong in the offing, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/2 "2010-03-06T15:09:31Z")
That’s fantastic. Isn’t it weird, though, that the article doesn’t say how he is? I’m assuming he survived. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/3 "2010-03-06T15:39:59Z")
Moving thread from IMHO to MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/4 "2010-03-06T16:29:11Z")
Good thing sully retired, there is NO WAY he (or anyone else) gonna top that for a while. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/5 "2010-03-06T17:10:50Z")
Wow, that’s pretty impressive. We like to throw the word hero around, but this guy definitely fits the bill! ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/6 "2010-03-06T17:39:30Z")
After his recuperation and promotion, he’s ready-made to take over as the next Biggles. _Wing Commander Fortune to the Rescue!_ ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/7 "2010-03-06T17:40:16Z")
Flight Lt. Fortune, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2010, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/8 "2010-03-06T20:31:14Z")
> [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](#): > > Good thing sully retired, there is NO WAY he (or anyone else) gonna top that for a while. Certainly not to belittle the skill required to crash a commercial jet in Manhattan without the loss of a single life, but, yeah, safely flying and landing a damaged helicopter after having been _shot in the head_ is rather impressive. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/9 "2010-03-07T00:06:12Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > Certainly not to belittle the skill required to crash a commercial jet in Manhattan without the loss of a single life, but, yeah, safely flying and landing a damaged helicopter after having been _shot in the head_ is rather impressive. That’s exactly what I meant, in case there was any confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2010, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/10 "2010-03-08T09:58:04Z")
Nice one Flight Lt. Fortune! Speaking of Sully, I recently read his book, what a great tale of an ordinary person doing an extraordinary thing. Do you know he walked the cabin several times making sure everyone was out? There was a medivac jet that ditched off Australia recently and in great contrast to Sully, the Captain, Dominic James, was first out, leaving a patient strapped to a stretcher, her husband, a nurse, and a doctor to fend for themselves. Nice one Dominic (with sarcasm this time.) I hope I meet Dominic James sometime, so that whenever we come to a doorway I can say, “after you,” and make little gurgling drowning noises as I follow him through. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/11 "2010-03-09T02:16:49Z")
This reminded me of Saburo Sakai: [ > [@](#): > > Although in agony from his injuries (he had a serious head wound [9] from a bullet that had passed through his skull and the right side of his brain, leaving the entire left side of his body paralyzed, and was left blind in one eye[10]) Sakai managed to fly his damaged Zero in a four-hour, 47-minute flight over 560 nmi (1,040 km; 640 mi) back to his base on Rabaul, using familiar volcanic peaks as guides. When he attempted to land at the airfield he nearly crashed into a line of parked Zeros but, after circling four times, and with the fuel gauge reading empty, he put his Zero down on the runway on his second attempt. After landing, he insisted on making his mission report to his superior officer before collapsing ]([Saburō Sakai - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabur%C5%8D_Sakai)) ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/12 "2010-03-09T02:33:00Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > Certainly not to belittle the skill required to crash a commercial jet in Manhattan without the loss of a single life, but, yeah, safely flying and landing a damaged helicopter after having been _shot in the head_ is rather impressive. And what would be his alternative? If he wanted to survive, he’d have to land. ---
**Author:** ![Iridescent\_Orb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@Iridescent\_Orb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iridescent_Orb)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/13 "2010-03-09T02:48:47Z")
Not to unfairly diminish his achievement, but I am always a little suspicious of such stories. Depending on who is writing, “severe bleeding” may be anything from a minor scratch and a few drops of blood on the forehead to a serious concussion and a couple pints pooling on the floor. Saburo Sakai’s story is impressive, though. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/14 "2010-03-10T01:15:31Z")
> [@Iridescent\_Orb](#): > > Not to unfairly diminish his achievement, but I am always a little suspicious of such stories. Depending on who is writing, “severe bleeding” may be anything from a minor scratch and a few drops of blood on the forehead to a serious concussion and a couple pints pooling on the floor. Saburo Sakai’s story is impressive, though. That is my thought. Saburo Sakai had probably been shooting at my Daddy, though, so screw him. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/15 "2010-03-10T09:24:45Z")
This reminded me of something I read in an article in a recent New Yorker about the B-29. A phosphorescent smoke bomb malfunctioned and fired into the plane. From the Wikipedia article on Staff Sgt. Henry “Red” Erwin, the smoke bomb exploded: …in the launching chute, and shot back into the interior of the aircraft, striking him in the face. The burning phosphoresce obliterated his nose and completely blinded him. Smoke filled the plane, obscuring the vision of the pilot. S/Sgt. Erwin realized that the aircraft and crew would be lost if the burning bomb remained in the plane. Without regard for his own safety, he picked it up and feeling his way, instinctively, crawled around the gun turret and headed for the copilot’s window. He found the navigator’s table obstructing his passage. Grasping the burning bomb between his forearm and body, he unleashed the spring lock and raised the table. Struggling through the narrow passage he stumbled forward into the smoke-filled pilot’s compartment. Groping with his burning hands, he located the window and threw the bomb out. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/16 "2010-09-24T16:11:22Z")
Update: he’s been awarded a DFC. BBC article [here](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11399002). ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/17 "2010-09-24T16:22:56Z")
Christ. While I applaud the pilot mentioned, the persistent and repeated bravery of Cpl Ricky Furgusson (same page), brought tears to my eyes. What an amazing bloke. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/18 "2010-09-24T16:43:25Z")
Agreed. Another man whose balls clang loudly. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/19 "2010-09-24T16:47:20Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Christ. While I applaud the pilot mentioned, the persistent and repeated bravery of Cpl Ricky Furgusson (same page), brought tears to my eyes. What an amazing bloke. > [@Quartz](#): > > Agreed. Another man whose balls clang loudly. And in that picture he still looks like he could kick some serious ass. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523/20 "2010-09-24T17:00:09Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > And in that picture he still looks like he could kick some serious ass. Well, ankle. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/casevac-pilot-flies-on-after-being-shot-between-the-eyes/531523.md?page=2)