# Real-world examples of people making quips in face of death? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 4, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284 "2018-07-04T15:49:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/1 "2018-07-04T15:49:45Z")
I wasn’t sure what forum to put this in but as its inspired by fictional events I thought this may be the one. Its a common trope in action movies for the hero to make a light-hearted quip or defiant comment in the face of death or danger, the sort of thing James Bond in particular is famous for. I was wondering if there are any known examples of this in real life? “I’ll show you how an Italian dies!”, said by Fabrizio Quattrocchi is sort of what I’m asking about, but its not really witty, though certainly impressive. > **[Fabrizio Quattrocchi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabrizio_Quattrocchi)** > > Fabrizio Quattrocchi (9 May 1968 – 14 April 2004) was an Italian security officer taken hostage and subsequently murdered by insurgents in the Iraq War. > Quattrocchi was taken hostage together with Umberto Cupertino, Maurizio Agliana and Salvatore Stefio. They had been working in Iraq as security contractors under contract with DTS Security LLC, a security company incorporated in the U.S. state of Nevada, run by Paolo Simeone (a former Italian Marine and French Legionnaire) and an Italian lawye... ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/2 "2018-07-04T16:01:38Z")
[More weight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giles_Corey). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/3 "2018-07-04T16:27:45Z")
General John B. Sedgwick, Union commander at the Battle of Spottsylvania: _They couldn’t hit an elephant at this dist…_ ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/4 "2018-07-04T16:29:59Z")
[United flight 232 crashed at Sioux City, Iowa](https://www.tailstrike.com/190789.htm) while attempting to land after losing all hydraulic power, and following a heroic effort by the cockpit crew to maneuver the aircraft on engine thrust alone. The pilot (Alfred Haynes) made this memorable comment just before the crash: > [@](#): > > Sioux City Approach: United Two Thirty-Two Heavy, the wind’s currently three six zero at one one; three sixty at eleven. You’re cleared to land on any runway. > Haynes: [laughter] Roger. [laughter] You want to be particular and make it a runway, huh? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/5 "2018-07-04T16:34:49Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > [United flight 232 crashed at Sioux City, Iowa](https://www.tailstrike.com/190789.htm) while attempting to land after losing all hydraulic power, and following a heroic effort by the cockpit crew to maneuver the aircraft on engine thrust alone. The pilot (Alfred Haynes) made this memorable comment just before the crash: If you get a chance to see the TV movie of this incident\*, it’s highly recommended; it’s about as good as TVMs get. \*Originally called, “Crash Landing,” it was re-named, “A Thousand Heroes.” ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/6 "2018-07-04T16:41:38Z")
Not a fan of the man but Reagan, following his assassination attempt, saying he hoped the doctors were Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/7 "2018-07-04T16:43:16Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Not a fan of the man but Reagan, following his assassination attempt, saying he hoped the doctors were Republicans. That’s what I thought of. Many people accused him of only reading from a script, but no one wrote lines for him to use after he was shot. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/8 "2018-07-04T16:46:04Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Not a fan of the man but Reagan, following his assassination attempt, saying he hoped the doctors were Republicans. I’m a huge fan of the man and he also commented “Guess I forgot to duck.” ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/9 "2018-07-04T16:46:38Z")
Reagan also said to Nancy, “Honey, I forgot to duck.” ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/10 "2018-07-04T16:52:52Z")
[Willem Arondeus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willem_Arondeus), Dutch author executed by the Nazis for bombing a public records office to hinder the apprehension of Jews: “Let it be known that homosexuals are not cowards” ETA: Not a quip I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/11 "2018-07-04T16:56:13Z")
“The fortune of war is changing. This time the U.S.A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Ourthe near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hompre-Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands. There is only one possibility to save the encircled U.S.A troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town. In order to think it over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note. If this proposal should be rejected one German Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U.S.A. troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hours’ term. All the serious civilian losses caused by this artillery fire would not correspond with the wellknown American humanity.” -General Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz “Nuts!” -General Anthony McAuliffe ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/12 "2018-07-04T17:28:06Z")
Not a quip, but memorable: “Patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone.” Edith Cavell, a nurse speaking before being executed in WW1. ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/13 "2018-07-04T17:29:08Z")
“This wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. Either it goes or I do.” Oscar Wilde ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/14 "2018-07-04T17:55:55Z")
Five days before his collapse, William Saroyan had called the Associated Press to make this final statement for publication after his death: “Everybody has got to die, but I have always believed an exception would be made in my case. Now what?” ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/15 "2018-07-04T18:08:17Z")
> [@George Appel](#): > > “Well, gentlemen, you are about to see a baked Appel.” Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/16 "2018-07-04T18:24:48Z")
Captain Eric Moody, flying British Airways Flight 9, as all four of its engines failed due to ingestion of volcanic ash: > [@](#): > > Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are doing our damnedest to get them going again. I trust you are not in too much distress They lived. > **[British Airways Flight 009](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Airways_Flight_9)** > > British Airways Flight 009, sometimes referred to by its callsign Speedbird 9 or as the Jakarta incident, was a scheduled British Airways flight from London Heathrow to Auckland, with stops in Bombay, Kuala Lumpur, Perth, and Melbourne. > On 24 June 1982, the route was flown by the City of Edinburgh, a Boeing 747-236B registered as G-BDXH. The aircraft flew into a cloud of volcanic ash thrown up by the eruption of Mount Galunggung around 110 miles (180 km) south-east of Jakarta, Indonesia, resu... ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/17 "2018-07-04T18:48:23Z")
Danton, before going to the guillotine, said “You will show my head to the people, it is worth showing.” The Duke of Monmouth; “Prithee, let me feel the axe, I fear it is not sharp enough. Do not hack me like you did my Lord Russel.” ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/18 "2018-07-04T19:04:34Z")
> [@naita](#): > > [Willem Arondeus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willem_Arondeus), Dutch author executed by the Nazis for bombing a public records office to hinder the apprehension of Jews: > > “Let it be known that homosexuals are not cowards” > > ETA: Not a quip I suppose. Nathan Hale’s supposed last words were also memorable, if not a quip, “My only regret is that I have but one life to give for my country.” ---
**Author:** ![Mikemike2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikemike2/32/305_2.png) [@Mikemike2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikemike2)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/19 "2018-07-04T19:44:35Z")
Murderer James W. Rodgers was put in front of a firing squad in Utah and asked if he had a last request. He replied, “Bring me a bullet-proof vest.” ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284/20 "2018-07-04T20:00:51Z")
James French before his 1966 exeuction in Oklahoma: “Here’s your headline for tomorrow: French fries.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-world-examples-of-people-making-quips-in-face-of-death/817284.md?page=2)