Bravest of the Brave – A Misty pilot recounts a mission of utmost courage

These two F-100D Super Sabres are adorned in Vietnam-era camouflage and each has a pair of 335-gallon external fuel tanks strapped on. The F-100’s unofficial nickname was the “Hun” for “F-One Hundred.” It was the first of the Century-series fighters, which looked like you would expect, lean and mean, and they were all exceptionally fast! (Fotodynamics Collection photo)

Courage is a core competency often ascribed to the military. Its synonym, bravery, is always associated with fighter pilots by the fighter pilots themselves (and hopefully still by women at bars). Employing “if then” logic: if all Mistys are fighter pilots (and God knows, we all were; sorry—are!), then, ipso facto, all Mistys were/are brave; God willed it so. In my case, it was a little less complicated. When I was growing up, I was...

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