Wings of Hope
Story★★★★On November 16, 1951, American pilot, Captain John Paladino’s Republic F-84 flying at 32,000 feet over Korea, began to make incredible maneuvers. Suddenly it went into a steep dive. Two good friends flying in his formation saw what had happened. The oxygen apparatus necessary to consciousness in that rarefied air had failed.
He lost control of his plane. He slumped forward and passed out. His good friends flying in his formation, Captain Jack Miller and Lieutenant Wood McArthur, radioed each other and improvised an amazing method of rescue. The two pilot friends put their wing tips under his plane’s wing tips and guided his plane safely to earth.
Miller radioed Wood, “Woody, put your wing under his wing and I’ll put mine under his other wing until he comes to.” From 30,000 feet their wings guided him down to a 15,000 foot level where they saw his head begin to nod. They radioed him, “Wake up, John. Wake up.”
At 13,500 John snapped out of his unconsciousness, once again took control of his plane, and landed safely. Asked how he thought of the rescue, Miller replied, “I’ve often thought if I ever got into trouble, it sure would be nice if two other guys would carry me home.” What wings of hope our outspread arms of friendship and love can be to those in trouble to gently cushion them back to life and to “carry them home” to God.
The point
When a pilot lost consciousness at high altitude, two friends guided his plane down by supporting his wings—an image of believers sustaining one another.