Gary O'Hara, father of U.S. Army Black Hawk pilot Ryan O'Hara, shares his emotional account of the crash that claimed his son's life and the subsequent national attention. He expresses his son's love for flying over Washington, D.C., his trust in his fellow crew members, and the overwhelming grief of his family. O'Hara also refutes any attempts to link the tragedy to 'DEI' initiatives, emphasizing the rigorous qualifications required to be a Black Hawk pilot.
The father of U.S. Army Black Hawk pilot Ryan O'Hara said his son loved flying over Washington, D.C., never expressed concerns about the crowded skies and described the crew as 'probably the most respected pilots that Ryan had ever flown with.''He trusted them with his life,' Gary O'Hara told CBS News in an emotional interview from his home in Georgia Friday, less than two days after his son's military helicopter struck an American Airlines passenger jet.
'Ryan O'Hara, 28, grew up in the Atlanta area and joined his high school's ROTC as a cadet, even though he wasn't from a military family. He enlisted when he was 18, specifically choosing the Army because it offered him the opportunity to work on Black Hawk helicopters. After a tour of duty in Afghanistan, O'Hara said his family was relieved when Ryan was assigned to Fort Belvoir in Virginia, just outside the nation's capital.
AIR DISASTER BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER WASHINGTON DC MILITARY FAMILY GRIEF
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