Dayton, Ohio
Mar. 5, 2004

Some of the most compelling aerial combat of any war is brought to life when Mr. George J. Marrett speaks at the U.S. Air Force Museum on March 16 at 7:30 p.m.

During the lecture, Mr. Marrett will discuss his book "Cheating Death: Combat Air Rescues in Vietnam and Laos," which looks at the rescues of thousands of downed Navy and Air Force pilots during the Vietnam War. According to Mr. Marrett, "These were missions few pilots wanted, but ones that all pilots prayed for when shot down."

Mr. Marrett was born in Grand Island, Nebraska and graduated from Iowa State University in 1957 with a BS in chemistry. He then entered the U.S. Air Force as a Second Lieutenant from the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program. After graduation from pilot training in 1959, he spent the next ten years flying everything from the F-86L SabreJet, F-101B Voodoo, T-38 Talon, F-104 Starfighter, F-106 Delta Dart, F-4C Phantom, F-5A Freedom Fighter, and F-111A Aardvark.

From 1968 -1969, he flew the Douglas A-1 Skyraider as a SANDY rescue pilot in the 602nd Fighter Squadron (Commando) from Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. He completed 188 combat missions, more than 600 combat hours, and received the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters and the Air Medal with eight Oak Leaf Clusters.

Upon returning from Southeast Asia, Mr. Marrett joined Hughes Aircraft Company and worked for 20 years as an experimental test pilot. Finally, after flying more than 40 types of military aircraft and logging more than 8,000 hours of flying time, he retired in 1989 and settled in Atascadero, CA.

Mr. Marrett is also the author of several Air Force flight test reports in several publications including Defending the Golden Gate, Sore Feet, SANDY to the Rescue, Chasing the XB-70 Valkyrie, Mach Buster, Sky High, California Dreaming, Voodoo Curse, and Space Cadets.

Mr. Marrett's lecture, "Cheating Death," is part of the Museum's "Wings and Things" lecture series. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the lecture will be held in the Museum's Carney Auditorium. For more information, or for special seating arrangements (hearing impaired), contact the Museum's Special Events Office at (937) 255-8046, ext. 312 or visit http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum. Filming or videotaping the lecture is not permitted.

The U.S. Air Force Museum is located on Springfield Pike, six miles northeast of downtown Dayton. It is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day). Admission and parking are free.

Contact:

Public:(937) 255-8046, ext. 312
Media: Rob Bardua (937) 255-4704, ext. 330