Flying High in Forbidden Skies

Rory McGrath was a decorated Vietnam vet – and chopper pilot. He was selected to participate as a member of the Special Forces and again proved his mettle. Then he was ‘drafted’ into the CIA and trained to fly the U-2, America’s famous high-flying spy plane. While still in training he was ordered to a secret CIA base in the Horn of Africa where he was to take off in a U-2 to over-fly and photograph southern Pakistan who had just test detonated several atomic bombs. While making the turn at 70,000 feet to return to base the plane slipped sideways, lost altitude and was hit by a surface-to-air missile severely hampering Rory’s ability to control the plane. He crash-landed the plane, blew it up as ordered, and began his 1,200 kilometer trek toward Islamabad, again, as ordered. Most, Pakistanis in that area hate Americans. Rory’s story is one of patience, tenacity, unexpected good luck – plus a well earned romance.