This Week In Cigar History June 9

When Marines scooped up the missing Air Force pilot Captain Scott F. O’Grady on June 9th 1995…a sleepless President Clinton and his National Security advisor, Anthony Lake celebrated the risky daylight rescue mission by lighting up celebratory cigars on the White House’s Truman Balcony.

The 29 year-old Captain O’Grady had been hiding in rugged northwest Bosnian territory for six nights after a Serbian missile had sliced his F16-C jet fighter. Eventually his electronic signals -emanating from a sophisticated beacon in his survival kit- were picked up and monitored. Once the pilot’s identity was confirmed… a plan was hatched, launched and successfully executed. This daring operation took less than five hours from start to finish.

The pilot’s rescue at 12:49am EST was instantly relayed to an anxiously waiting Commander-in-Chief by Lake’s terse comment “Got’em.”

At that time, Federal laws were (and still are) in place banning all smoking in public buildings. The White House was also a smoke-free zone at the insistence of the First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton. However, the cigar-loving advisor reportedly said, “Mr. President, with or without your permission, I’m going to smoke a cigar.” In reply, the President remarked he was having one too, violating the no-smoking ban at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

After all, the American airman’s rescue was a fine example of a job well done, and worthy of a good stogie.

This Week in Cigar History

6/9/08

1 COMMENTS

Posted by Wayne - Jun 10 2008 @ 3:19 PM
Re: This Week In Cigar History June 9 The enjoyment of smoking a fine cigar to celebrate a special occasion is just one of MANY things that Hillary didn't, and doesn't, understand.

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