OU grad brings detainees home

by S. Veronica Siek
Staff Writer

1973 Ohio University graduate Thomas Pinardo, a pilot for Continental Airlines, flew the chartered Boeing 737 that returned 24 American personnel back to U.S. territory 11 days after their reconnaissance plane emergency-landed at a Chinese army air base.

"We chartered them through the U.S. Transportation Command. We asked for an aircraft that was based in Guam and that could leave on three hours' notice," said Rear Admiral Craig Quigley at a news conference last night. He said Continental provided a Boeing 737 with two crews to serve in rotating shifts.

The plane took off from Guam yesterday at 12:40 p.m. EDT and arrived in Meilan on the island of Hainan at 6 p.m. The plane left Hainan at 7:30 p.m. EDT yesterday and at press time was estimated to arrive in Guam at midnight.

After graduating in 1973, Pinardo enlisted in the Navy and was trained as a pilot. He also flew a C-130 reconnaissance plane while in the Navy, his brother Nick said.

He later became a pilot with New York Air and joined Continental Airlines when the two companies merged. Last August, Pinardo was promoted to Chief Pilot and transferred to Guam.

"All his siblings graduated from OU," said his sister-in-law, Sandy Pinardo. "His brother Nick graduated in 1972, his brother John graduated in 1974 and his sister Patricia graduated in '80 or '81."

Thomas Pinardo also has a niece, Kate Pinardo, who is a freshman at OU. She said she heard the news about her uncle's involvement in the trip home early this week.

"I was shocked," she said. "You wouldn't think they'd send a civilian."

Kate has not talked to her uncle or aunt recently, but said her uncle was probably very excited.

"He would love all the attention. He loved the Navy. He'd be in his glory," she said. "I can't wait to see it on the news — then maybe it will seem more real."

Nick and Sandy Pinardo affirmed Thomas Pinardo's fondness for his time in the Navy.

"His wife said he was very excited and honored to go," said Sandy. "But he's been up for about 36 hours. I'm sure he rested, but I'm sure he didn't sleep."

Pinardo is the third Ohio connection in the international drama and its resolution. Rock Creek, Ohio, native Wendy Westbrook and Shawn Coursen, from Niles, Ohio, were among the 24 detained military personnel.

According to Quigley, the returning personnel will spend several hours in Guam before transferring to a C-17 Air Force jet and flying to Hawaii's Hickman Air Force Base.

Quigley said the crew would spend "a couple days" in Hawaii for debriefing and medical examinations before being flown to Washington state for a welcome ceremony.

"What we're looking for, before the details of the collision fade, is to get their recollections and memories of the accident and the events leading up to it."