The Mercury that Got Shot Down (A Tale of a Hero)
FlyingAl
Posts: 3,820 ✭✭✭✭✭
I believe this had been posted about before, but I was reminded of this story today by chance and I felt it was interesting and important enough to share again.
Legend Numismatics recounted the story of Lt. Col Dale Zelko, or callsign Vega 31 on the night he was shot down. His F-117 Nighthawk (a stealth fighter, see image below) was shot down over Yugoslavia during a combat mission. Link to the Legend article: https://www.legendnumismatics.com/hot_topics/great-numismatic-story/
He was forced to eject from his aircraft, and immediately executed distress responses. Once safely on the ground, he took refuge in a drainage ditch not far from his landing site. Throughout the rest of the night, he was authenticated by several statements he had prepared before hand, which centered around coins. He states "One of my ISOPREP statements was: “My favorite coin is the Winged Liberty Capped Dime, commonly known as the Mercury Dime, minted from 1916-1945.” Bits and pieces of this statement were used a number of times, very cleverly, to authenticate me during the “Vega 31” Combat Search and Rescue."
He was rescued later on in the night, mere seconds from capture. He had been carrying a single coin with him, a Mercury dime. He later presented it to the Intel specialist who helped him prepare his ISOPREP.
If anyone knows Lt. Col Zelko personally or knows how I might be able to get in contact with him, please let me know. It would be of personal importance to me.
Post a Mercury Dime in honor of Lt. Col Zelko!
Comments
I hope you make contact Alex.
I have a few Winged Lib's squirrelled away. It's always been a favorite of mine.
I haven't taken images of any in quite a while, and I lost some about 13 years ago in a theft, but this one I had graded a couple years ago. Still one of my favorites.
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
Super cool story, collectors in all walks of life.
A series I’ve been on and off with since childhood, latest iteration is toned registry short set.
Buffalo Nickel Digital Album
Toned Buffalo Date SetDigital Album
Great story!
Here’s two:
(I love the color on that 1939 you posted) 😉
Steve
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
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COINS FOR SALE AT LINK BELOW READ CAREFULLY
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Not feeling only a “63”
Well, just Love coins, period.
Here's one in honor of him and his plane:
.
That's an elite level joke.
MS68
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
The color on that Merc is astounding!
Interesting story. Im glad he made it home safely. Sounds like he kept his head and used his training properly.
Could have bought one hell of a coin collection with the cost of that awesome jet. I do not like to hear when something happens to our modern arsenal.
MS68FB
Student of numismatics and collector of Morgan dollars
Successful BST transactions with: Namvet Justindan Mattniss RWW olah_in_MA
Dantheman984 Toyz4geo SurfinxHI greencopper RWW bigjpst bretsan MWallace logger7
I have only a few MS dimes photographed. This first, 1918-D, is MS 65FB.
My other, 1937, is MS 68FB and the highest graded MS dime I have.