Airman who helped save pilot in Bosnia

04/28/2002

By MATT STILES / The Dallas Morning News

Services for Juan M. Ridout, an Air Force pararescueman who helped save an F-16 pilot shot down over Serbia in 1999, have been scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Cyril & Methodius Church in Corpus Christi.

Staff Sgt. Ridout, 29, died with nine other soldiers Feb. 22 when an MH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed into the sea near the Philippines during a mission. His body was recently recovered from the wreckage. He will be buried at Memory Gardens in Corpus Christi.

An expert swimmer, parachutist, demolitions technician and paramedic, Staff Sgt. Ridout was named his special forces squadron's pararescueman of the year in 1999 for his heroism.

In May of that year, he rescued an F-16 pilot who had been shot down by a missile in Serbia. He exchanged gunfire with enemy forces before helping rescue Col. Dave Goldfein, military officials said.

Staff Sgt. Ridout is survived by father Mike Ridout of Oak Harbor, Wash.; sister Jessica Ridout of Dallas; grandparents Julia Rasmussen of Toledo, Iowa, Clarence Ridout of Tioga, Texas, and Geronimo Torres of Corpus Christi; and great-grandmother Orona Galloway of Nevada, Iowa.

Donations may be made to the Juan M. Ridout Pararescueman Memorial Fund, 320th STS, Unit 5248, APO AP 96368-5248.

E-mail mstiles@dallasnews.com