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This April 2 marks the 40th anniversary of the start of the Falklands War, and what better than a story of friendship!!.
They met at the Military Aviation School in 1975. And die on the day they both celebrated their 2nd wedding anniversary.
It is the story of Carlos Castillo and Jorge Bono, two Air Force pilots who died in the Falklands War.
Both met in the summer of 1975 at the Military Aviation School in the city of Cordoba: they were 18 and 19 years old. They were very united and buddies, very good aviators, they had it in their blood. For them, being up there flying through the air was like riding a bicycle; They did many things together, beyond those that they had to do strictly with their studies.
Such was that friendship that the two decided to marry their respective girlfriends on the same day, on May 24, 1980.
Bono and Castillo with his wifes
After doing their entire aviation career together, when it was time to fly, they parted ways. Carlos Castillo was sent to the city of Tandil, as part of the Dagger fighters squad, and Jorge Bono to the city of Mendoza, integrating the A4c Skyhawk squad.
First Lt. Carlos Castillo
First Lt. Jorge Bono
When the conflict broke out in the Malvinas Islands in 1982, Miriam (Carlos's wife) had just given birth to a child: Nicolás and Norma (Jorge's wife) was pregnant with another child: Claudio. In fact Claudio would be born months later, in July of that year, without knowing his father.
On May 24, 1982, both Bono and Castillo, assigned to the conflict in the south of the country, had combat missions on the same day.
The first to take off on a combat mission that day was Castillo, along with his Dagger squad. The mission was to bombard the British ships that were in the Strait of San Carlos. But Castillo and two other Mirage Daggers were intercepted by a See Herriers patrol and after a fierce battle the three Argentine aircraft were shot down. Two of the pilots managed to eject, but Lieutenant Castillo's Dagger exploded before hitting the ocean.
Two hours later, Jorge Bono left with his A4C squad, with the same objective. Upon reaching the Strait of San Carlos they were able to hit the british frigate Arrow, but all three left battered by the amount of anti-aircraft fire they received. Bono's fighter fell into the water on a downward trip because of the number of shells he had received. So the two friends died on the same day. Their bodies were never found.
Forty years after that tragedy, Miriam and Norma are still inseparable. Both retired, live in the city of Córdoba.
Claudio and Nicolás, the sons of Castillo and Bono, practically grew up together. Both work together in the Air Force, somehow following the legacy of their parents. Castillo is a civilian staff and Bono is a Corporal. Both widows and his sons took it upon themselves to keep that old friendship alive.
His sons
They met at the Military Aviation School in 1975. And die on the day they both celebrated their 2nd wedding anniversary.
It is the story of Carlos Castillo and Jorge Bono, two Air Force pilots who died in the Falklands War.
Both met in the summer of 1975 at the Military Aviation School in the city of Cordoba: they were 18 and 19 years old. They were very united and buddies, very good aviators, they had it in their blood. For them, being up there flying through the air was like riding a bicycle; They did many things together, beyond those that they had to do strictly with their studies.
Such was that friendship that the two decided to marry their respective girlfriends on the same day, on May 24, 1980.
Bono and Castillo with his wifes
After doing their entire aviation career together, when it was time to fly, they parted ways. Carlos Castillo was sent to the city of Tandil, as part of the Dagger fighters squad, and Jorge Bono to the city of Mendoza, integrating the A4c Skyhawk squad.
First Lt. Carlos Castillo
First Lt. Jorge Bono
When the conflict broke out in the Malvinas Islands in 1982, Miriam (Carlos's wife) had just given birth to a child: Nicolás and Norma (Jorge's wife) was pregnant with another child: Claudio. In fact Claudio would be born months later, in July of that year, without knowing his father.
On May 24, 1982, both Bono and Castillo, assigned to the conflict in the south of the country, had combat missions on the same day.
The first to take off on a combat mission that day was Castillo, along with his Dagger squad. The mission was to bombard the British ships that were in the Strait of San Carlos. But Castillo and two other Mirage Daggers were intercepted by a See Herriers patrol and after a fierce battle the three Argentine aircraft were shot down. Two of the pilots managed to eject, but Lieutenant Castillo's Dagger exploded before hitting the ocean.
Two hours later, Jorge Bono left with his A4C squad, with the same objective. Upon reaching the Strait of San Carlos they were able to hit the british frigate Arrow, but all three left battered by the amount of anti-aircraft fire they received. Bono's fighter fell into the water on a downward trip because of the number of shells he had received. So the two friends died on the same day. Their bodies were never found.
Forty years after that tragedy, Miriam and Norma are still inseparable. Both retired, live in the city of Córdoba.
Claudio and Nicolás, the sons of Castillo and Bono, practically grew up together. Both work together in the Air Force, somehow following the legacy of their parents. Castillo is a civilian staff and Bono is a Corporal. Both widows and his sons took it upon themselves to keep that old friendship alive.
His sons