In 2008, while deployed at sea, the crew of the USS Harry S. Truman discovered an Eurasian scops owl hiding inside the wheel well of an F/A-18 Hornet. The owl was safely recovered and nicknamed “FOD,” short for “foreign object debris.” The bird had apparently taken shelter inside the wheel well of an F/A-18 Hornet, one of the carrier’s strike fighters. In a warship filled with machinery, jet noise, and nonstop flight operations, discovering an owl hiding inside a combat aircraft was an unforgettable surprise. The nickname “FOD” was especially fitting. In naval aviation, foreign object debris is taken seriously because even a small object can damage an aircraft or engine. In this case, however, the “debris” turned out to be a living stowaway. Before launch, sailors routinely inspect aircraft for anything that could become a hazard, making the discovery of an owl tucked inside the landing gear compartment all the more bizarre. Fod was safely removed, giving the crew one of the strangest maintenance stories of the deployment.(Historic Vids)