Michael Bergman
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Michael Bergman (b. ? - d. ?) was the Lyran Commonwealth fighter pilot during the end of the Third Succession War.
Overview
Bergman took part in a daring raid against Draconis Combine-held Kirchbach in 3025 where the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces sought to take advantage of the widely-held belief that 'MechBuster was only ever used in Combine space. The plan was to launch a squadron of 'MechBusters painted in Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery livery from an in-flight DropShip, the squadron would then destroy a command bunker housing several prominent Internal Security Force members, while a company of Lyran BattleMechs would perform a combat drop to capture a nearby airstrip where the fighters could land and be recovered. Both teams trained in simulators for weeks on end before leaving for Combine space to ensure nothing could go wrong.[1]
Though being confident in their abilities, the raid started off badly when the 'MechBusters launched into a flock of migratory birds, with four of the fighters suffering crippling damage to their Shinobi 250 Turbine engines that caused them to crash. Despite this, Bergman and the other surviving fighter were able successfully destroy the command bunker and kill most of the targets. Unfortunately the 'Mech company also experienced issues, hot-dropping onto the planet as planned only to stumble upon a militia unit several kilometers from their supposed location, preventing them from reaching the airstrip before Bergman and his wingman ran out of fuel.[1]
With little choice to avoid crashing, Bergman and his fellow pilot landed at the still militia controlled airstrip. Amazingly though, the Combine-style flight suit Bergman and his companion wore and the Combine paintobs of their fighters convinced the airstrip personnel that the pair were reinforcements to assist the militia against the Lyran 'Mechs, so both were promptly refuelled and resupplied before being sent off. Both surviving 'MechBusters proceeded to help the 'Mechs defeat the militia, recover the pilots of the four downed fighters and secure the landing strip before escaping back to Lyran space.[1]
Many Lyrans would be amazed at the entire raid, rapidly shifting from disaster to success, including Bergman himself. A best-selling holovid based upon his exploits during the affair, The Bergman Raid, would released prior to 3039. Still serving in the LCAF at that time, the royalties from The Bergman Raid promised to make him a rich man upon retirement.[1]