Russell Casse is the hero of the 1996 epic Independence Day, who selflessly saved America, and therefore the rest of the world, from complete and total annihilation at the hands of a hoard of alien a-holes. Where other characters merely punched the aliens in the face, Casse kamikazed an F-16 right into their heart after an equipment error jammed his missile system, setting an example for the rest of the world in the process.Born and raised outside of Elko, NV, Casse joined the Navy at age 15 with the help of a forged birth certificate. He quickly climbed the ranks, becoming a fighter pilot and saw considerable action throughout the Vietnam War. Ultimately, Casse was dishonorably discharged from the Navy after refusing to drop napalm on a small village of orphans.He quickly spiraled downward as he struggled to adapt to civilian life after the war, and in the late 80's Casse's life was changed forever when he was abducted by aliens who performed experiments on him... sexually.Casse's recollections of the abduction only alienated (pun intended) him further from his local community and he turned to the bottle for solace. His wife left him shortly thereafter, leaving him to raise two sons and a daughter which were later revealed to be fathered by 3 different men (seriously those kids look nothing like him).With a reputation as the town drunk, Casse could only find work as a crop duster, and his business quickly declined as his alcoholism caused him to dust the wrong fields on multiple occasions.As the alien attack of '96 ensued, Casse realized that his best bet was to transport his family as far away from the aliens as possible. Casse's caravan came across Marine Captain Steven Hiller who had been shot down in a firefight with an alien ship. Captain Hiller, carrying the body of an alien he had subdued with a punch to the face, instructed Casse to Area 51 and it was there that Casse volunteered to fly a mission that would lead to the end of his life by making the ultimate sacrifice for the good of all mankind.A memorial to Casse was erected just outside Bob & Barbara's Roadside Grille in Winnemucca, NV. It was constructed of intergalactic metals collected from the crash of the Area 51 alien ship. The metals have been shaped to depict a one-winged Grumman Ag Cat Cropduster, with the immortal words Up Yoooouuurs written on a plaque underneath.President Thomas J. Whitmore, who fought along side Casse and helped to plow the road clear of alien attackers, spoke at a humble yet stirring memorial for the fallen patriot saying, I did not know the man, but he will always hold a special place in the annals of history for saving our country, and indeed, our planet. Show less «