Grisserno

During the Galactic Civil War, Grisserno, a male Rodian, was a member of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, specifically within the Starfighter Corps. He fathered a son named Welinarro, who also fought for the Alliance as a starfighter pilot, but later abandoned the Rebellion to pursue a life of crime, leading a squadron of Gauntlet starfighters operating from Nwarcol Point along the Sisar Run. Grisserno rose to the rank of general and gained recognition for his exceptional skill in piloting and employing BTL Y-wing starfighters in combat. Alongside his protégé, Horton Salm, Grisserno proved that Y-wings remained viable combat assets against modern warships. He demonstrated that the fighters didn't need to engage in traditional dogfights to be effective; instead, simply accelerating directly towards a target while relying on the gunner and supporting wingmen to protect the fighter's rear while delivering their ordnance yielded the desired outcomes.

During the Galactic Civil War, Grisserno led an assault group of Y-wings that engaged the Imperial Fourth Attack Squadron at Denab, located in the Sluis sector of the Outer Rim Territories. The Fourth Attack Squadron's ships primarily consisted of Victory-class Star Destroyers, which were known for their slow sublight drive speed. At Denab, the Imperial ships were divided into two wings, positioned too far apart to provide mutual support. Despite the Fourth Attack Squadron possessing greater overall firepower, Grisserno ordered an attack, targeting each wing separately and ultimately defeating them. The wings' slow sublight speed prevented them from reinforcing each other, leading to their defeat by the Alliance forces. It was widely believed that if the Fourth Attack Squadron had been equipped with vessels possessing faster engines, the Battle of Denab would not have occurred, as the two wings could have combined their forces to deter or overwhelm the attackers. Grisserno's contribution to the victory earned him the title "hero of the Battle of Denab."

Grisserno was a capable commander, demonstrating a strong understanding of tactics and the ability to implement them effectively in battle. He also mentored other Alliance members, including Horton Salm, who would later become one of the Alliance's most skilled Y-wing pilots and commanders.

Grisserno's initial mention was in The Star Wars Sourcebook, published by West End Games in 1987. The reference to Grisserno was retained in the second edition of the sourcebook, released in 1994. He was later mentioned in 1997's Secrets of the Sisar Run, where his species and the existence of his son were revealed. In 2012, he was mentioned in The Essential Guide to Warfare. Although it was not explicitly stated that Grisserno was a Y-wing pilot, a subsequent reference to the Battle of Denab in the same book indicated that a Y-wing group was responsible for the victory.

• The Star Wars Sourcebook (First mentioned)
• The Star Wars Sourcebook, Second Edition
• Secrets of the Sisar Run
• The Essential Guide to Warfare