Sully also flew F-4’s in Vietnam. He certainly had the grounding for airmanship that the article emphasizes.
Flew F-4’s; not in Vietnam.
If you put enough engines on a bathtub, it will fly.
It used to be that a majority of airline pilots were former military pilots. So not only did they have the military ethos of how to handle all things in life but also incredible airmanship experience including combat. Much different mindset and skills than pilots who come up purely through civilian channels.