[MilCom] Re: NavNews for Friday, May 28, 2004

[Greg Brazil]

Hey, you Fl guys catch this?
Greg (SF Bay Area)
>                                    -USN-
> 
>  NNS040528-08. NAS Pensacola Helicopter Support Unit
>  Assists Downed Pilot
> 
>  By Sheri L. Crowe, Naval Air Station Pensacola Public Affairs
> 
>  NAVAL AIR STATION PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) --
>  Personnel from the Naval Air Station Pensacola (NASP)
>  Helicopter Support Unit (HSU) aboard the station's Rescue 400
>  UH-3H Sea King rendered assistance May 21 to a downed Air
>  Force F-15C Eagle pilot. 
> 
>  The fighter jet crashed before noon along the Florida Panhandle,
>  20 nautical miles southeast of Carrabelle Thompson. The pilot,
>  Lt. Col. Patrick Marshall, successfully ejected without sustaining
>  serious injuries. 
> 
>  The NASP Rescue 400 crew received the call for help at 12:30
>  p.m., and 15 minutes later was airborne en route to the scene
>  some 150 miles away, where other emergency rescue personnel
>  were present. 
> 
>  A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
>  (FFWCC) patrol boat near the St. George Island Coast was on
>  scene to rescue Marshall. Also on scene circling above were two
>  F-15s, a Coast Guard Falcon jet and a Coast Guard C-130. 
> 
>  "The whole evolution went unscathed," said pilot Cmdr. Michael
>  Holdener. "We did everything right. We evaluated all the
>  information and were ahead of the whole game. We went there
>  and checked out what they (the on-scene commander) wanted
>  us to do."
> 
>  Holdener said the hour-and-10-minute flight there gave them
>  plenty of time to plan for their mission, which was landing
>  pierside near the FFWCC boat to retrieve the pilot, perform a
>  quick medical evaluation, and then transport him to the Tyndall
>  Air Force Base for a thorough medical check-up.
> 
>  Although the NASP HSU Rescue team, who are known as
>  quick responders from call to launch, weren't the first on-scene
>  responders, they traveled the distance to MEDEVAC Marshall
>  and reunite him with family. This entailed flying at a ground speed
>  of about 135-136 mph (with tail wind), climbing up to 500 feet
>  and accessing communication frequencies to discover
>  information pertaining to the downed pilot.
> 
>  "I was stoked that everything went off without a hitch," said
>  rescue swimmer Aviation Electrician's Mate 2nd Class Anthony
>  Robinson, whose rescue swimming services weren't needed.
>  "I've done plenty of MEDEVACs, but this was my first rescue
>  attempt. I'm so glad that he's in good condition and is alive."
> 
>  Once NASP Rescue 400 landed, Marshall was greeted by
>  applauding squadron members, and hugged by his wife and
>  child. 
> 
>  The F-15C was assigned to the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall
>  Air Force Base, near Panama City.
> 
>  For related news, visit the Naval Air Station Pensacola Navy
>  NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/naspensacola. 
>