thedrifter
08-28-03, 05:39 AM
Pedro rushes to help stranded foreign sailor
Submitted by: MCAS Cherry Point
Story Identification Number: 200382571030
Story by Cpl. Nathaniel C. LeBlanc
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. (Aug. 21, 2003) -- Superheroes may not exist in this world, but when danger calls, one of the closest things Eastern North Carolina has to a super man is a helicopter... it's Cherry Point's very own Pedro.
Marine Transport Squadron 1 has always responded to the emergency calls of the community, but recently they have extended their services internationally after rescuing an Argentinean sailor July 21.
"We received the call at approximately 2 p.m. that an Argentine sailor aboard an Argentinean Navy ship "Carandi" had fallen and injured his back," said Maj. Kurt Miller, pilot and operations officer for VMR-1. "Around 6 p.m., the decision was made, due to the distance involved, to launch two Pedro aircraft so we could provide the best distance closure to the Carandi."
The Carandi was approximately 240 miles offshore and headed its course, at top speed, toward the USS Ticonderoga, which was 77 miles south of the air station. Ticonderoga aided Pedro's rescue efforts to act as a refueling point also known as a "lilly pad."
"The lilly pad is very beneficial to have during long overwater missions," he said. "Having a ship available allows us to land, get fuel, and extend our range or our search time."
With two HH-46 D Pedro aircraft launched, both rendezvoused and refueled with the Ticonderoga between 6:20 and 6:40 p.m. Once they were refueled, both Pedros proceeded toward the Carandi at 7 p.m. and later made contact with the ship within a half-hour.
"Once we landed on the Carandi, we transferred one patient to a stokes litter and carried him aboard the helo," he added. "The patient was in stable condition. An Argentine medical officer also accompanied the patient."
During the rescue operation the other Pedro aircraft served as a radio relay overhead. Both aircraft departed the Carandi shortly after and flew directly to Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune. The Ticonderoga was standing by to provide a second lilly pad stop, but was not needed. The aircraft reached the hospital within an hour and transported the patient and Argentine medical officer from the helo pad to the emergency room, completing the mission.
"The main difference in this mission from others was the units involved," Miller said. "Close coordination between the United States Navy, the Argentinean Navy, and the Marine Corps was the key to success of this mission. The Ticonderoga was in contact with the Argentinean ship, and relayed all ships' positions to us via telephone. So this operation was a little unusual compared to others."
The search and rescue crews at VMR-1 train and prepare to expect the unexpected and be able to respond at a moment's notice.
"All SAR [search and rescue] crews here are trained to conduct rescue missions to various types of boats," he said. "We normally work with the United States Coast Guard to conduct this type of training, usually about three times a week. It's a part of the training syllabus for all aircrew positions."
The SAR crews that make up Pedro come from all over with various experiences under their belt.
"SAR pilots bring with them a wealth of experience from previous tours, including long-distance overwater flying from MEU [Marine Expeditionary Unit] deployments," Miller added. "These experiences, coupled with specific SAR training conducted at VMR-1, proved invaluable during the planning for missions such as this."
A successful mission is made possible by the diligent work of the ground crews who maintain the Pedro aircraft.
"I think two things were absolutely critical in accomplishing our mission," he said. "The first is the VMR-1 maintenance department's ability to quickly get another aircraft ready for launch. This greatly enhanced our radio range by allowing one aircraft to reach a higher altitude to call the ships involved from a longer distance away."
"The second is the availability of Pedro in Eastern North Carolina," Miller continued. "The Carandi was located off the Southeastern North Carolina coast, conducting operations with the Navy, Pedro was able to react quickly, plan for the mission, and respond with a timely launch. Once the ship closed the distance to the Ticonderoga, Pedro's location at Cherry Point was perfectly suited to respond and successfully transport the injured sailor to the Camp Lejeune Naval Hospital."
Cherry Point's Pedro typically responds to almost 120 calls each year. Emergency calls come from many different agencies, including the Coast Guard, local emergency response units, such as fire departments and emergency medical services, as well as airfield operations aboard the air station.
The Marines of VMR-1 are an invaluable asset to Cherry Point and the surrounding community of the Eastern North Carolina. Although there may not be a superhero signal in the sky during times of distress, the community can always call upon Pedro.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200332015420/$file/DSC_0113LowRes.jpg
Petty Officer 2nd Class Matt Bonnett, corpsman with Marine Transport Squadron 1, practices rappelling from VMR-1's Pedro helicopter at U.S. Coast Guard Lighthouse Frying Pan Shoals. Pedro recently transported an injured Argentinian sailor from sea to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
Photo by: Pfc. Rocco DeFilippis
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
Submitted by: MCAS Cherry Point
Story Identification Number: 200382571030
Story by Cpl. Nathaniel C. LeBlanc
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. (Aug. 21, 2003) -- Superheroes may not exist in this world, but when danger calls, one of the closest things Eastern North Carolina has to a super man is a helicopter... it's Cherry Point's very own Pedro.
Marine Transport Squadron 1 has always responded to the emergency calls of the community, but recently they have extended their services internationally after rescuing an Argentinean sailor July 21.
"We received the call at approximately 2 p.m. that an Argentine sailor aboard an Argentinean Navy ship "Carandi" had fallen and injured his back," said Maj. Kurt Miller, pilot and operations officer for VMR-1. "Around 6 p.m., the decision was made, due to the distance involved, to launch two Pedro aircraft so we could provide the best distance closure to the Carandi."
The Carandi was approximately 240 miles offshore and headed its course, at top speed, toward the USS Ticonderoga, which was 77 miles south of the air station. Ticonderoga aided Pedro's rescue efforts to act as a refueling point also known as a "lilly pad."
"The lilly pad is very beneficial to have during long overwater missions," he said. "Having a ship available allows us to land, get fuel, and extend our range or our search time."
With two HH-46 D Pedro aircraft launched, both rendezvoused and refueled with the Ticonderoga between 6:20 and 6:40 p.m. Once they were refueled, both Pedros proceeded toward the Carandi at 7 p.m. and later made contact with the ship within a half-hour.
"Once we landed on the Carandi, we transferred one patient to a stokes litter and carried him aboard the helo," he added. "The patient was in stable condition. An Argentine medical officer also accompanied the patient."
During the rescue operation the other Pedro aircraft served as a radio relay overhead. Both aircraft departed the Carandi shortly after and flew directly to Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune. The Ticonderoga was standing by to provide a second lilly pad stop, but was not needed. The aircraft reached the hospital within an hour and transported the patient and Argentine medical officer from the helo pad to the emergency room, completing the mission.
"The main difference in this mission from others was the units involved," Miller said. "Close coordination between the United States Navy, the Argentinean Navy, and the Marine Corps was the key to success of this mission. The Ticonderoga was in contact with the Argentinean ship, and relayed all ships' positions to us via telephone. So this operation was a little unusual compared to others."
The search and rescue crews at VMR-1 train and prepare to expect the unexpected and be able to respond at a moment's notice.
"All SAR [search and rescue] crews here are trained to conduct rescue missions to various types of boats," he said. "We normally work with the United States Coast Guard to conduct this type of training, usually about three times a week. It's a part of the training syllabus for all aircrew positions."
The SAR crews that make up Pedro come from all over with various experiences under their belt.
"SAR pilots bring with them a wealth of experience from previous tours, including long-distance overwater flying from MEU [Marine Expeditionary Unit] deployments," Miller added. "These experiences, coupled with specific SAR training conducted at VMR-1, proved invaluable during the planning for missions such as this."
A successful mission is made possible by the diligent work of the ground crews who maintain the Pedro aircraft.
"I think two things were absolutely critical in accomplishing our mission," he said. "The first is the VMR-1 maintenance department's ability to quickly get another aircraft ready for launch. This greatly enhanced our radio range by allowing one aircraft to reach a higher altitude to call the ships involved from a longer distance away."
"The second is the availability of Pedro in Eastern North Carolina," Miller continued. "The Carandi was located off the Southeastern North Carolina coast, conducting operations with the Navy, Pedro was able to react quickly, plan for the mission, and respond with a timely launch. Once the ship closed the distance to the Ticonderoga, Pedro's location at Cherry Point was perfectly suited to respond and successfully transport the injured sailor to the Camp Lejeune Naval Hospital."
Cherry Point's Pedro typically responds to almost 120 calls each year. Emergency calls come from many different agencies, including the Coast Guard, local emergency response units, such as fire departments and emergency medical services, as well as airfield operations aboard the air station.
The Marines of VMR-1 are an invaluable asset to Cherry Point and the surrounding community of the Eastern North Carolina. Although there may not be a superhero signal in the sky during times of distress, the community can always call upon Pedro.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200332015420/$file/DSC_0113LowRes.jpg
Petty Officer 2nd Class Matt Bonnett, corpsman with Marine Transport Squadron 1, practices rappelling from VMR-1's Pedro helicopter at U.S. Coast Guard Lighthouse Frying Pan Shoals. Pedro recently transported an injured Argentinian sailor from sea to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
Photo by: Pfc. Rocco DeFilippis
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: