AF helicopter crews rescue 221 hurricane victims

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  • By Louis A. Arana-Barradas
  • Air Force Print News
SAN ANTONIO --  Air Force special operations helicopter crews from the 347th Rescue Wing rescued more than 200 people stranded in areas hard hit by Hurricane Katrina through Aug. 31.

Flying from Jackson-Evers International Airport, Miss., these and other Air Force Special Operations Command aircrews are continuing operations, said Matt Durham, a command spokesman at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

“By last night (Aug. 31) we had helicopters bring in 221 people they rescued,” he said. That was during a 24-hour period alone.

The rescue wing, from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., deployed five HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, pararescuemen and maintainers to the Jackson airport. Also, nine helicopters, pararescuemen and maintainers deployed from the 563rd Rescue Group, and the group’s Operating Location Alpha -- the wing’s geographically separated units -- at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., and Nellis AFB, Nev., respectively.

Col. Joe Callahan, the rescue wing commander, said the unit is ready to continue operations for as long as needed.

"We are going to be part of the total team effort needed to help the area begin to get on its way to recovery in the aftermath of this tragic and horrible disaster," he said.

Command officials called in aircraft and helicopters “from units all over the command” to continue nighttime search and rescue missions from the airport. The airport is the home base for the Mississippi Air National Guard’s 172nd Airlift Wing.

Early Aug. 31, an MC-130P Combat Shadow from Hurlburt’s 16th Special Operations Squadron flew a team of combat controllers to the New Orleans airport to set up lights which would allow reopening the runway for nighttime operations. The airport has no electrical power.

“The team did that,” Mr. Durham said. “The team made the airfield operational at night. Now the airport is open for 24-hour operations.” However, he said, the command did not know how long their troops would be operating from the airfield.

“My understanding is that they’re going to be there for a few more days and then we’re going to pull them,” he said.

To the surprise of the special operations Airmen, Mr. Durham said, when the team arrived at New Orleans, “AMC was waiting for us -- with lights, but no generators. So our guys deployed our lights.” The team brought in generators and other navigational aids.

Air Mobility Command officials at Scott AFB, Ill., said elements of the 621st Contingency Response Wing at McGuire AFB, N.J.; and the 615th Contingency Response Wing at Travis AFB, Calif., have been operating from the airport.

A spokesperson at McGuire said the wings’ main mission is to “quickly open forward contingency air bases and extend AMC’s en route infrastructure.” That means a small team of specialist performs all airport operations, including command and control, marshaling, loading and unloading, and launching transport aircraft.

However, that does not mean the airport is open for normal business. Only runway operations are open. There are no terminal operations available yet. Operations are for military aircraft, Mr. Durham said.

During the day, FAA controllers continue directing air traffic. And for now, the combat controllers are directing nighttime air traffic. The controllers are certified air traffic controllers, normally used to operating from remote airfields deep behind enemy lines.

The command, Mr. Durham said, is committed to supporting Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. It has sent more than 34 aircraft to the airport, including 19 Pave Hawks. Also deployed are 11 C-130 aircraft capable of doing various special missions, like in-flight helicopter refueling. The aircraft can also operate from dirt or unimproved airfields.

And rescue and recovery operations continue to increase at the flooded city of New Orleans as more relief agencies arrive to help. The airport is the main staging center for aeromedical evacuations from there. Military aircraft are flying critically injured or sick patients to hospitals in Denver, Houston and Atlanta. Additionally, they are flying refugees out of the disaster area.

“We’ll continue to provide support for as long as needed,” Mr. Durham said. (347th Rescue Wing officials contributed to this article)