CommunityEditor
05-26-2009, 07:26 PM
The 129th Rescue Wing, an Air National Guard unit from Moffett Federal Airfield, Calif., performed the 600th and 601st rescues in its history May 15 when it rescued two wounded Afghan National Army soldiers in Oruzgan province, Afghanistan, according to a wing press release.
Two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters were scrambled to recover the Afghan soldiers, who sustained critical gunshot wounds during a battle with Taliban forces. Air Force fighter aircraft suppressed enemy fire so the HH-60Gs could perform the rescue.
While en route to the nearest medical facility, pararescuemen — better known as PJs — performed trauma care to stabilize the wounded soldiers. The patients were successfully transferred to a field surgical team for more advanced care, according to the release.
While deployed to Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, the 129th is the lead unit for combat search and rescue in the country.
As an Air National Guard unit, many of the unit’s 600 rescues involved support for civilian disasters such as earthquakes, fires and floods. The unit saved more than 35 people in 2008 during the Northern California wildfires and Hurricane Ike, according to the release.
Article: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2009/05/airforce_rescue_052609w/
Two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters were scrambled to recover the Afghan soldiers, who sustained critical gunshot wounds during a battle with Taliban forces. Air Force fighter aircraft suppressed enemy fire so the HH-60Gs could perform the rescue.
While en route to the nearest medical facility, pararescuemen — better known as PJs — performed trauma care to stabilize the wounded soldiers. The patients were successfully transferred to a field surgical team for more advanced care, according to the release.
While deployed to Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, the 129th is the lead unit for combat search and rescue in the country.
As an Air National Guard unit, many of the unit’s 600 rescues involved support for civilian disasters such as earthquakes, fires and floods. The unit saved more than 35 people in 2008 during the Northern California wildfires and Hurricane Ike, according to the release.
Article: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2009/05/airforce_rescue_052609w/