ALCOAST 257/17 - AUG 2017 2017 CAPTAIN FRANK ERICKSON AND COMMANDER ELMER STONE AWARD RECIPIENTS

R 251521 AUG 17
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-7//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N01650//
ALCOAST 257/17
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ:  2017 CAPTAIN FRANK ERICKSON AND COMMANDER ELMER STONE AWARD RECIPIENTS
A. RECOGNITION PROGRAMS MANUAL, COMDTINST M1650.26 (SERIES)
1. On behalf of the Coast Guard Aviation Association, COMDT (CG-7) is honored to
announce the recipients of the Captain Frank A. Erickson and Commander Elmer F. Stone Aviation Awards for 2017. The Coast Guard Aviation Association sponsors these annual aviation awards to recognize Coast Guard rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircrews who have demonstrated exceptional performance while engaged in Search and Rescue operations.
2. The Captain Frank A. Erickson Award is presented to the Sector North Bend crew of CGNR 6559, LT Zachary Wiest, LT Wesley Jones, AMT2 Jason Caristo, and AST3 Chad Morris, in recognition of their heroic efforts on 14 February 2017, responding to two people trapped inside a waterline cave near Yachats, Oregon. The crew of 6559 conducted a coastal search and observed a State Trooper lying on his stomach at the top of a 50 foot sheer cliff, illuminating a cave entrance with a flashlight. Shortly thereafter, a survivor emerged from the cave and began frantically waving his arms. LT Jones immediately recognized that only 10 minutes of on scene flight time remained. Noting that high tide would not return for another two hours, the crew made the difficult decision to return to Air Facility Newport to refuel. This ultimately allowed the crew more time to evaluate the treacherous hoisting area inundated with 30 knot turbulent winds and 8 foot crashing waves. Upon returning to the scene, it was determined that the safest place to deploy the Rescue Swimmer was to a small group of rocks at water level directly outside the cave opening. Since the prevailing winds were from the South, LT Wiest, in the left seat, conducted the hoists given his unobstructed visibility of the terrain. Despite widely varying power requirements and blinding headlights from vehicles transiting on an adjacent highway, LT Wiest maintained a 200 foot hover with the assistance of LT Jones handling all external communications and monitoring aircraft systems to ensure helicopter limitations were not exceeded. Visually impaired by darkness and distance, AMT2 Caristo carefully managed the large swing arc and kept AST3 Morris and the hoist cable from impacting the knife edge cliff. Executing the hoists with the hoisting door away from the cliff, AMT2 Caristo precisely deployed AST3 Morris to the targeted group of rocks. Without hesitation, AST3 Morris disconnected from the hoist hook and made his way to the cave entrance. AST3 Morris struggled through chest deep water and breaking surf with only a small flashlight to reach the cave entrance and the barely visible victim. Upon reaching the first survivor, AST3 Morris quickly calmed the frantic young man as he tried to assess the deteriorating situation. The survivor was extremely hypothermic, bleeding from head to toe, with large cuts and gouges on his legs. The survivor informed AST3 Morris that his friend had fallen into the water and that he jumped in after him in an attempt to save his life. The two survivors stayed together for approximately 15 minutes immersed in the cold ocean, when suddenly they were picked up by a large wave, thrown against the sharp rocks, and swept into a cave. Fearing that he could possibly lose the most critical survivor, AST3 Morris trudged 60 feet into the cave to find the second victim. In doing so, AST3 Morris had to blindly navigate sharp rocks and deep crevasses to reach the back of the cavern. Locating and towing the semi-conscious survivor, AST3 Morris, slowly retraced his steps to the cave entrance. He reacquired the first survivor and brought them to the hoisting area. As the helicopter lowered the rescue device, AST3 Morris used all of his physical strength to shield the survivors from the crashing waves. The crew agreed on the utilization of three trail lines, totaling 315 feet, to maintain adequate control of the rescue devices during the recoveries of AST3 Morris and the survivors. After two difficult hoists into the helicopter, the two young men were delivered safely to emergency medical personnel where they made a full recovery.
3. The following nominees were also recommended for this award and deserve honorable mention for their heroic actions:
Air Station Clearwater, CGNR 6030 - S/V BLUE & GOLD, S/V JOURNEY
Air Station Elizabeth City, CGNR 6006 - F/V STORM
Air Station Cape Cod, CGNR 6042 - ACADIA NATIONAL PARK CLIFF RESCUE
Air Station Kodiak, CGNR 6037 - M/V TIANJIN PIONEER MEDEVAC
Air Station Miami, CGNR 6542 - PIW NEAR MIAMI
Air Station New Orleans, CGNR 6502, CGNR 6538 - BATON ROUGE FLOODING
Sector Humboldt Bay, CGNR 6558 - EEL RIVER STRANDED HIKERS
Air Station Sitka, CGNR 6032 - F/V LADY GUDNY
Air Station Barbers Point, CGNR 6608 - S/V MALIA
Air Station Borinquen, CGNR 6572 - M/V CARIBBEAN FANTASY
4. The Commander Elmer F. Stone Award is presented to the Air Station Cape Cod crew of CGNR 2317, CDR Wesley Hester, LCDR Joshua O’Brien, AMT2 Julio Guillermo, and AMT3 Thomas Carter, in recognition of their heroic efforts on 1 December 2016, in responding to a critically ill newborn on Martha’s Vineyard. The crew of 2317 was dispatched from Air Station Cape Cod as a severe winter storm passed through the region, grounding civilian life flight services. In visibility barely above the minimum required for takeoff, 2317 departed for Boston's Logan Airport to retrieve a specialized neonatal team comprised of five medical professionals and an Isolette unit (incubator for newborns) needed to safeguard the infant during flight in the HC-144. After navigating through heavy rain which severely limited visibility and caused dramatic wind shear, CDR Hester successfully completed a challenging instrument approach, continuing below the minimum descent altitude with only the approach lighting system visible, before finally acquiring the runway at just 180 feet. During the demanding approach, LCDR O'Brien acted as the Safety Pilot delivering calm and precise support enabling well coordinated Crew Resource Management to minimize the significant risks associated with operating in the region's busiest airspace. After landing, AMT2 Guillermo and AMT3 Carter conducted a comprehensive safety brief, rapidly loaded the five member team and Isolette and completed an essential performance check to ensure all of the required medical equipment was functioning properly. With the weather deteriorating, 2317 departed for Martha's Vineyard. While en route, LCDR O'Brien continuously updated the aircraft's flight management system to reflect changing winds and weather conditions, calculated aircraft performance for the next phase of the mission, and coordinated with Air Traffic Control to request priority handling. Arriving in the terminal area of Martha's Vineyard, the crew discovered that ceilings on the island had dropped to 200 feet, which compelled them to once again initiate another difficult instrument approach. CDR Hester flew the precision approach to a safe landing despite the treacherous wind shear that subjected the aircraft to dangerous and unpredictable buffeting just prior to touching down, at times requiring nearly full deflection of the flight controls to remain on profile. Once on deck at the airport, Petty Officers Guillermo and Carter immediately took charge of the medical team and shepherded them safely off the aircraft. After working to stabilize the infant for two hours on deck, the neonatal team informed the air crew that the Isolette's oxygen supply would be entirely depleted in 35 minutes, placing the newborn in grave danger. Racing against the clock, Petty Officers Guillermo and Carter quickly secured the Isolette and the medical team in the cabin for the turbulent flight back to Boston. 2317 proceeded directly to Logan Airport where LCDR O'Brien took the flight controls for the completion of the crew's third instrument approach to landing, breaking out at the decision altitude. Expert coordination with Boston's ground controllers allowed 2317 to rapidly taxi through the heavily trafficked airport, delivering the infant to advanced medical care with only minutes of oxygen remaining.
5. The following nominees were also recommended for this award and deserve honorable mention for their heroic actions:
Air Station Clearwater, CGNR 1704 - HUATULCO, MEXICO MEDEVAC
Air Station Elizabeth City, CGNR 2004 - COLOMBIAN DIVERS
Air Station Miami, CGNR 2312 - CUBAN MIGRANTS
6. I extend my personal congratulations to the award winners, and to each of the nominated aircrews. Through your actions, you demonstrated the highest levels of courage and professionalism. Your efforts are in keeping with the highest traditions of our service.
7. COMDT (CG-711) will contact the commands of the winning crews for funding travel and accommodations for attendance at the awards ceremony at the 2017 Ptero Roost, occurring on 14 SEP 2017 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
8. RDML Michael P. Ryan, Assistant Commandant for Capability, sends.
9. Internet Release Authorized.