ALCOAST 294/20 - JUL 2020 2020 CAPTAIN FRANK ERICKSON AND COMMANDER ELMER STONE AWARD RECIPIENTS

R 311606 JUL 20
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-7//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N01650//
ALCOAST 294/20
COMDTNOTE 1650
SUBJ:  2020 CAPTAIN FRANK ERICKSON AND COMMANDER ELMER STONE AWARD RECIPIENTS
A. Recognitions Programs Manual, COMDTINST M1650.26
1. COMDT (CG-7) is honored to announce the recipients of the Captain Frank A. Erickson
and Commander Elmer F. Stone Aviation Awards for 2020. The Coast Guard Aviation Association
sponsors these annual 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 Humboldt Bay crew of
CGNR 6561, LCDR Derek L. Schramel, LTJG Adam J. Ownbey, AMT3 Tyler S. Cook, and
AST1 P. Graham McGinnis, in recognition of their heroic efforts on 05 September, 2019,
responding to a report of two critically injured firefighters requiring extraction from
a steep forested area within an active wildfire. Having just completed a two hour training
sortie, CGNR 6561 launched at 2300 and, shortly before midnight, entered a valley obscured
by smoke with no visual horizon, steep terrain, and intense flames. Battling bouts of
vertigo, updrafts, and night vision goggle (NVG) washout from the flames below, LCDR
Schramel established a hover above the hoisting area after multiple attempts. AST1
McGinnis was hoisted to the confined area, where he began to assess the patients and
prepare for a litter hoist until LTJG Ownbey determined there would not be enough time
to hoist the patient and the Rescue Swimmer before needing to refuel. AMT3 Cook aborted
the hoist and CGNR 6515 recovered at a full-service airfield to reassess the mission.
Although they assessed the mission as high risk, the crew determined the mission still
had a reasonable chance of success and would undoubtedly save the lives of both
firefighters. All unneeded items were removed from the helicopter to reduce weight,
increase fuel capacity, and create room in the cabin to hoist both patients. The
crew of CGNR 6515 launched on their third sortie of the day at 0256. Arriving back at
the scene, the crew noticed the fire had advanced down the hill to the edge of the
hoisting area and flanked the clearing on three sides. During the first approach,
updrafts buffeted the aircraft and resulted in a sudden increase in descent rate
that could not be arrested, forcing LCDR Schramel to fly down the hillside to avoid
impacting the trees. He then used an alternative second approach, avoiding the updrafts,
and established a hover with the fire line now at the edge of the clearing. Using linked
trail lines, additional weight bags, and a non-standard Litter Augmented Double Pick-Up
(LADPU) procedure, AMT3 Cook hoisted AST1 McGinnis to the steep slope using nearly all
of the hoist cable. AST1 McGinnis then hauled the litter 25 feet up the steep terrain
and wedged his legs underneath it for support while loading the first firefighter.
AMT3 Cook and AST1 McGinnis recovered the first patient and extracted the 280-pound
man from the litter. AST1 McGinnis injured his back during this process but willingly
re-rigged the litter for another LADPU and was delivered to the hoisting area where the
flames began to climb the surrounding trees. AST1 McGinnis again unhooked from the hoist
and wedged his legs underneath the litter to stabilize it, allowing the second patient
to be loaded. AMT3 Cook was unable to see the hoisting area due to increased smoke but
LTJG Ownbey faintly heard AST1 McGinnis call for pick-upon on the radio. AST1 McGinnis
was then hoisted through the smoke and the second patient was safely loaded into the cabin.
LCDR Schramel used 100 percent engine power to prevent settling into the trees while LTJG
Ownbey provided essential backup of power, position, and altitude. LCDR Schramel flew out
of the hoisting area and passed controls to LTJG Ownbey after total exhaustion from over
30 minutes of precision hoisting. CGNR 6561 then flew to the nearby helibase and transferred
the patients to waiting medical helicopters at 0357.
3. The following nominees were also recommended for this award and deserve honorable
mention for their heroic actions:
Air Station Atlantic City, CGNR 6503 – S/V BERTIE
Air Station Cape Cod, CGNR 6032 – Penobscot River Rescue
Air Station Elizabeth City, CGNR 6006 – S/V PUFFIN
HITRON, CGNR 6551 – Go-Fast Rescue
Air Station Houston, CGNR 6518 – TS Imelda MEDEVAC
Air Station Kodiak, CGNR 6038 – F/V SCANDIES ROSE
Air Station Savannah, CGNR 6531 and 6544 – M/V GOLDEN RAY
4. The Commander Elmer F. Stone Award is presented to the Air Station Cape Cod crew of
CGNR 2313, LCDR Christopher McKay, LTJG Banning S. Lobmeyer, AMT2 Jesse R. Oudman,
AMT3 Brandon E. Sabala, AET3 Connor D. Shannon, and AET3 Nicolas G. Stewart, in
recognition of their heroic efforts on 24 July, 2019, responding to an emergency position-
indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) for the trimaran S/V ISHMAEL, 330 miles offshore Cape Cod.
S/V ISMAEL was in the middle of a major convective system with lines of embedded
thunderstorms that the crew of CGNR 2313 battled both on scene and during their transit
to the stricken vessel. Through limited text messages with the master, who was the lone
soul onboard, via the EPIRB, it was reported that part of the trimaran had broken away
and the vessel was flooded up to the cabin. When they arrived on scene, the crew of CGNR
2313 encountered continuous moderate turbulence, the maximum allowable for the aircraft,
visibility of less than one mile, and 500 foot ceilings. While searching on NVGs below
500 feet, CGNR 2313 continuously battled severe low-level wind shear, causing altitude
losses ranging from 200 to 300 feet and air speed fluctuations of 20 knots. Battling
low illumination, poor radar picture, and several malfunctions of the Forward Looking
Infrared (FLIR) camera, LTJG Lobmeyer was able to locate a barely visible light from
the vessel using NVGs. AET3 Stewart provided critical backup to the pilots as they
battled turbulent conditions by moving up to the cockpit to help watch for airspeed and
altitude deviations during aerial deliveries. This left AET3 Shannon alone to work a
degraded FLIR and to manage all external communications while AMT2 Oudman and AMT3 Sabala
readied the crew and aircraft to conduct aerial deliveries. With visibility of less than
one mile, the pilots were unable to see the vessel until almost directly over it. LCDR McKay
manually maneuvered the aircraft in moderate turbulence to conduct precise last-minute
adjustments needed to give them the best chance of conducting an accurate drop. After
three aborted attempts, CGNR 2313 successfully deployed a radio can, followed by an Ariel
Sea Rescue Kit 16 and a Self-Locating Datum Marker Buoy. The radio proved vital in allowing
search crews over the next ten hours to relocate the vessel via radio direction finder and
communicate with the master. It also enabled the master to coordinate with a Good Samaritan
to safely disembark the vessel.
5. The following nominees were also recommended for this award and deserve honorable
mention for their heroic actions:
Air Station Barbers Point, CGNR 1720 – F/V KM ALELUYA
Air Station Elizabeth City, CGNR 2001 – Fishing Vessel Rescue
Air Station Kodiak, CGNR 2002 – Dutch Harbor MEDEVAC
Air Station Kodiak, CGNR 2006 – Dutch Harbor MEDEVAC
ATC Mobile, CGNR 2317 – Suicide Intervention Offshore Panama City
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) POC is AETCM Bryan Salazar at (202)372-2221 or bryan.p.salazar@uscg.mil.
8. RDML John W. Mauger, Assistant Commandant for Capability, sends.
9. Internet release is authorized.