ALCOAST 331/24 - AUG 2024 2024 CAPTAIN FRANK ERICKSON AND COMMANDER ELMER STONE AWARDS

R 271722Z AUG 24 MID600117577130U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 331/24
SSIC 1650
SUBJ: 2024 CAPTAIN FRANK ERICKSON AND COMMANDER ELMER STONE AWARDS
1. COMDT (CG-7) is honored to announce the recipients of the Captain
Frank A. Erickson and Commander Elmer F. Stone Aviation Awards for
2024. 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 Air
Station Astoria crew of CGNR 6006, LT Jacob Mullins, LT Keith
Holmes, AMT1 Dennis O'Reilly, and AST1 Jonathan Kreske, in
recognition of their heroic efforts during the rescue involving
the F/V ETHEL MAY. On 6 February at 1732 local time the crew was
alerted to a vessel in distress 33NM north of the Air Station in
the mouth of Willapa Bay, WA. Despite heavy driving rain and low
visibility, CG 6006 arrived on scene to the last know location of
the fishing vessel ETHEL MAY, a 46-foot crabbing vessel, to find a
large debris field with a significant oil sheen. The crew quickly
located a partially submerged life raft located in extremely
confused seas with 10-foot breaking surf. The rescue simmer was
quickly lowered via harness deployment with the sling to expedite
recovery. He swam 15 yards in 40-degree water through breaking
surf, vessel debris, fishing gear, and spilled oil to reach the
life raft. Upon reaching the life raft, the rescue swimmer found
two hypothermic survivors submerged to their chest in water,
tangled in lines with no survival suits or PFDs. While the rescue
swimmer attempted to prepare the first survivor for recovery, the
survivor became disoriented and combative, clinging to the rescue
swimmer for flotation while being connected to the raft by multiple
lines. The rescue swimmer expertly cut the survivor free of all
lines and was hoisted along with the survivor back in the CG 6006.
Due to the dangerous conditions, including lines and debris in the
water, the crew chose a direct deployment of the rescue swimmer to
the life raft to recover the second survivor. Once connected to the
survivor, the rescue swimmer requested pick-up, but entangled lines
began to lift the raft. To escape battering waves, the flight
mechanic hoisted the swimmer and survivor ten feet above the water
where the rescue swimmer expertly cut them both free of the raft.
Once freed, they were recovered to CG 6006 and the survivors were
transferred to EMS at Willapa Airport. The crew searched for the
third missing fisherman an additional 7.6 hours before being
relieved by another aircraft.
3. The following nominees were also recommended for this award
and deserve honorable mention for their heroic actions:
Air Station Kodiak, CGNR 6037 - Injured Hunter
Air Station Astoria, CGNR 6035 - Injured Hiker
4. The Commander Elmer F. Stone Award is presented to the Air
Station Kodiak crew of CGNR 2004, LCDR Scott Handlin, LT James
Engelhardt, AMT1 Zach Zalewski, AET1 Conner Furst, AMT2 Travis
Hooper, AET3 Cooper Bach and AMT3 Conner Beuthin, in recognition
of their heroic efforts during the rescue efforts of the crew of
Air Station Sitka MH-60T CGNR 6016. On November 15, 2023, at
approximately 2315 local time the crew was called to respond to the
mishap involving the CGNR6016 on Read Island near Petersburg, AK.
With minimal information about the nature of the accident and in
full knowledge that the weather was below instrument minimums at
Petersburg (an unfamiliar field), the crew readied the aircraft for
immediate departure. Takeoff was initially delayed to onload a
Kodiak MH-60T duty crew to backfill the duty MH-60T crew in Sitka.
Due to winds gusting up to 30 knots in Kodiak, the crew accepted a
higher risk refusal-based takeoff, and successfully departed in
instrument conditions to Sitka just before midnight. During the 560
NM transit across the Gulf of Alaska the crew discussed weather in
Petersburg as well as locations of viable higher care facilities in
Juneau and Anchorage, both of which were reporting weather below
approach minimums. Due to heavy crosswinds in Sitka the crew was
forced to execute a go-around before successfully landing and
offloading the MH-60T crew from Kodiak just after 0200L. It was
then noted that the ceilings and visibility were marginally
improving in Petersburg and therefore the crew elected to fly on so
that an attempt could be made to extract the four crash survivors
now re-located from the mishap site to Petersburg. Enroute to
Petersburg, the crew worked with Air Traffic Control to fly the
published instrument approach course in reverse to attempt to find
an opening in the weather while navigating the rapidly rising
terrain that surrounded the field. The crew's tenacity enabled them
to find a brief weather window that allowed the aircraft to descend
and attempt an approach. LT Engelhardt successfully landed on an
icy field at 0330L while battling a squall line with 40 knot winds,
blowing snow, and freezing rain that severely reduced visibility.
Upon taxiing to the ramp, the crew learned the staff at the local
clinic were overwhelmed with the inflow of critically injured
personnel who were suffering from major injuries to include
hypothermia, back injuries and broken femurs. AMT3 Beuthin then
elected to depart the aircraft and assist medical personnel. As
survivors were having their injuries stabilized, the crew readied
the aircraft for medical transportation in deteriorating weather
conditions while battling fatigue. The crew onloaded the survivors
and medical personnel at 0630L and departed IFR for the 680 NM
transit to Seattle. The patients were transferred to four waiting
ambulances at Modern Aviation FBO just after 1000L. At the time of
landing the crew had flown almost 14 hours and accumulated 17 hours
of crew mission time since reporting for duty, exceeding standard
flight hour and crew limits with command approval to rescue four
fellow Coast Guardsmen and save their lives.
5. 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.
6. RADM S. N. Gilreath, Assistant Commandant for Capability (CG-7),
sends.
7. Internet release is authorized.