R 191759Z AUG 09

SUBJ 2009 CAPTAIN ERICKSON AND COMMANDER STONE AWARD
RECIPIENTS
A. MEDALS AND AWARDS MANUAL, COMDTINST M1650.25D
1.  ON BEHALF OF THE ANCIENT ORDER OF THE PTERODACTYL
ORGANIZATION, CG-711 IS HONORED TO ANNOUNCE THE RECIPIENTS
OF THE CAPTAIN FRANK A. ERICKSON AND COMMANDER ELMER F.
STONE AVIATION AWARDS FOR 2009.  THE ANCIENT ORDER OF THE
PTERODACTYLS SPONSORS THESE ANNUAL AVIATION AWARDS AS A
MEANS TO RECOGNIZE SPECIFIC COAST GUARD ROTARY-WING AND
FIXED-WING AIRCREWS WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL
PERFORMANCE WHILE ENGAGED IN SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS.
THE SELECTION PROCESS WAS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING THIS YEAR
AS THE VOTING WAS VERY CLOSE.  THE NOMINATIONS WERE
UNIFORMLY EXCEPTIONAL AND THEY HELPED ILLUSTRATE THE
EXTRAORDINARY COURAGE AND SKILL WITH WHICH OUR AIRCREWS
CONTINUE TO SERVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.  THEY ARE ALL WORTHY
OF HIGH HONOR.  THE PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY FOR THIS AWARD WAS 01
JUNE 2008 TO 31 MAY 2009.
2.  THE CAPTAIN FRANK A. ERICKSON AWARD GOES TO THE AIR
STATION CLEARWATER CREW OF MH-60J CG-6033 IN RECOGNITION OF
THEIR HEROIC EFFORTS ON 07 SEP 2008.  THE BRAVE ACTIONS OF LCDR
MARK TURNER, LTJG DANIEL CATHELL, AMT3 JASON MENEZES, AND
AST3 JON GESKUS RESULTED IN SAVING FOUR LIVES FROM THE
FLOUNDERING FISHING VESSEL MIDNIGHT SUN CAUGHT IN THE MIDST
OF HURRICANE IKE, A POWERFUL CATEGORY 4 STORM. THE CREW WAS
ORIGINALLY TASKED TO RELOCATE FROM PUERTO RICO TO TURKS
AND CAICOS BEHIND THE HURRICANE TO PREPARE FOR HURRICANE
RELIEF OPERATIONS.  DURING THE EVENING, THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF
TO CONDUCT A DAMAGE ASSESSMENT FLIGHT OF GRAND TURK
ISLAND.  ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, THE CREW WAS INFORMED BY RADIO
THAT A COAST GUARD FALCON JET HAD LOCATED A MISSING FISHING
VESSEL.  THE MIDNIGHT SUN AND HER CREW OF FOUR WERE ADRIFT
AND TAKING ON WATER JUST 50 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE CENTER
OF THE HURRICANE, IN THE STORM'S MOST DANGEROUS QUADRANT.
WITHOUT DELAY, THE CREW RETURNED TO PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS
AND CAICOS TO DISEMBARK PASSENGERS THEN PROCEEDED TO THE
POSITION OF THE DISTRESSED VESSEL.  DURING THE DARING RESCUE
OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN'S CREW, THE AIRCREW WAS FACED WITH
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ESTIMATED AT 75 KNOTS, LIMITED
VISIBILITY DUE TO NIGHTTIME AND WEATHER, AND 40 FOOT SEAS.  THE
MIDNIGHT SUN DID NOT OFFER A SAFE HOISTING AREA DUE TO
EXTENSIVE RIGGING AND FRAMEWORK THAT LITTERED THE DECK.
AFTER CAREFUL RISK ASSESSMENT, THE AIRCREW MADE THE
DIFFICULT DECISION TO HAVE THE FISHERMEN ENTER THE VIOLENT
WATERS BEFORE BEING HOISTED TO SAFETY.  DESPITE BEING A
RELATIVELY INEXPERIENCED CREW, THEIR SUPERLATIVE
AERONAUTICAL ABILITIES, EXTRAORDINARY BRAVERY, AND
IMPRESSIVE TEAMWORK THROUGHOUT THIS PERILOUS MISSION WERE
BEYOND HEROIC.
3.  THE FOLLOWING NOMINEES WHO WERE RECOMMENDED FOR THIS
AWARD DESERVE HONORABLE MENTION FOR THEIR HEROIC ACTIONS
AIR STATION CAPE COD, CGNR 6004 - SV ARVA
AIR STATION ELIZABETH CITY, CGNR 6003 - SV FREEFALL
AIR STATION KODIAK, CGNR 6573 - FV KODIAK
4.  THE COMMANDER ELMER F. STONE AWARD GOES TO THE AIR
STATION SACRAMENTO CREW OF HC-130H CGNR 1716 IN RECOGNITION
OF THEIR HEROIC EFFORTS ON 31 JAN 2009.  THE QUICK AND DECISIVE
ACTIONS OF LCDR CHE BARNES, LT RANDALL BLACK, AMT1 ANDREW
KASTERN, AMT1 RANDALL PURDY, AMT1 JASON FERGUSON, AET2
NATHAN LACROIX, AET2 BRENNAN BRIDGEFORD, AND AMT3 JOSEPH
MACKEY RESULTED IN SAVING THE LIFE OF THE PILOT OF A SINGLE
ENGINE PLANE THAT CRASHED IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN.  THE SINGLE
ENGINE CIVILIAN PLANE CRASHED ABOUT 10 NAUTICAL MILES FROM
THE LOCATION OF THE HC-130H.  WORKING EFFICIENTLY AND
EFFECTIVELY, THE AIRCREW RAN MULTIPLE CHECKLISTS, PREPARED TO
DROP THE SURVIVAL GEAR, MADE INITIAL NOTIFICATIONS TO THE
COAST GUARD OF THE SITUATION TO LAUNCH ADDITIONAL RESCUE
RESOURCES, WORKED WITH THE FAA TO MAINTAIN STERILE AIRSPACE,
AND STRUGGLED TO LOCATE THE PILOT AND HIS DITCHED AIRCRAFT.
ONCE THE SURVIVOR WAS LOCATED STANDING ON TOP OF HIS
FLOATING AIRCRAFT WITH NO SURVIVAL GEAR, THE AIRCREW MADE
FINAL PREPARATIONS TO DROP THE SMOKE FLARE AND SURVIVAL
RAFT.  PRIOR TO MAKING THE FINAL PASS, THE CREW NOTICED THE
PLANE HAD SUCCUMBED TO THE ROUGH SEAS.  DESPITE THE
DIFFICULTY IN RELOCATING THE SURVIVOR, NOW SWIMMING IN THE
FRIGID WATERS, THE AIRCREW EXECUTED AMAZING ACCURACY BY
DROPPING A SMOKE FLAIR AND SURVIVAL RAFT WITHIN 20 YARDS OF
THE SURVIVOR.  SOON THEREAFTER, TWO NAVY HH-60 HELICOPTERS
ARRIVED ON SCENE, LOCATED THE SURVIVOR, AND SUCCESSFULLY
HOISTED THE MAN FROM THE LIFE RAFT.  SHOWING SIGNS OF
HYPOTHERMIA AND WITH A CORE BODY TEMPERATURE BELOW 92
DEGREES, THE SURVIVOR WAS TRANSPORTED TO A MEDICAL FACILITY.
THEIR SUPERLATIVE AERONAUTICAL ABILITIES, COURAGE AND
IMPRESSIVE TEAMWORK THROUGHOUT THIS MISSION WERE TRULY
HEROIC.
5.  THE FOLLOWING NOMINEE WHO WAS RECOMMENDED FOR THIS
AWARD DESERVES HONORABLE MENTION FOR THEIR HEROIC ACTIONS
AIR STATION CAPE COD, CGNR 2112 - MEDEVAC FROM NANTUCKET
6.  I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MY PERSONAL CONGRATULATIONS TO
THE AWARD WINNERS, AND TO EACH OF THE NOMINATED AIRCREWS
FOR REFLECTING THE HIGHEST IDEALS OF COURAGE AND
PROFESSIONALISM.
7.  CG-711 WILL FUND TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ONE
CREW MEMBER AND SPOUSE FROM EACH WINNING CREW TO TRAVEL
TO THE 2009 PTERO ROOST ON 01-04 OCTOBER 2009, IN ELIZABETH CITY,
NORTH CAROLINA.  THE UNIT CAN PROVIDE FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL
MEMBERS OF THE CREW TO ATTEND AS WELL.
8.  INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.
9.  CAPT M. D. EMERSON, CHIEF OF AVIATION FORCES, SENDS.