Members Devote 25 Flight Hours, Cover Several Hundred Miles

The Civil Air Patrol reports that their North Dakota Wing members totaled about 25 hours of flight time and covered several hundred miles in ground vehicles in helping search for an elderly man found in the state's central section Aug. 26, more than two days after he was reported missing.

After John Miller, 76, failed to arrive as expected Aug. 23 in Bismarck, the Bismarck Police Department contacted the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services about 1:30 p.m. Aug. 25 to request Civil Air Patrol assistance in the search. The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center accepted the mission, and wing members' many hours of training paid off as squadrons smoothly responded to the call.

Search aircraft from the Red River Valley Senior and Bismarck, Roughrider and Magic City composite squadrons were immediately in the air. Ground teams from the Bismarck and James Valley composite squadrons were en route shortly afterward, and other units were put on standby.

Miller, who has a medical condition requiring oxygen and was suffering from dementia, had last been seen at 8 p.m. Aug. 23 filling his pickup with gas in Hazelton.

While he was not found by CAP -- he was located instead by Andrew Bornemann, 17, and his siblings, Cora, 21, and Jacob, 12, all of Kintyre, as reported by the Bismarck Tribune -- search plans called for the grid Miller was found in to be covered later in the day by CAP aircraft. Based on the terrain, there was a high probability he would have been located through those flights.

"It was an incredible response by the wing, and an excellent example of what dedicated, trained volunteers can accomplish", said Maj. Sean Johnson, Bismarck Composite Squadron commander and incident commander for the search. "This event was truly a team effort, and something we can all be proud of.

"CAP, law enforcement, Emergency Management, the media, and private citizens all worked together as a team and helped to make a significant difference in the lives of Mr. Miller and his family". {ANN Salutes Maj. Troy C. Krabbenhoft, PAO, North Dakota Wing, for the story]

FMI: www.cap.gov