Rescue Pilot: "We Did Everything Right"

It's great when a plan comes together. Personnel from the Naval Air Station Pensacola (NASP) Helicopter Support Unit (HSU) aboard the station's Rescue 400 UH-3H Sea King rendered assistance May 21 to a downed Air Force F-15C Eagle pilot.

The fighter jet crashed before noon along the Florida Panhandle, 20 nautical miles southeast of Carrabelle Thompson. The pilot, Lt. Col. Patrick Marshall, successfully ejected without sustaining serious injuries.

The NASP Rescue 400 crew received the call for help at 12:30 p.m., and 15 minutes later was airborne en route to the scene some 150 miles away, where other emergency rescue personnel were present.

A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) patrol boat near the St. George Island Coast was on scene to rescue Marshall. Also on scene circling above were two F-15s, a Coast Guard Falcon jet and a Coast Guard C-130.

"The whole evolution went unscathed," said pilot Cmdr. Michael Holdener. "We did everything right. We evaluated all the information and were ahead of the whole game. We went there and checked out what they (the on-scene commander) wanted us to do."

Holdener said the hour-and-10-minute flight there gave them plenty of time to plan for their mission, which was landing pier side near the FFWCC boat to retrieve the pilot, perform a quick medical evaluation, and then transport him to the Tyndall Air Force Base for a thorough medical check-up.

Although the NASP HSU Rescue team, who are known as quick responders from call to launch, weren’t the first on-scene responders, they traveled the distance to MEDEVAC Marshall and reunite him with family. This entailed flying at a ground speed of about 135-136 mph (with tail wind), climbing up to 500 feet and accessing communication frequencies to discover information pertaining to the downed pilot.

"I was stoked that everything went off without a hitch," said rescue swimmer Aviation Electrician's Mate 2nd Class Anthony Robinson, whose rescue swimming services weren’t needed. "I’ve done plenty of MEDEVACs, but this was my first rescue attempt. I’m so glad that he’s in good condition and is alive."

Once NASP Rescue 400 landed, Marshall was greeted by applauding squadron members, and hugged by his wife and child.

The F-15C was assigned to the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall Air Force Base, near Panama City.

(ANN salutes Sheri L. Crowe, Naval Air Station Pensacola Public Affairs)

FMI: www.navy.mil