Marines assist Coast Guard in search and rescue mission

Courtesy Photo | Lance Cpls. Eric Bruning and Vinson Gallardo with Marine Aerial Refueler Transportation Squadron 152 carry a life raft also containg food and water as well as a radio and other various survival aids to be dropped to the two men adrft below during a search and rescue mission June 6, 2012. The raft was dropped close enough for the two men adrift to get to easily and finialy recieve fresh water and food.  

OKINAWA, JAPAN

06.05.2012

Courtesy Story

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

OKINAWA, Japan - The U.S. Coast Guard and Marine Corps teamed together to successfully conduct a search and rescue mission June 6 for two men, ages 32 and 24, who had been missing for almost three days.

The Coast Guard assumed command of rescue operations but requested aerial assistance from Marines with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, Marine Aircraft Group 12, Marine Wing Communications Squadron 18 and MAG-36. The units were in Guam participating in Exercise Geiger Fury 2012, which is conducted to increase aviation readiness and exercise the establishment of an expeditionary airfield in an austere environment.

“I heard about the mission … and I knew I had to be a part of the effort to find those two men in some way,” said Staff Sgt. Elliott A. Stanton, an aircraft communications technician with MAG-12, who assisted in the rescue operation. “I couldn’t help but think what if that was me out there, floating in a little boat with no food or water … and the only thing I saw for days was a C-130 flying over me with ‘Marines’ painted on the side of it. That is truly inspiring.”

The two men were adrift in the Pacific in a disabled 23-foot skiff.
“We were about three hours into (the) search pattern given to us by the Coast Guard, when suddenly there was a small orange dot in the middle of the vast blue of the Pacific, barely noticeable from the window of the cockpit,” said Capt. Joseph R. Lennox, a pilot with VMGR-152 and a search and rescue volunteer.

After spotting the two men, the Marines circled the vessel to assure the men they had been spotted and were going to be rescued.

“This truly says something special about the Marine Corps that with short notice we were able launch, get the mission underway, and successfully complete it,” said Lennox. “That’s the kind of thing the American people expect of us, to be able to conduct a mission at the drop of a hat and accomplish it professionally. We definitely proved that today.”

Ten miles from where the two men were stranded, Marines spotted the Solar Africa, a Japanese tanker, and informed it of the situation. The tanker’s crew agreed to help.

“As soon as we saw the tanker, we knew we had to try to get their help because there is only so much we could do from the air,” said Capt. Michael J. Smith, a pilot with VMGR-152 and a search and rescue volunteer. “We guided the ship to the raft containing some food and water we had dropped for the two men. The ship then sent out a small-motored raft to pick it up and bring them back to the tanker.”

The Marines circled above until the men were safely aboard the tanker then proceeded back to base having completed the mission.

• Date Taken: 06.05.2012
• Date Posted: 06.14.2012 20:41
• Story ID: 90028
• Location: OKINAWA, JP