Naval Aircrew Rescues Marine Pilot

ATLANTIC OCEAN

05.06.2016

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Rawad Madanat 

USS WASP (LHD 1)   

By Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class Rawad Madanat

ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) – A Navy Search and Rescue (SAR) team rescued a Marine Corps pilot off the coast of North Carolina after he ejected from his jet, May 6.

The jet, an AV-8B Harrier, from Marine squadron VMA-542 of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Cherry Point, N.C, was found by another Marine aircraft. A distress call was sent to USS Wasp (LHD 1) which was operating nearby.

A SAR crew from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22 was aboard the Wasp when they received notification of the call.

Within five minutes the crew was in route to the downed jet aboard an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter. In less than 20 minutes, the helicopter arrived at the scene, deployed the SAR swimmer and recovered the pilot.

Lt. j.g. John Smaok, the helicopter’s pilot, said his training kicked into action immediately after word was given to save the pilot.

“We train for this so much,” said Smaok. “From my perspective, we just execute when we get a call for something like this.”

The Sea Hawk, the U.S. Navy’s primary search helicopter has a crew of four Sailors, including a rescue swimmer.

“This was our crew’s first rescue, so this is exactly what we have been training for,” said Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) 3rd Class Logan Parkinson. “In the end it all worked as we planned and got him up safely.”

The pilot was taken nearby to Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune and was released later that evening.

The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.

Wasp is underway with the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group participating in composite training unit exercise.

For more news from USS Wasp (LHD 1), visit www.navy.mil/local/lhd1/.

• Date Taken: 05.06.2016
• Date Posted: 05.07.2016 23:25
• Story ID: 197620
• Location: ATLANTIC OCEAN