BILLINGS, Mont. — Montana Army National Guard Soldiers with the 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion rescued an injured 15-year-old hiker near Moon Lake in the Beartooth Mountains Aug. 20.
The 1-189th GSAB responded to a search and rescue request from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center after Red Lodge Fire and Search and Rescue requested assistance. The rescue required helicopter hoist capabilities that were not available through civilian rescue assets.
An HH-60M Black Hawk and five-person crew departed the Billings Limited Army Aviation Support Facility at approximately 7 p.m. and flew to the incident site in Carbon County.
The crew rescued the injured hiker, who had sustained head injuries and a possible broken arm, and transported him to Beartooth Billings Clinic in Red Lodge for medical care.
The aircraft and crew returned safely to the Billings LAASF at approximately 9 p.m., completing approximately two hours of flight time.
The HH-60M crew included Chief Warrant Officer 3 Zach Lundgren, pilot in command; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Wass, co-pilot; Sgt. Derek Cordes, crew chief; Sgt. Cody Lilyquist, medical officer; and Billings Fire Department Rescue Technician Eric Barbeau.
The rescue marks the second search and rescue mission conducted by Montana Army National Guard helicopters based in Billings this year.
The Montana Army National Guard provides specialized aviation and hoist rescue capabilities in support of state and local emergency responders when requested, strengthening Montana’s ability to respond to emergencies in remote and challenging terrain.