A pararescueman from the 131st Rescue Squadron hoists the patient from the APC Peru cargo container ship in to the hovering HH-60G Pave Hawk June 18, 2008. The 129th was credited with its 559th save. (Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Brock Woodward)
Jolly 92, an HH-60G Pave Hawk from the 129th Rescue Wing, a California Air National Guard unit based out of Moffett Federal Airfield near Mountain View, Calif., performs multiple water bucket missions over Butte County wildfires in California. The wing is the only unit in the Air Force qualified to participate in water bucket drops. There are currently 21 rotary-wing aircraft supporting the California wild fires, nine aircraft from other states. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jill Jamgochian)
Members from the 129th Rescue Wing, 144th Fighter Wing, 146th Airlift Wing, 163rd Reconnaissance Wing, and 162nd Combat Communications Group, California Air National Guard, head out to the forest outside of Paradise City, Calif. to conduct fireline training during Operation Lightning Strike July 27. More than 200 Airmen from across California completed their four-day firefighting training and deployed July 30 to the Telegraph Fire near Yosemite National Forest north of Fresno. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Dan Kacir)
Staff Sgt. Darren Pon (right), pararescueman from the 131st Rescue Squadron, accompanies a Shasta, California-based firefighting crew carrying an injured firefighter to an awaiting HH-60G Pave Hawk northwest of Redding, Calif., July 31. While battling the Iron Complex Wildland Fire, the firefighter fell and suffered a concussion. The 129th Rescue Wing aircrew and pararescuemen landed in rugged terrain at approximately 6,000 feet to rescue the firefighter, and subsequently medevaced him to Mercy Medical Center in Redding. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Brock Woodward)
Joint Task Force 129 pararescuemen rescue a hurricane victim Sept. 13 in Galveston, Texas. The JTF 129 crews rescued 48 peoole and pets stranded in the Galveston area. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Brock Woodward)
Tech. Sgt. Luigge Romanillo, 129th Rescue Wing pararescueman, embarks on an MC-130P Combat Shadow in Meridian, Miss., Sept. 3. Sergeant Romanillo was on search and rescue alert in Mississippi and returned to Ellington Field, Texas. More than 80 Airmen from the 129th RQW deployed to Ellington Field, Texas, as part of Joint Task Force 129, which supported Hurricane Gustav rescue operations. Air National Guardsmen from the 106th Rescue Wing, Gabreski Airport, N.Y., and 176th Wing, Kulis Air National Guard Base, Alaska, were also part of the rescue task force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ray Aquino)
5/6/2009 - MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD, Calif. -- Members of the 129th Rescue Wing were notified April 30 that the wing was the recipient of the 2008 Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.
"It is my pleasure to notify all members of the 129th RQW that we have received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for 2008," said Col. Amos Bagdasarian, 129th Rescue Wing commander. "This is a great achievement and directly reflects on the professionalism and dedication of all our members."
The award was granted for meritorious service during December 2006 to November 2008. During this period, the 129th Rescue Wing was credited with saving 40 lives under extreme conditions. From the high desert mountains of Afghanistan to remote areas more than 500 miles off the Pacific Coast, the safe and successful conduct of each operation is a testament to the unit's experience and leadership.
"The competition was extremely keen, and each winner is commended for having been selected from an outstanding group of nominees," said Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt, III, director of the Air National Guard.
Examples of the unit's outstanding performance during the award time period:
- The wing received an overall Excellent rating during a phase two operational readiness inspection in December 2006. With 14 areas rated outstanding and 38 areas rated excellent, this was the highest point score awarded to a Combat Search and Rescue unit to date.
- More than 70 Airmen and three HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters deployed for 120-days to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan in April 2007 to perform combat search and rescue and joint personnel recovery operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
- In May 2007 more than 50 Airmen, along with two MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft, deployed to Djibouti for in support of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.
- During the 2008 Northern California firefight, Operation Lightning Strike, two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters and aircrews were certified to perform water bucket drops on the fires for the first time in unit history. Overall, the crews dropped more than 150,000 gallons of water.
- Crews stationed in Redding during Operation Lightning Strike landed in rugged Northern California terrain to medevac injured firefighters.
- The unit assisted the Gulf Coast region in 2008 during Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, saving 34 people and 11 dogs.
- Along with responding to state emergencies, rescue crews performed two long-range over water missions. The first was a June 2008 mission 550 miles off the coast of California for a critically ill crewmember aboard a cargo vessel.
- In July 2008, while still immersed in firefighting operations, crews saved a Canadian fisherman aboard a fishing boat 600 miles off the coast. Both patients were transported to the Regional Medical Center of San Jose.
This was the seventh time the wing has been awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.
"The dedication and commitment of the members of these organizations enable the Air National Guard to fulfill its commitment to the missions of peacekeeping, humanitarian relief, domestic improvement, and most important of all - defense of America," General Wyatt said.
The primary mission of the 129th RQW is to train and be prepared to perform its wartime mission of combat search and rescue anywhere in the world. In addition to its wartime mission, the unit also works closely with the Coast Guard and various civil agencies on state missions.
Equipped with MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft and HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters, the 129th has performed a wide variety of civilian search and rescue missions, including distressed persons aboard ships, lost or injured hikers, and medical evacuations. The total number of people saved by the unit is 599.
