HSC 25 Rescues Stranded Hikers on Guam

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Peter Lewis, Joint Region Marianas Public Affairs

AGAT, Guam (NNS) -- Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25 conducted a search and rescue (SAR) operation and recovered four civilian hikers on Guam July 28.

According to Lt. Cmdr. Mark Dennison, HSC 25 operations officer, the command received a request for assistance from the Guam Fire Department Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) around 6 p.m., saying that four civilians were stranded on a ridgeline in the area of Cetti Bay in Agat, Guam.

"When we got the call from Guam Fire and Rescue, we were in the middle of exercises," Dennison said. "But we dropped everything, and within 15 minutes we had a chopper on sight, and eyes on the stranded hikers."

Four of the most senior air crewmen at the command were dispatched for the rescue. The team included Dennison, who piloted the helicopter; Lt. Cmdr. Brent Moore, co-pilot; Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 1st Class (NAC/AW) Billy Price; and Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 2nd Class (NAC/AW) Roy Black.

"The hikers all had on brightly colored clothing, which made it easy for us to spot them," Dennison said. "After doing a quick sweep of the area, we hovered and lowered a rescue swimmer to check on the hikers."

Black, who ascertained the hikers' condition, said that they were "a little shaken up, but otherwise okay."

"I checked the four teenagers' conditions. They didn't have any major injuries," he said. "We raised them into the chopper and took them to the hospital. It was a pretty straightforward SAR mission."

The experience of the crew led to a quick rescue, which ended about 45 minutes after HSC 25 received the request. The hikers were taken to U.S. Naval Hospital Guam. No major injuries were reported.

"It's great that there's such effective communication and cooperation between the local and military emergency services," Dennison said. "Thanks to that kind of teamwork, missions like this go smoothly and lives are saved."

Guam Fire Department officials said that the partnership between the Navy and local community is a benefit to the island.

"Having this relationship with the military provides airborne search and rescue capabilities that we wouldn't have otherwise," said Fire Service Specialist Joey San Nicholas, of Guam FRS. "It's a real advantage to the locals on Guam."

Black added that it was a great feeling to be able to help a group of local residents and show the Guam community that the military is here to help in any way possible.

"It was an awesome feeling to help out those scared kids. I am sure their parents are happy to have them safe at home," he said. "This is what I joined the Navy for, and this is why I love my job."

The mission of HSC 25 is to deploy helicopter detachments to conduct operations for the Navy and for national defense, and to provide logistics, search and rescue, force protection and disaster response to Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands.

HSC 25 is the Navy's only forward deployed MH-60S expeditionary squadron. As a part of Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Pacific, it provides an armed helicopter capability for U.S. 7th and 5th Fleets, as well as detachments to various commands covering a diverse mission set.