Operation Colony Glacier 2014: weather key in mission success

by Tech. Sgt. John Gordinier
Joint Task Force Alaska Public Affairs

7/9/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- On Nov. 22, 1952, an Air Force C-124 Globemaster II - with 52 passengers and crewmembers aboard - took off from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., en route to Elmendorf Air Force Base, but the plane never made it to its destination.

The C-124 crashed into Mount Gannett, less than 40 miles from what is now Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. A search party was dispatched to the crash location and a portion of the aircraft's tail was spotted, but harsh weather conditions and the austere Alaska environment thwarted efforts and necessitated the suspension of the recovery effort.

The wreckage lay at the base of the mountain upon a glacier, burying all evidence of the crash as well as the hope to recover the service members. All were declared missing.

Almost 60 years later, June 9, 2012, an Alaska National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew on a training mission noticed some debris on Colony Glacier. The National Guard sent a team on foot to examine the site, and they retrieved items identified as being from the crashed C-124.

Since then, every summer, for a small window of opportunity with weather permitting, Joint Task Force-Alaska supports the Joint Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Command from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, in Operation Colony Glacier. JTF-AK coordinates mission planning and performs aircraft debris recovery while JPAC performs human remains recovery.

This year, Operation Colony Glacier occurred June 9 to 23.

"It is an honor and privilege to work this mission and provide some closure for all those families involved," said Lt. Col. Adrian Crowley, JTF-AK Deputy Director for Logistics. "There has been an outpouring of support from all agencies involved and they are performing this mission safely and effectively while preserving the dignity and honor of those who were lost."

One unit who provided much-needed support was the 3rd Operations Support Squadron Weather Flight. Their assistance is vital due to the weather on the glacier being dangerous and unpredictable.

The Weather Flight provided forward weather observers to help recovery efforts on the glacier, said Air Force Staff Sgt. Stephen Soloff, 3rd OSS weather forecaster. Colony Glacier is located in an area with no weather information, and weather on a glacier can change rapidly due to the glacier's influence. For example, strong winds are often a problem due to terrain funneling and the strong temperature gradient between the cold glacier and warm land.

The weather team provided the air transport piece of the recovery operations a better weather picture, said Tech. Sgt. Scott Seeley, 3rd OSS weather flight training noncommissioned officer-in-charge. The team consisted of two weather forecasters, one survival, evasion, resistance and escape expert, and one communications technician from the 673rd Communications
Squadron.

The team camped about three miles from the glacier where it was safe and where they had the best vantage point of the glacier and the surrounding area, said Tech. Sgt. Heinz Disch, 3rd OSS Mission Weather Element NCOIC.

"We provided the eyes forward to relay any change in weather that may have put the recovery personnel or the aircrews in harm's way," Seeley said. "We were able to give the aircrews real-time weather data to ensure mission success and safety."

"Being dropped off by a helicopter in the Alaskan wilderness with minimal support was a great experience that I hope to be a part of next year," Soloff said. "It's not often we get to support a mission like this, and I'm grateful I was chosen to go on one of the teams to provide support."

"The aircrews were very appreciative of having our expertise out there to support them," Seeley said. "Continuing to put us and our system to use out there in future efforts will be productive and ensure safety of the crews involved in this important recovery mission."