Aircrews of the Guard's 106th Rescue Wing redeploy following response to Hurricane Harvey

Media Advisory

GABRESKI AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Westhampton Beach, N.Y. (09/02/2017) — Aircraft and crews from the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard return back to Gabreski Air National Guard Base following their successful support to help victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas.

The rescue team, with about 120 personnel using both aircraft and small water craft, is credited with the rescue of some 546 residents of the Houston area following the catastrophic flooding following Hurricane Harvey.

WHO: Returning members of the 106th Rescue Wing, including two HC-130s and three HH-60 Pavehawk.

WHAT: Redeployment to home station from Fort Hood, Texas to reunite with fellow Airmen and families.

WHERE: F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base, Westhampton Beach, N.Y.

WHEN: First return flight of two HC-130s is expected at 5 pm, Saturday, September 2.

Media Opportunity:

Imagery of the aircraft return and interviews with crewmembers discussing their support of rescue operations following the catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Harvey in Texas.

For access to this secure facility, news media must contact 106th Rescue Wing Public Affairs, Master Sgt. Cheran Cambridge at 631-723-7470 or cell (631) 603-9385.

Background:

The crews and aircraft return to their air base and families this evening, Saturday, September 2. The HC-130 aircraft will fly back from Texas while the HH-60 helicopters will be loaded and flown back to New York by C-17 aircraft from the New York Air National Guard's 105th Airlift Wing, based in Newburgh, N.Y.

Governor Cuomo deployed some 120 Air Guard personnel on August 26 and 29 to assist Texas National Guard response forces providing rescue and evacuation of flood victims.

The pararescue personnel began operations on Monday, August 28 with rescue teams deployed in the three helicopters and three boat rescue teams operating in the Houston and Katy, Texas areas.

Aircrews and pararescue personnel flew dozens of sorties during the course of their mission throughout the week, with maintenance crews supporting some 30 flying hours for the aircraft or more each day.

The 106th Rescue Wing supports the Air Force's personnel recovery mission. The wing is manned by more than 1,000 military and civilian personnel and also performs civil search and rescue missions as well as assisting state disaster relief and other state emergencies as directed by the Governor.

The wing's most recent rescue missions prior to Hurricane Harvey was the launch of pararescue personnel in the Atlantic Ocean to save two badly burned commercial sailors on board the 625-foot long bulk cargo carrier Tamar near the Azores on April 28, 2017.

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