SYRACUSE, N.Y. – New York Air National Guardsmen of the 174th Attack Wing were recognized by the commander of Coast Guard Sector Great Lakes for their efforts to find a missing boater in Lake Erie using their MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft.
Capt. Matthew Walter, commander of Coast Guard Sector Great Lakes, presented Airmen involved in the July 9-10 search effort with his coin during a July 13 visit to Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse.
Walter said he visited the Wing to personally thank the Airmen who operated the MQ-9 Reapers and to learn more about the aircraft the Wing flies and the role the Airmen can play in search and rescue.
Although the boater, who headed into the lake from Erie, Pennsylvania, wasn’t found, the 174th played a key role in the effort, Walter said.
The mission began at 10 a.m. July 9 when the 174th received a call requesting help, according to Lt. Col. Matthew Abraham, 138th Attack Squadron commander.
Later that morning, Lt. Gen. Luke Ahmann, commander of the Continental U.S. NORAD Region, gave verbal permission for the Wing to assist in the search using its MQ-9 Reaper, Abraham said.
What started as a normal day of training quickly evolved into a multi-service search-and-rescue mission. Airmen were quick to step up to the challenge – some even volunteering to come in and work on their scheduled days off. After authorization, details of the individual and his vessel were emailed to the Airmen on post, commencing the search-and-rescue operation. By early afternoon, intelligence Airmen established a search grid while aircrew surveyed the waters.
The Air Force Rescue Center pulled information from the Coast Guard’s Eastern Sector, providing the port and historic fishing sites in the area as points of interest.
The aircrew searched key areas of the lake for the rest of the day until they were notified the boat had been pulled ashore earlier that afternoon. Flight operations were suspended at 7:35 p.m. because of weather, and leadership discussed continuing support for the mission the following day.
Master Sgt. Charles Skinner, a sensor operator with the 174th, was initially tasked with finding Airmen to support the mission. Because of the number of Airmen already participating in other operations at the time, Skinner filled the role himself.
“It was great to work with the professionals in the Coast Guard to help potentially save a life,” Skinner said. “Whenever you can make a difference and save a life, you jump on it. It was also amazing how many people within the Operations Group volunteered their time off to come in to work. The passion and dedication everyone showed to help find the missing person was amazing to witness.”
On the morning of July 10, the 174th Attack Wing received approval to continue the search over Canadian waters and received a description of the missing person.
However, after a long day of searching, the Coast Guard suspended the search. The MQ-9 returned to base later that evening.
Over the course of two days, more than 50 174th Attack Wing Airmen supported the MQ-9 Reaper search, bringing together specialties in weather, intelligence, communications, maintenance, piloting and sensor operations.
“Rapid domestic response is a hallmark of the Air National Guard,” Abraham said.
“Our ability to quickly and collaboratively join the U.S. Coast Guard’s search with the appropriate legal authorities, while simultaneously utilizing the vast capabilities and expertise here at the 174th Attack Wing was impressive to be part of,” he added.
Though the search was ultimately unsuccessful, the rapid response of the Airmen demonstrated the 174th Attack Wing’s enduring readiness to support interagency partners and answer the call to serve both community and nation.
The 174th Attack Wing is one of five Wings that make up the New York Air National Guard. Headquartered at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, N.Y., the Wing’s primary mission is to operate the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft.