Helicopter Medivac off the Diamond

[humboldt74]

Thought I would post a photo of the Coast Guard Medivac off the Diamond Princess on the cruise to Mexico (26 Feb to 5 Mar). The two lovely ladies are my daughters.

[derf5585]

Was there an evacuation? What happened?

 

What is the rest of the story

 

Paul Harvey Aurandt (born September 4, 1918), better known as Paul Harvey

from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Harvey

 

Paul Harvey is perhaps the best known and most heard radio personality of all time.

from

http://www.homeofheroes.com/news/archives/2000_0826_societyawards.html

[regnig]

Fred there is a bit of information abound it at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=146930

[calikak]

My father-in-law is a cardiologist in Seattle, and he says he can always tell when Alaska cruise season has started because he starts seeing old people with heart problems getting medevac-ed in. Scary.

[Princess Chatterer]

Captain Yoemans strongly ordered everyone to not go onto their balconys during the helicopter evacuation. Twice. He sounded very serious. I guess some passengers didn't obey his orders.

[Princess Chatterer]

Actually the Captain was more concerned about the port side veranda's being unoccupied for whatever reason. I'm sure that Princess doesn't want your picture to appear in Cruise Critic. <G>

[niborHS]

I really wouldn't worry about posting the picture, I think they should be happy that they are prepared enough to get this done. The same thing happened a few weeks ago on a Celebrity cruise. They said that the staff on board was credited with saving the man's life.

[humboldt74]

First off let me say that I am retired from the Coast Guard and while stationed at CGAS San Diego completed over 20 cruise ship medivacs. I would never put my daughters, the flight crew or myself in any danger. What the Coast Guard flight crews do on these flight is often overlooked and they deserve all the attention they can get. If the situation had put anyone in anykind of danger, i assure you I would never have taken these pictures. It brought back a lot of memories for me. I spent a lot of time on Cadros Island during these evolutions. The Diamond Princess passed quite close to Cadros on the way home.

I understand the gentleman medivaced had internal injuries. Here is a picture of the rescue swimmer leaving the ship. These guys have a really big pair to do what they do.

[derf5585]

These guys have a really big pair to do what they do.

 

No Woman need apply? Oh, you mean a big pair of :eek: :eek:

 

the men and women of Coast Guard Sector San Diego

from

http://www.uscg.mil/d11/sandiego/

 

Coast Guard Air Station San Diego

from

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/lindbergh-field.htm

[humboldt74]

I hope this picture makes it.

[humboldt74]

Here is a great shot of the CG C-130 out of CGAS Sacramento flying cover.

[humboldt74]

Before the Coast Guard transfer H-60s to San Diego, we flew these medivacs in H-65s. That involved flying to Cadros island, refueling from a C-130, flying the Medivac, back to cadros to transfer the patient to the 130 than a three hour flight back to San Diego.

[WazAnOkie]

humboldt74, thanks for the pictures!!

 

And a big thanks to all the men and women of the Coast Guard for doing what they do, and being there when they are needed.

[SaylorGirl]

Humbolt74 - Wow! Those are great pictures. Your daughters are lovely.

[Twaincruisers]

humboldt74, those are great photos. I wish I had gotten my camera in December on the NOS when a similar operation off-lifted an injured crewman. In that situation the ship made several sharp course corrections to prepare for landing while the chopper hovered off the port side and the jet flew cover around the ship. The Coast Guard is pretty impressive. We had another experience years ago on the Sea Breeze where the chopper arrived about 10 o'clock at night and we came out of the theater to find it hovering over the deck hoisting the litter aboard. Very impressive!