Replies

In Memory of All who gave their lives this past year to make sure we had the Freedom to vote.

America's Heroes who have given their all in
defense of Freedom during Operation Enduring Freedom
CIA. Agent Johnny Michael Spann of Winfield, AL Chief Petty Officer Matthew J. Bourgeois, Tallahassee, Fla. Master Sergeant Jefferson D. Davis (39) Clarksville, TN Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Petithory (32) Cheshire, MA SSgt. Brian C. Prosser (28) Frazier Park, CA Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Ross Chapman, 31, of San Antonio, Texas Capt. Matthew W. Bancroft, 29, of Shasta, Calif Capt. Daniel G. McCollum 29, of Irmo, S.C Gunnery Sgt. Stephen L. Bryson, 35, of Montgomery Ala Staff Sgt. Scott N. Germosen, 37, of Coram, N.Y Sgt. Nathan P. Hays, 21, of Wilbur, Wash Lance Cpl. Bryan P. Bertrand, 23, of Coos Bay, Ore Sgt. Jeannette L. Winters, 25, of Gary, IN Staff Sgt. Walter F. Cohee III, 26, Mardela Springs, Md Sgt. Dwight J. Morgan, 24, Mendocino,CA. Maj. Curtis D. Feistner, 34, South Dakota Capt. Bartt D. Owens, 30, of Ohio Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jody L. Egnor, 32, of Ohio Staff Sgt. James P. Dorrity, 37, of Goldsboro, N.C. Staff Sgt. Kerry W. Frith, 37, of Jamesville, Nev Staff Sgt. Bruce A. Rushforth Jr., 35, of Massachusetts. Sgt. Jeremy D. Foshee, 25, of Pisgah, Alabama Spc. Thomas F. Allison, 22, of Tacoma, Wash Master Sgt. William L. McDaniel II Staff Sgt. Juan M. Ridout Daniel Pearl: Reporter for Wall Street Journal, 39, New Jersey Chief Warrant Officer Stanley L. Harriman, 34, of Wade, N.C Sgt. Bradley S. Crose, 27, of Orange Park, Fla. Sgt. Philip J. Svitak, 31, of Joplin, Mo Spc. Marc A. Anderson, 30, of Brandon, Fla. Pfc. Matthew A. Commons, 21, of Boulder City, Nev. Officer 1st Class Neil C. Roberts, 32, of Woodland, Calif. Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman, 36, of Waco, Texas Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham, 26, of Camarillo, Calif. Pfc. Kristofer Tif Stonesifer, Doylestown, Pa. Spc. John Joseph Edmunds, Cheyenne, Wyo. Master Sgt. Evander Earl Andrews, Solon, Maine SSgt. Brian T. Craig, 27, Texas SSgt. Justin J. Galewski, 28, Kansas Sgt. Jamie O. Maugans, 27, Kansas Sgt. 1st Class Daniel A. Romero, 30, Colorado Sgt. Gene Arden Vance Jr., 38, Morgantown, W. Virginia MSgt. Peter Tycz II, Tanawanda, NY SSgt. Anissa A. Shero, 31, Grafton, W. VA. TSgt. Sean M. Corlew, Thousand Oaks, CA Cpl. Antonio 'Tony' Sledd of St. Petersburg, Fla.

Exercise turns sour; Guardsmen rescued
TREK: Coast Guard picks up four soldiers training near Valdez.

By Tataboline Brant
Anchorage Daily News
(Published: November 5, 2002)

Four Alaska National Guard soldiers had to be rescued Monday by the U.S. Coast Guard after running into trouble during a weekend training exercise near Valdez.

Names and ages of the four Guardsmen were not available Monday. No one suffered serious injuries, said Alaska National Guard spokesman Maj. Mike Haller. All four soldiers were based in Valdez, part of Detachment 2, B Company, 3rd Scout Battalion, Haller said.

The Alaska National Guard requires most of its soldiers to train one weekend a month and 15 additional days a year. In this case, the four Guardsmen were dropped off at Jack Bay, 20 miles south of Valdez. Their mission was to hike to Anderson Bay, at least 2 1/2 miles away. A map of the area shows a 2,700-foot peak between the two points.

During the trek, one Guardsman sprained his ankle and hit his head, Haller said, so the group decided to split up. They set up camp, and two uninjured members pushed on to Anderson Bay to get help.

It was cold, windy and raining, Haller said, and the two members who pushed ahead left most of their survival gear behind for the injured man.

"They felt they could make it out to get help," Haller said. "It was a risk. There's no doubt about that."

On the way to Anderson Bay, one man fell, hit his head and hurt his shoulder. The pair kept on, suffering from mild hypothermia as the night wore on.

"They had radio equipment, but at some point it failed," Haller said. One man had a cell phone and was eventually able to call for help.

The Rescue Coordination Center in Anchorage contacted the Coast Guard at 8:20 p.m. Sunday. The Coast Guard launched a helicopter from Kodiak early Monday morning. The Alaska National Guard was prepared to execute its own rescue but decided against it because the passes from Anchorage to Valdez were closed by bad weather.

All four soldiers were rescued early Monday and flown to the Valdez airport, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. None of the members had to be hospitalized, Haller said.

The four soldiers involved will probably have to undergo additional safety training before doing a similar exercise, Haller said.

"Weather played a factor here, and the weather could have been worse than it was. We're very fortunate," he said.