Looking to the sky to save me

NEDERLAND, Texas -- A person stranded by the floodwaters of Hurricane Ike is hoisted up to an Air Force Reserve HH-60G Pave Hawk along with the pararescueman (PJ) performing the rescue at a small Texas town Sept. 13. Both the PJ and the Pave Hawk belonged to the 331st Air Expeditionary Group, The organization in charge of air support due rescue operations in the wake of the lethal hurricane, which claimed more than 30 American lives in the Gulf region. The rescue was the first made by two aircrews aboard two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters who were en route to the Galveston, Texas area when they spotted the tiny town of Nederland -- population 2,000 -- almost completely covered by floodwaters. They immediately broke from their route and began scanning the city for anyone hurt or suffering due to the deadly storm. Just minutes after they arrived, the crews were pulling people from rooftops and off of flooded roads. In all, the two helicopter crews, deployed for hurricane relief from their home at the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick AFB, Fla., saved 17 people from Nederland. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Paul Flipse)

Searching for signs of life

NEDERLAND, Texas -- Air Force Reserve pararescueman Master Sgt. Chris Seinkner, a member of the 331st Air Expeditionary Group, scans the devastation left by Hurricane Ike for people in need of aid Sept. 13. Sergeant Seinkner was part of two aircrews aboard two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters who were en route to the Galveston, Texas area when they spotted the tiny town of Nederland almost completely covered by floodwaters. They immediately broke from their route and began scanning the city for anyone hurt or suffering due to the deadly storm, which claimed more than 30 American lives. Just minutes after they arrived, the crews were pulling people from rooftops and off of flooded roads. In all, the two helicopter crews, deployed for hurricane relief from their home at the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick AFB, Fla., saved 17 people from Nederland. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Paul Flipse)

Angel of Mercy

NEDERLAND, Texas -- An Air Force Reserve pararescueman 920th Rescue Wing scans the ravaged Texas landscape for signs of life in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Deployed from their home at Patrick AFB, Fla., the pararescuemen, along with two aircrews, two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters and two HC-130P/N refueling aircraft, saved 17 people from the tiny Texas town Sept. 13. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Paul Flipse)

Gifts From Above

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Air Force Reserve helicopter pilots with the 920th Rescue Wing depart from the base to conduct search and rescue operations in the Gilf region following Hurricane Ike's landfall. The men and women of the 920th are no strangers to this kind of work. In 2005, wing Airmen were a key asset during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Within 34 hours of Katrina's landfall, crews from the 920th deployed to the Gulf region and were the first Air Force responders on scene. (U.S. Air Force photo / Capt. Cathleen Snow)

Off to save the day

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- An Air Force Reserve helicopter pilot with the 920th Rescue Wing here prepares to fly to the Gulf region, where he and a group of wing Airmen will stand ready to provide search and rescue support for those affected by Hurricane Ike. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Cathleen Snow)

Hanna's Coming

Helicopter and fixed-wing aircrews from the Air Force Reserve's 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. will evacuate four HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters and four HC-130P/N extened-range search-and-rescue C-130s to Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Ala. Sept. 3 as part a hurricane alert measure. The wing is in the projected path of Tropical Storm Hanna, projected to become a hurricane and storm by the area later this week. (U.S. Air Force File Photo)