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)