Coast Guard applauds Aux Air Commitment          

[SEPT. 17, 2005]  The Commanding Officers of the Aviation Training Center in Mobile, AL and Air Station New Orleans in a joint message applauded the commitment and skills of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Air Wing.

Coast Guard helicopters operating over New Orleans during the first seven days saved an astonishing 6,470 lives (4,731 by hoist) during 723 sorties and 1,507 flight hours. Coast Guard Auxiliary aircraft and their crews enabled to some extent, their Active Duty brethren, to accomplish these feats.

These two Coast Guard bases have been at the forefront of providing unparallel air rescue in the face of probably this nation's worst natural disaster. The Coast Guard Air Auxiliary, have as of 13 September, seventeen (17) Air Craft involved in rescue operations. The aircrews have flown 56 sorties for a total of 209 hours."

According to CAPTs B. C. Jones and D. R. Callahan, "the Aux Air assets, as always, stepped up to the plate and provided outstanding support to the operation."

"Their commitment allowed SAR aircraft to stay focused on SAR while still accomplishing necessary logistics missions."

Callhan and Jones conveyed this to their Coasties, "To those hundreds of devoted Coast Guard men and women who toiled to and beyond the point of exhaustion; you embodied our core values of Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty. You have earned your place in history. Be proud of your extraordinary accomplishments."

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is composed of uniformed, non-military volunteer's who assist the Coast Guard in all of its varied missions, except for military and direct law enforcement. These men and women can be found on the nation's waterways, in the air, in classrooms and on the dock, performing Maritime Domain Awareness patrols, safety patrols, vessel safety checks and public education.

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary was founded in 1939 by an Act of Congress as the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve and re-designated as the Auxiliary in 1941. Its 31,000 members donate millions of hours annually in support of Coast Guard missions.

[News release]