Last modified Wed., April 29, 2009 - 04:41 PM
Originally created Thursday, April 30, 2009

USS Philippine Sea Performs MEDEVAC

By Ensign Trey Souder, USS Philippine Sea

Just before midnight, USS Philippine Sea's mission received quite the interruption when Commander, Second Fleet contacted her with a search and rescue mission, the second in just six months. In the dark, choppy seas with sustained 35 knot winds, the Philippine Sea was en route to Plymouth, UK to participate in Exercise Joint Warrior, a multinational NATO exercise, when she was alerted by Second Fleet of a dire medical situation onboard a nearby cruise ship.

The motor vessel Braemar, located about 100 nautical miles south of the Philippine Sea, had a 70-year-old passenger who was suffering from a ruptured abdominal and perforated ulcer and needed immediate evacuation to the nearest medical facility.

No more than three minutes after receiving the message, the Air Boss, Lt. Cmdr. Olaf Talbert of HSL-46 Detachment 5, currently embarked onboard Philippine Sea, the ship's Operations Officer, Lt. Randy Chestang, and the Combat Information Center (CIC) Officer, Lt. Joe Sortillon were all in CIC gathering as much information as they could in order to brief the Commanding Officer, Capt. Gary Parriott and make a recommendation as to how to most efficiently and effectively accomplish their new mission.

The navigator onboard Philippine Sea, Lt.j.g. Giuliana Velucci and the Officer of the Deck, Ensign Chris Stover collaborated with the supporting cast in CIC to come up with a best course and speed to get Philippine Sea in position to launch her helicopter in hot pursuit of Braemar. Ensign Joe Garia, a newly commissioned ensign out of Officer Candidate School was the conning officer on his first-ever underway experience aboard a U.S. Navy ship.

"It was great to really see how the bridge and CIC watch teams are supposed to support one another in a real situation, especially to come to the aid of a distressed vessel" said Garia.

Philippine Sea responded with a heightened sense of urgency and the utmost proficiency.

Flight quarters was set and the helicopter was off en route to Braemar by 2:50 am, once Philippine Sea reached a safe distance to launch her helicopter for endurance and range reasons.

The SH-60B helicopter proceeded to the cruise ship, and conducted a basket retrieval of the medical patient while hovering at 40 feet above the Braemar.

By 5:31 am, Cutlass 477 was on the ground at Bermuda Rescue Coordination Center and the patient was transferred to the nearest hospital.