CAP's Largest Single Mission Save

[Smithsonia]

RiverAux;
Let us review the definition of History:
n., pl. -ries.
   1.
         1. A usually chronological record of events, as of the life or development of a people or institution, often including an explanation of or commentary on those events:
         2. A formal written account of related natural phenomena: a history of volcanoes.
         3. A record of a patient's medical background.
         4. An established record or pattern of behavior: an inmate with a history of substance abuse.

You will notice each of the 4 preferred definitions includes the word "record." History is built upon recorded information. Written, verified, chronicled, facts. There may have been any number of wonderful things occur in WW2 but if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it fall, does it make a sound? It may... but without a fallen tree laying upon the ground (an analogy here) to which we can extrapolate or even interrupt... you maintain that there had to have been a tree, because there is not a tree there now. When you have a record, I'll change my mind. Until then please refer to the definition... or get Mr. Webster to change the definition.

While to some this may appear some petty argument between RiverAux and myself, I actually think it more reflects in an accurate way, the struggle of the historian. Sometimes it just a barroom fight as you wrestle with research then kung-fu with colleagues. That said, these shouldn't become grudge matches.

[jimmydeanno]

Mr. O'Brien,

I was discussing this article with another fellow CAP member and we both came to the same conclusion.  We both can't help but admire any CAP member that is willing to give time and effort to research our organizations history.  Both of us had never heard this story before.

My friend noted that as an organization we do a decent job talking about WWII, but after that it is pretty thin.

This was an excellent read and I appreciate your research and effort on this.  Keep up the great work!

[Smithsonia]

Thanks Jimmydeanno;
I imagine, there are similar stories in every Wing. State Historical Societies, Old Newspaper reports, Libraries, CAP Offices with dusty files, and Golden Oldy Members are a good place to start. Among us pick the white haired elders that are past their killer ES charge up mountain days and talk to them. They'll appreciate the attention. They'll tell you everything. They'll hug you for your efforts. If we don't get these stories soon... 67 years of volunteered virtues will be lost. Go get'em historians. There is a rich and largely uncodifed history laying in wait for your eyes to engage. Waiting for your brains to be behold. If you love the Patrol... you'll love the work. It's always a "Find" and some days its a "Save."

[Smithsonia]

Here's our "You Tube" piece regarding the Flight 217 CAP rescue. People, Places, Film from 1978
plus the updated characters and personages. It's not perfect... it's a work in progress.
Click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EyJmkER-d8&feature=channel_page

And here's an additional CAP Rescue Flight 217 Story:
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/17/myers-remembering-the-rescue-of-flight-217/

[wuzafuzz]

Nice video Ed!   :clap:

I embedded it in the Thompson Valley Composite Squadron website, since some of our members accompanied your team to the site.  It's in the TVCS Voice section.    http://www.coloradowingcap.org/thompsonvalley/

If you update the video will it retain the current URL?

[Smithsonia]

Wuzafuzz;
Regarding Flight 217 and the CAP Rescue. Colorado's Thompson Valley Composite Squadron Rocks! AND, we're talking Big Rocks. We never could've gotten our bit and pieces of the aircraft home without you all.

I was fortunate enough to attend the Squadron Christmas Dinner last Thursday and loved it. The Grog ceremony should be mandatory in every Wing. My best always to this fine, and large, and dedicated cadre of CAP men, women, cadets, Von, Jenny, Liz, Eric, and Steve too. 134 Squadron members and counting! Big Rocks indeed.

Yes we will be updating the video. I'll post it when it's ready in a few months.

I don't know if address will remain the same or not. BUT, I'll let you know.

[RiverAux]

Just as an FYI, in 2006-7 Washington Wing got shared credit with the Coast Guard and Navy for 27 saves.  From what I can tell this relates to a mission involving flooding during that period where a CAP squadron assisted in transporting people that had been rescued by helicopter (presumably by USN/USCG) from an airport to local shelters.  Interestingly, we got shared credit for 27 in the missions table but elsewhere in the 2007 CAP annual report it says that CAP actually transported 45. 

If that is what the saves were for, I probably wouldn't have even granted shared credit for a save if it were my decision.  They were already rescued and on the ground before we came close. 

[Smithsonia]

RiverAux;
I am aware of that one and included it in my original research. I made a couple of calls last Spring and talked to the CG PAO (or assistant, I can't remember now) and thought these were not analogous events, which I believe from what you wrote... you came to the same conclusion. I'm not dismissing anything that this group did... just trying to make apples and apples comparisons.

Because of variations over the years in the definitions of saves, finds, rescues, life-saving, etc... these are necessary parts of historical analysis. We'll have to change this definition again when medical marvels of the future can raise the dead through some miracle cure and everyone will have to give all of their "saves" to some medical device manufacturer. Who will get the Ted Williams save, for instance? We know where he is... let's put in for the ribbon now.

Some time ago I heard a story in which a cadet asked for a find ribbon for a standard ELT mission. Apparently this cadet got his/her wish. I don't even know if this story is true... but indicates these variations over time and transitions of definitions. I see you're doing your homework... good for you.

[RiverAux]

thought these were not analogous events, which I believe from what you wrote... you came to the same conclusion

Difficult to say whether they met the criteria you made up for the "largest single mission save" earlier in this thread.  I don't know if this was on a single mission number, done on one day, and done by one team.  Even if they met all of those criteria, because they only got partial credit for basically playing a supporting role in caring for people that had actually been rescued by other agencies, I certainly wasn't going to argue for that being the largest save.  Now, if they had been transporting seriously injured people from the airport to a hospital it would be a different story, but since the folks were going to shelters we can assume that at the point CAP took them over they were not in any danger. 

Some time ago I heard a story in which a cadet asked for a find ribbon for a standard ELT mission. Apparently this cadet got his/her wish.

Of course they did.  Find ribbons are authorized for non-distress finds as well as distres finds (CAPR 39-3 21(d)).

[Smithsonia]

I had included this event in the same file as Katrina, Rita, multi-mission, multi day events. Here's the way it was reported to national in the 2007 Report to Congress:

WA 1,984 442 2,426 28 lives saved see #6

6. Twenty seven saves shared
with the USCG and USN.

(I'm doing some of this via memory as the computer with all the research on this is now dead) )I think this was a multi day event (Dec 3-11 as I recall) with the worst days 12-7/12-8. For the Coast Guard it was multiple missions over several days. I talked to the CG PAO last Spring about this event.

That said, anyone who knows different from the Washington Wing is welcome to chime in. I had not heard the 45 total before. Taking the 27 shared "saves" and giving CAP 2/3rds those saves -- we still have 17 or 18 people. I am not trying to dismiss any Wings good works in this field -- but this event and several others is why I went to the "Single Mission" Save -- evaluation.

[wuzafuzz]

Wuzafuzz;
Regarding Flight 217 and the CAP Rescue. Colorado's Thompson Valley Composite Squadron Rocks! AND, we're talking Big Rocks. We never could've gotten our bit and pieces of the aircraft home without you all.

I was fortunate enough to attend the Squadron Christmas Dinner last Thursday and loved it. The Grog ceremony should be mandatory in every Wing. My best always to this fine, and large, and dedicated cadre of CAP men, women, cadets, Von, Jenny, Liz, Eric, and Steve too. 134 Squadron members and counting! Big Rocks indeed.

Yes we will be updating the video. I'll post it when it's ready in a few months.

I don't know if address will remain the same or not. BUT, I'll let you know.

Responding in PM, but wanted to put out a public thank you for the fine PAO work you are doing!

[PlaneFlyr]

One of the guys mentioned in the story, Jerry Alsum, is CAP's only double Silver Medal of Valor recipient.  He received his first for action during that rescue.  He earned a second SMV in 1982. 

Regardless of whether this event was the largest single defined rescue or not... it's still pretty impressive and reflects very well on CAP.

(RiverAux – FYI Indiana Wing only has 3 BMV and 1 SMV recipients.)

[Rotorhead]

Wuzafuzz;
Regarding Flight 217 and the CAP Rescue. Colorado's Thompson Valley Composite Squadron Rocks! AND, we're talking Big Rocks. We never could've gotten our bit and pieces of the aircraft home without you all.

I was fortunate enough to attend the Squadron Christmas Dinner last Thursday and loved it. The Grog ceremony should be mandatory in every Wing. My best always to this fine, and large, and dedicated cadre of CAP men, women, cadets, Von, Jenny, Liz, Eric, and Steve too. 134 Squadron members and counting! Big Rocks indeed.

Yes we will be updating the video. I'll post it when it's ready in a few months.

I don't know if address will remain the same or not. BUT, I'll let you know.

Responding in PM, but wanted to put out a public thank you for the fine PAO work you are doing!

As the PAO who shot and produced the video, I say, "thanks!"

[tarheel gumby]

Smithsonia,
Thank you for all of your hard work on behalf of the CAP. CAP historians are few and far between.

[Smithsonia]

Tarheel;
Many people worked on these projects. The people who lived the Flight 217 event, of course. But in the retelling, Black Sheep Squadron and Thompson Valley Sqdrn. mostly. But the Colorado Wing has pulled for the Heritage Projects and been good to us also. Capt. Scott Orr, Lt. Col. Jim Jenkins, Capt. Liz Caldwell, Lt. Steve Schneider, Kim Long, Msgt Cynthia Smith, Patti Sampers, Capt. Steve Steinberger, Col. Ed Phelka, Lt. Col. Bill Aceves, Col. Norm Kholos, Lt. Col. Bob Beabout, Lt. Beth Biscardi, Capt. John Mitchell, Gen. Jay Bobick, Col. Gary Tobey, Courtney Walsh, Matthew Buschette, about 30 different cadets, the list is endless but all deserve praise more than myself. Working with each of these people has been a distinct and profound privilege.

In every Wing there are 10 great stories. Ten great stories of leadership, heroism, duty, honor, wisdom, sacrifice, and commitment. Find the best 10 stories of your Wing. Build a culture around those stories and the people of those stories. Take cadets to the sites of those stories. Parade your history alongside our flag. Praise your old men and women for what they've done. Salute their graves and remember them always. Make their stories live for another generation. If we remember our history - we will do our duty.
The CO/WG Heritage Project.

[Smithsonia]

We've spent the last few weeks working on the exhibit at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in Denver, CO. Last night we did the layout. It will include the story, maps, pictures of the rescue, pictures of the recovery of plane parts, and the commemoration held on Dec. 6th.

The exhibit cabinet is 7 ft 6in. x 3ft. 10in. We will have recovered parts from the plane, the crushed and battered stroller of Matt Kotts, the wrist watch worn by First Officer Gary Coleman while he was encased in ice (strapped to his seat and still trying to report his location while in delirium), and a Wedding dress that was used to plug holes in the broken planes structure and then reclaimed, cleaned, and worn at the wedding of 2 of the survivors.

We've drawn it up, we've cut the ply wood base, next weeks we start reproducing the pictures and screwing it all together. In three weeks we should begin installation. In early March we'll have another commemoration with survivors and rescuers present. I hope you will visit this tribute dedicated to one of the greatest events in Civil Air Patrol history.

[Gunner C]

Tarheel;
Many people worked on these projects. The people who lived the Flight 217 event, of course. But in the retelling, Black Sheep Squadron and Thompson Valley Sqdrn. mostly. But the Colorado Wing has pulled for the Heritage Projects and been good to us also. Capt. Scott Orr, Lt. Col. Jim Jenkins, Capt. Liz Caldwell, Lt. Steve Schneider, Kim Long, Msgt Cynthia Smith, Patti Sampers, Capt. Steve Steinberger, Col. Ed Phelka, Lt. Col. Bill Aceves, Col. Norm Kholos, Lt. Col. Bob Beabout, Lt. Beth Biscardi, Capt. John Mitchell, Gen. Jay Bobick, Col. Gary Tobey, Courtney Walsh, Matthew Buschette, about 30 different cadets, the list is endless but all deserve praise more than myself. Working with each of these people has been a distinct and profound privilege.

In every Wing there are 10 great stories. Ten great stories of leadership, heroism, duty, honor, wisdom, sacrifice, and commitment. Find the best 10 stories of your Wing. Build a culture around those stories and the people of those stories. Take cadets to the sites of those stories. Parade your history alongside our flag. Praise your old men and women for what they've done. Salute their graves and remember them always. Make their stories live for another generation. If we remember our history - we will do our duty.
The CO/WG Heritage Project.

+1

[Smithsonia]

For those of you following this Largest Single Mission Save in CAP History Museum Exhibit. We will unveil this piece of CAP history March 5th.

I talked to Jerry Alsum and Don Neikerk in the last 24 hours. Both will have their Silver Medals Of Valor which were awarded for this incident on display at this exhibit. Meaning we'll actually have 3 (2 for Jerry and one for Don) on display at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in Denver, CO.

Additionally, we'll have a piece of the tail of the Twin Otter which has the distinctive marks of the power line Flight 217 hit, a wedding dress which was used to plug holes in the cabin body so the survivors could make it through the night, the Baby Stroller of Matt Kotts which was retrieved from the crash site 15 after the accident, pictures of the rescue, an abbreviated narrative, a detailed map and time line, pictures of the commemoration, and memorial to the 2 who died.

One of the fatalities was Mary Kay Hardin, her family will attend the unveiling on March 5th at 8PM, several other survivors will be there too, along with the ES team from the rescue and the members of the Black Sheep Squadron. Our Wing Commander is also attempting to make it.

If you are ever in Denver, come to the Museum and see one of the legendary events in Civil Air Patrol History on display.

[Smithsonia]

Should you like to read about this event at the Rocky Mountain News website referenced earlier in this thread... you best get to it. As the Rocky's owners have stated, this 150 year old newspaper will end publication at the end of Feb. '09... we don't know if the website will be supported after that date.

Meaning that story with color pictures and the prestige of a newspaper publication might be lost to history and quite soon.

Click on these locations before the end of February:
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/03/chadron-state-wrestlers-way-dia-injured-i-25-crash/

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/17/myers-remembering-the-rescue-of-flight-217/

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/04/pilot-savors-lifes-good-things-but-still-feels/

[Smithsonia]

I finally have the exhibit done and all put together. Non CAP friend Kim Long (who is much handier with tools than I) was instrumental in getting various plane parts and some models of the flying Flight 217 and the crashed version in a diorama... that and putting the vertical stabilizer -- yes, the real vertical stabilizer retrieved from the crash site this past September -- with the creased indentation of the 230,000 volt high tension electrical still imprinted on the aluminum surface into proper view. Pictures, narratives, stories, and memorials taken from the actual rescue, the debris recovery, and the commemoration are all part of the exhibit. That's a lot of information to get into an area 3.75 ft x 7 ft. but we've done the best we know how. About 80 different elements in total.

We will begin the installation in a few hours at the museum. This Thursday night we will unveil this tribute to CAP Emergency Services and the Flight 217 family at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in Denver, CO. We are expecting 25-30 squadron members and another 45-55 guests that are survivors, families of those that didn't survive, and rescuers. So roughly 75-80 people total and some local press too.