AC-130H crew assists stranded boaters during
training mission
Released: 4 May 1999
by Tech. Sgt. John Tomassi
16th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFPN) -- For five boaters stranded 10 miles off the Gulf
Coast, the sight of an AC-130H Spectre gunship from the 16th Special Operations Squadron,
Hurlburt Field, Fla., was a welcome one.
As Spectre 61 and its 18-member crew ascended over the Gulf of Mexico toward the
beginning of its local training mission April 19, the pilot and aircraft commander, Lt.
Col. Andy Hamilton, spotted a reflection from the water.
"I'm not sure if the reflection or the boat caught my eye first," said
Hamiliton. "Once I realized it was a signaling mirror, we contacted the Eglin (Air
Force Base, Fla., control tower) and went into a visual orbit." Because they had
entered Eglin airspace, all subsequent transmissions were made through the Eglin tower.
During the orbit, Hamilton, who is also the 16th Operations Support Squadron
operations officer, guided the sensor operators toward the boat.
"We were using infrared and television sensors to locate the boat and
assess the problem," said Staff Sgt. Mark Allsbrook, 16th SOS TV sensor operator.
"Once we tracked the vessel, we could tell there wasn't a heat signature and they had
been dead in the water for quite some time," he said.
The aircrew determined the boat was in distress and opted to forgo the beginning
of its training mission and remain in the area to gather more information for the Coast
Guard.
"Our aircraft aren't equipped with marine radios, so we had no way to
communicate with the boaters," said Hamilton.
The aircrew relayed coordinates and other information to Eglin, who in turn
passed it to the local Coast Guard station in Destin, Fla., about 14 miles from Hurlburt.
"We got a call about 6 p.m. that the boat was six hours overdue," said
Petty Officer Jason Holm, a boatswain's mate at the Destin station. "Shortly after
that we got a report that a C-130 spotted a boat with a signal mirror. We considered that
to be the same boat since it was reported in the same area in which the boaters were to be
fishing."
Because the sea was rough and waves were swelling to about six feet, the Coast
Guard cutter wasn't able to see the stranded 21-foot boat.
The orbiting aircrew vectored the cutter in after it stopped short of the boat.
"The Coast Guard cutter was about five kilometers from the boat and it
stopped," said Allsbrook. "We could tell they couldn't visually see the boat, so
we passed the heading to Eglin, (which) relayed it to the Coast Guard station, (which)
radioed it to the cutter."
This communication process allowed the cutter crew to head directly for the
stranded boat.
"It took about an hour to get out there, and the gunship overhead gave us a
perfect heading to go on," said Holm.
After the aircrew was sure the cutter was on the right track, Hamilton pulled
out of the orbit and proceeded with the training mission.
Signal mirrors aren't required as part of a boat's safety equipment, according
to Holm, "but their power shouldn't be underestimated."
Also an avid boater, Hamilton plans to pack a signal mirror on his next outing.
"I think it's funny," said Hamilton, "that the cheapest, simplest
safety device in a boat is what saved these people. I'm definitely getting a signal mirror
for my boat."
RELATED SITES
* AC-130
Spectre
* Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
* Hurlburt Field, Fla.
* U.S. Coast Guard
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