Guardsmen from the 203rd Air Refueling Squadron, Hawaii Air National Guard and the 171st Air Refueling Wing, Pennsylvania ANG deployed to Andersen Air Force Base, were the first to locate three missing mariners during a search and rescue mission in the Federated States of Micronesia southwest of Guam, Aug. 2. On July 29, three mariners aboard a 23-foot white and blue skiff departed Puluwat Atoll intending to travel approximately 21 nautical miles to Pulap, Chuuk. However, they never made it to their destination and were reported missing. “Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam received notification of an overdue skiff last seen in the vicinity of Chuuk and requested our assistance,” said Maj. Shaun McRoberts, 506th Air Expeditionary Aerial Refueling Squadron assistant director of operations. “Once notified, we began immediately working a plan to launch crews to locate the missing vessel.”Lt. Col. Jason Palmeira-Yen, Maj. Byron Kamikawa and Tech. Sgt. Shane Williams, Hawaii Air National Guardsmen, along with Tech. Sgt. Rodney Joseph and Senior Airman Jeremy Williams, Pennsylvania Air National…Read More
