Guardian Angels Over the Pacific

Guardian Angels of the 563rd Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., parachuted into the Pacific Ocean and treated two critically injured Chinese fishermen after their fishing boat caught fire and sank. A Venezuelan boat picked up the Chinese fishermen and radioed for help, which prompted the 563rd RQG to respond. “We were preparing for the [Angel Thunder] training exercise when we were notified of what was going on,” said 1st Lt. Ben Schmidt, 48th Rescue Squadron combat rescue officer, in a May 7 release. “As a Guardian Angel, this is what we are trained and equipped to do, so there is no better way to show our capabilities.” The Guardian Angels, consisting of combat rescue officers and pararescuemen, flew nearly 11 hours in an HC-130J, parachuted over the Pacific, and boarded the Venezuelan boat, where they assessed and stabilized the injured fishermen, according to a May 4 release. Once they reached Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, the Guardian Angels airlifted the fishermen to a burn facility in La Jolla, Calif. Angel Thunder, the world’s largest combat search and rescue exercise, kicked off May 4 and will go through May 17.