Oklahoma Army National Guard Aviation Regiment honored for efforts during Hurricane Ida

FORT WORTH, Tex. (KFOR) – The Oklahoma Military Nationwide Guard Aviation Regiment lately acquired the 2022 Captain William J. Kossler U.S. Coast Guard Award for its humanitarian efforts throughout Hurricane Ida.

Officers say when the Class 4 storm swept by way of Louisiana in September 2021, a six-person Oklahoma crew took a Boeing CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopter to Esler Regional Airport in southeast Louisiana to assist native and federal businesses conduct quite a few sling-load missions.

Throughout their time within the affected space, the staff helped transfer massive water pumps, a generator, a gas tank and different important provides over unpassable terrain on account of broken bridges and flooding.

The crew moved roughly 102,000 kilos of important tools and supported the transportation of 59 passengers after the hurricane, in response to authorities.

On Might 13, 1st Lt. Martin Howell, Chief Warrant Officer third Class Zechariah Smith, and Sgt. Nathan Lowber proudly accepted the award on the Vertical Flight Society Annual Discussion board in Fort Price, Texas.

Sponsored by the Vertical Flight Society, the Captain William J. Kossler U.S. Coast Guard Award acknowledges “the best achievement within the sensible software or operation of a vertical flight plane, the worth of which has been demonstrated by precise service throughout the previous 12 months.”

Established in 1951, the award honors the reminiscence of a U.S. Coast Guard airman, aeronautical engineer and early advocate of helicopters in search and rescue operations.

Nominated by Boeing, that is the fifth consecutive 12 months {that a} Chinook operator has taken dwelling the award.