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Ronald Reagan and HS-4 Medevac 14 Year-Old Girl From Cruise Ship
NAVY newsstand ^ | USS Ronald Reagan Public Affairs

Posted on 12/17/2007 7:23:58 PM PST by SandRat

USS RONALD REAGAN, At sea (NNS) -- Sailors from USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), and the pilots and aircrew of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Four (HS-4) rescued a teenage girl Dec. 15 who suffered a ruptured appendix while aboard a cruise ship in the Pacific Ocean.

The girl, a 14 year-old from Albion Ill., had been experiencing abdominal pains while aboard the Dawn Princess. The Bermuda-flagged vessel was located off the coast of southern Baja California, Mexico and was approximately 550 miles away from Ronald Reagan when they issued the distress call late Saturday evening.

"It's a great example of the type of things we are called upon to do, and it's neat we were able to execute it as well as we did," said Capt. Terry B. Kraft, Ronald Reagan's commanding officer.

"I was most impressed with the teamwork on board the ship. Everybody rallied together," added Kraft. "It was a great coordinated effort between our helicopter squadron, HS-4, our medical folks and the Sailors here on the ship that enabled us to head down there very quickly. I'm also very proud of our ship's surgeon, who completed a successful operation."

Under the direction of Commander, U.S. Third Fleet and Rear Adm. Phil Wisecup, Ronald Reagan Strike Group Commander, USS Ronald Reagan responded to the call for help because it was the closest vessel with a hospital and the ability to transport and stabilize the patient.

Ronald Reagan launched two HH-60H helicopters from HS-4 at approximately 5 a.m. Dec 15 to transport the patient from the Princess cruise liner to Ronald Reagan for medical treatment. Because the cruise ship was unable to provide a landing area for the helicopter, a basket was lowered in order to raise the patient into the helicopter for transport.

"The patient was stable upon arrival, however with a presumptive diagnosis of a ruptured appendix, she was taken straight in to the operating room," said Cmdr. Theron Toole, Ronald Reagan's senior medical officer.

Reagan's surgeon, Cmdr. George Linville, performed the emergency appendectomy. According to Toole, the patient is currently resting comfortably aboard Ronald Reagan.

"She's getting the best care and her prognosis for a full recovery is good," said Toole.

Toole said that most cruise ships don't have surgical or advanced medical capabilities and are limited to minor emergencies and some trauma situations.

The HS-4 crew flying the rescue mission was commanded by Lt. Cmdr. Gregory J. Leland, pilot; Lt. Earl A. Crawford, co-pilot; Chief Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Matthew Shicks; Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Scott A. Heintschel and Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 2nd Class Aaron McCullough-Sanden.

"The motto of the rescue swimmer is, 'So others may live,' and this mission pretty much embodied that," said McCullough-Sanden. "It feels really good that tomorrow somebody is going to be OK that otherwise might not have been."

Ronald Reagan's commanding officer had similar feelings on the incident.

"This crew is amazing. They always find a way to turn to, especially when this kind of assistance is needed, for civilians. As you saw with the San Diego wildfires, or a quick search-and-rescue-operation like this, they always answer the call," said Kraft.

Ronald Reagan is currently underway in the Pacific Ocean conducting tailored ship's training availability. The ship is also currently operating with other surface assets from the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group including USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), USS Howard (DDG 83), USS Gridley (DDG 101) and USS Thach (FFG 43).

Ronald Reagan was commissioned in July 2003, making it the ninth and newest Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The ship is named for the 40th U.S. president; its motto, "Peace through Strength," was a recurring theme during the Reagan presidency.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Mexico; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: 14yearold; cvn76; hs4; medevac; navair; navy; ussronaldreagan
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To: A.A. Cunningham

For Male enlistees, 18 for Female.


21 posted on 12/17/2007 8:41:26 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: A.A. Cunningham

Dang! They changed it!


22 posted on 12/17/2007 8:44:46 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: All

God bless our Armed Forces. Thank you again


23 posted on 12/17/2007 8:48:53 PM PST by UCFRoadWarrior (Mike Huckabee values illegals, criminals, and terrorists...Thanks "Values Voters")
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To: SandRat

So 1100 miles (550 miles out and 550 miles back)is the range of this helicopter? I find that amazing!


24 posted on 12/17/2007 8:50:56 PM PST by Fairview (Taxes? I paid those -last- year!)
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To: SandRat
Image and video hosting by TinyPic
25 posted on 12/17/2007 9:30:44 PM PST by Old Seadog (Inside every old person is a young person saying "WTF happened?".)
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To: SandRat

I was on a cruise last November from Hawaii to the island of Kurbati. On the return trip, we had a medical emergency on the ship. They weren’t able to medi-evac the patient because we were too far out for a helicopter. So a U.S. Coast Guard plane dropped medical supplies and blood for the patient. It was the highlight of our sea day. Most of the passengers were up on deck to watch the drop.


26 posted on 12/17/2007 9:34:17 PM PST by notpoliticallycorewrecked (Get the U.S. out of the U.N. and get the U.N. out of the U.S.)
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To: SandRat
'Can do'

Thanks for the post, Sandy.
27 posted on 12/17/2007 10:46:39 PM PST by BIGLOOK
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071217-N-4776G-001 PACIFIC (Dec. 17, 2007) Laura Montero 14, from Albion, Ill., center, rests comfortably in the medical ward aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) following an emergency appendectomy performed by the ship's surgeon. Laura was medically evacuated (MEDEVAC) by an HH-60H Seahawk from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Warfare Squadron Four (HS) 4 on Dec. 15, after she suffered a ruptured appendix while vacationing aboard the Dawn Princess cruise ship off the coast of Baja, Mexico. Laura's mother Trudy Lafield, center-left, was later flown to the ship and reunited with her daughter. Mother and daughter are joined by Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Victor Ibarra, left, ship’s nurse Lt. Cmdr. Laura Ledyard, center-right, and Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Christopher Williams, right. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kathleen Gorby (Released)

28 posted on 12/18/2007 4:51:37 AM PST by A.A. Cunningham
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To: Vroomfondel; SC Swamp Fox; Fred Hayek; NY Attitude; P3_Acoustic; Bean Counter; investigateworld; ...
SONOBUOY PING!

Click on pic for past Navair pings.

Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.

29 posted on 12/18/2007 5:26:05 AM PST by magslinger (cranky right-winger)
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To: george76
"They have to go out, but they do not have to return."

Actually, that is the unofficial motto of the US Coast Guard.

30 posted on 12/18/2007 5:31:09 AM PST by Redleg Duke ("All gave some, and some gave all!")
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To: A.A. Cunningham
A ruptured appendix, she is one lucky girl to be alive, given the circumstances.

I heard a rumor once that submariners in the early days had their appendix taken out because of that possibility. I am guessing it was just one of those urban legends, but don't know for sure.

31 posted on 12/18/2007 5:32:02 AM PST by mware (Americans in arm chairs doing the work of the media.)
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To: mware

I know there was at least one case of a successful appendectomy performed by a Hospital Corpsman on board a sub, with help via radio (I think) from a doctor on some other ship. Not sure if that was during WW 2 or shortly after. Maybe it was in Reader’s Digest that I read about it.


32 posted on 12/18/2007 6:09:35 AM PST by 19th LA Inf
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To: TomServo

Ronnie would approve.The best of the best.


33 posted on 12/18/2007 6:16:53 AM PST by billhilly (I was republican when republican wasn't cool. (With an apology to Barbara Mandrell.))
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To: 19th LA Inf

A Russian doctor stranded for the winter at a base in Antarctica successfully removed his own appendix using a mirror and local anesthetic.


34 posted on 12/18/2007 8:02:28 AM PST by The Great RJ ("Mir we bleiwen wat mir sin" or "We want to remain what we are." ..Luxembourg motto)
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To: SandRat

What a cool story!!!! Just makes you want to start singing the national anthem. Thanks for posting it.


35 posted on 12/18/2007 8:10:00 AM PST by conservativegramma
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To: The Great RJ
Sounds like the scene from Master & Commanders when the doctor had to remove the bullet in his abdomen.

That brain surgery scene really creeped me out.

36 posted on 12/18/2007 10:13:39 AM PST by mware (Americans in arm chairs doing the work of the media.)
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To: The Great RJ

I heard he couldn’t find a scalpel and had to use a rusty spoon.


37 posted on 12/18/2007 10:26:54 AM PST by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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To: 19th LA Inf

There WAS a successful appendectomy performed by a Corpsman in WWII, aboard a Sub in the Sea of Japan. (I think Corpsmen were referred to as “Pharmacist’s mates” in those days.)

The skipper submerged to a depth of over 200 feet, to provide a stable platform. The surgery was performed using bent spoons & forks as retractors. The patient survived, however the corpsman was charged (Unsuccessfully) for performing a procedure for which he had no training!

He was awarded a medal for saving his shipmate’s life a few years back. The U.S. Naval Institute may have more info. That’s where I saw the story.

LC


38 posted on 12/19/2007 7:26:27 AM PST by LoneConservative (PEACE... Through SUPERIOR FIREPOWER!!!)
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To: SandRat

GO NAVY!!

I love this story!


39 posted on 12/19/2007 7:51:24 AM PST by StarCMC (http://cannoneerno4.wordpress.com; http://starcmc.wordpress.com/ - The Enemedia is inside the gates.)
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To: SandRat

You know - this is a wonderful story - we have a business acquaintance who took his pregnant wife for one last “fling” before their twins were born. She was about 6 months preggo and the doctor approved her going on a cruise, as long as she didn’t over exert herself. The rocking of the ship sent her into labor and there was no option but to put her on land in Mexico. The authorities wouldn’t allow anyone (MEDEVAC, etc) to land in their country and come get her and the twins, and because the medical facilities were so basic, they basically had to watch the twins die. It truly is a miracle for this girl that the USS Reagan was nearby and could help. I shudder to think what might have happened otherwise.


40 posted on 12/19/2007 7:56:55 AM PST by StarCMC (http://cannoneerno4.wordpress.com; http://starcmc.wordpress.com/ - The Enemedia is inside the gates.)
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