TAMPA – For the reason that late 1970’s the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter has been part of the USA Military as a tactical transport plane and evacuation system.
G Firm (MEDEVAC), 5-159th Basic Help Aviation Battalion (GSAB) is a U.S. Military Reserve Aviation Unit that’s based mostly right here in Tampa at MacDill Air Power Base.
The unit operated Black Hawks in conditions each in struggle and peacetime. This week, they took their ultimate flight because the rotary-wing belongings are being inactivated.
US Military Medevac Unit photograph
The backstory:
That Last Formation Flight for the U.S. Military Reserve Troopers of G Co. 5-159th MEDEVAC happened on August 18th because the unit departed from MacDill AFB.Â
For the Unit, referred to as the Satan Ray Dustoff, this flight was an emotional tribute to their homebase of the Tampa Bay space.
“The importance for me and I am certain lots of the opposite ones, as you’ll be able to inform, this was a few of our final flight,” shared Employees Sergeant Richard Sanders, “One final flight if you happen to take a look at the map, the map was etched out right into a coronary heart, so we flew across the Tampa Bay space within the form of a coronary heart, in order that was our final hoo-rah for people, particularly those that had been flying within the again.”
Last Formation Flight Plan
In accordance with the Military, the flight was a final showcase for the unit and the Tampa neighborhood, expressing gratitude for the enduring help all through the unit’s service.
That service included deployments to energetic struggle zones akin to Iraq through the International Struggle on Terror. These Medevac Items had been a way of bringing medical groups into the kinetic surroundings scorching zones to quickly transport the wounded to security for emergency medical remedy.
“We transport medical personnel to and from the battlefield wherever they should go, we do important care transport,” stated Employees Sergeant Sidney Tran. She serves as a Flight Medic inside the Unit.
One of many targets of the Military is to get every unit to function with a closeness, like a household the place everybody is aware of their function and the particular person beside them so properly that every little thing clicks. However how do you say goodbye to household?
“We’re very tight-knit. Lots of people have been with this unit for a really very long time,” stated Chief Warrant Officer Parker White, who pilots one of many Black Hawks within the Unit. “We do an important job of being shut to one another, particularly after we’re on this cockpit as a result of we must be an in depth group of individuals to carry out on the excessive operation stage that we do.”
For CWO White, the job was by no means work.
“This is without doubt one of the best desires I’ve ever had was coming into the military and turning into a pilot,” he admitted. “After I joined the primary time, in fundamental coaching, I noticed some Black Hawks flying overhead, and I stated that’s the job I wanna do. I do know precisely the place I’m going.”
Now CWO White and different pilots within the Unit can be heading to different Items. He can be heading to the Maryland Guard as a pilot for his or her Medevac Unit.
“Reserve Aviation is shutting down sadly,” stated SSGT Tran. “I’m going to the Nationwide Guard. I’m going to proceed my profession as a flight medic.”
The flights over the Tampa Bay Space had been the final massive formation flights for this firm. The pilots received this final likelihood to fly with one another for the final time.Â
“I knew the day was coming, however then each time the day really occurs, it’s sort of bittersweet,” admitted SSGT Sanders, “There’ll be some tears shed afterwards, however it’s been a great highway, it has been a great highway.”
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What’s subsequent:
In accordance with the discharge, the Military Reserve Aviation Command’s rotary-wing belongings can be inactivating and divesting in accordance with Military Transformation Initiative (ATI) EXORD 222-25 efficient September 15, 2026. Troopers who’re full-time can be reassigned as part of their continued active-duty standing. These on reserve can stay within the reserves however will equally be reassigned.
The Black Hawk plane can be retired and/or repurposed for different Federal Businesses as belongings inside the authorities.
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The Supply: This story was written based mostly on the Last Formation Flight information launch and private interviews with members of the U.S. Military Reserve Troopers of G Co. 5-159th MEDEVACÂ Unit.
