Archive image: Soldiers of the 1-189th GSAB Conduct personnel recovery training at Fort Harrison, Montana.
Montana Army National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Michael Touchette.
Story by Master Sgt. Michael Touchette, Montana National Guard
Helena, MT — The Montana Army National Guard (MTARNG) recently completed a high-altitude SAR mission to rescue a missing 71-year-old hiker in the Stillwater Plateau region of the Beartooth Mountains. The operation showcased seamless coordination between state and federal agencies.
The hiker was last seen on August 21 by a hiking partner and failed to return to camp. On August 24, an MTARNG HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter aircrew from the Limited Army Aviation Support Facility (LAASF) in Billings launched to assist the Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office and SAR Incident Command.
The HH-60M Black Hawk aircrew established a search grid and conducted aerial reconnaissance alongside local helicopter and ground assets. Despite extensive efforts, the individual was not located that day.
On August 25, the hiker was spotted by a helicopter from the 40th Helicopter Squadron (HS) out of Malmstrom Air Force Base. While the 40th HS provided medical support, they were unable to perform a hoist extraction due to altitude constraints. An Air Force flight surgeon remained with the hiker on-site and monitored his condition overnight.
On August 26, Montana Army National Guard responded with a hoist-capable HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter from the Helena Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF), successfully recovering both the patient and attending flight surgeon and transporting them to Columbus for medical care.
“We got the call that we were needed on Tuesday morning and were able to respond within a few hours,” said Staff Sgt. Anthony Wright, the HH-60M Black Hawk aircrew chief who was on the flight. “We have a robust training program developed by our full-time staff to create scenarios like this, so when we react to what should be a high-stress scenario we are able to perform the mission as if it were routine, take care of the patient and safely return to base.”
This marks the second major helicopter rescue by Montana Army National Guard in the Beartooth region in August alone. Just days earlier, on August 17, an HH60M Black Hawk aircrew from the 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion rescued three hikers suffering from hypothermia and illness near Princess Lake in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. That mission also involved coordination with Billings Fire Department paramedics and demonstrated the Guard’s rapid response capabilities.
“These missions reflect the Montana National Guard’s unwavering commitment to public safety and its ability to operate in some of the state’s most challenging terrain,” said Maj. Dustin Horswill, commander of the Billings Limited Army Aviation Support Facility. “The professionalism and teamwork displayed across agencies, from Stillwater and Yellowstone Countys to Malmstrom AFB, were nothing short of exemplary.”
The Montana Army National Guard continues to stand ready to support emergency operations across the state, with five helicopter rescues already conducted this year from its Billings facility.
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