Monday, June 29, 2015

USAF Pedro 66 Memorial Poker Chip

USAF Pedro 66 / "In memory of our fallen brothers" / Saved by Pedro / That others may live / Combat Rescue Memorial Poker Chip
On June 9, 2010 a PaveHawk - HH60G going by the call sign "Pedro 66" was shot down in Afghanistan. This was a USAF rescue helicopter. The last words you hear from "Pedro" are, "I'm hit. We're going in." The other HELO watches as they crash , but all emotions need to be buried. All the training that you prepare for as a Rescue Team is no longer for an anonymous individual, it's for your brother in arms, your teammates, your family - it's now a personal mission.

Pedro 66 lost 5 of it's Team Members; Capt David Wisniewski and 1Lt Joel Gentz - (CRO - Combat Rescue Officer) of the 58th Rescue Squadron (RQS), SSgt David Smith of the 66th RQS, and TSgt Michael Flores and SrA Benjamin White - both PJs of the 48th RQS. This was the first time the Rescue community had lost a CRO - Lt Gentz in a combat mission.

Pedro 66 was conducting a casualty evacuation operation in southeastern Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom - four of the members died in the crash, Capt Wisniewski died of from injuries he received in the accident almost a month later.

We remember Pedro 66 regularly - it was a devastating loss, to say the least, to the PJ and Rescue community. Their sacrifice is a true inspiration, they are true heroes and died living to their creed: "these things we do that others may live".

God Bless all the members that were lost that day, you will never be forgotten.

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