The Gem State Guardian - Spring 2011 - Keep Trees

RIGHT: A week after being
rescued, Craig Noll came to
Gowen Field on March 29, to
personally thank the UH-60
Black Hawk helicopter crew
that hoisted him to safety
after he was stranded in blizzard
conditions on Bennett
Mountain. From left to right,
Staff Sgt. Ty Bramble, CW4
Rob Briggs, Mr. Noll, CW3
Jesse Anderson, Sgt. First
Class James Williamson.
Photo by Col. Tim Marsano
rough idea of his location.
The incident commander
provided the crew with a
map and a general location
of those pings. Along
with a sheriff’s deputy,
the crew headed out
from the command post
during the weather break
and within 15 minutes
saw Noll waving at them
from the ground. The crew used their hoist, hovering about 100
feet above Noll, to bring him into the Black Hawk.
In a later phone conversation with pilots Chief Warrant Offi cer
4 Robert Briggs and Chief Warrant Offi cer 3 Jesse Anderson, Noll
said, “You guys were so incredibly timely. Thank you.” Noll elaborated
on his experience, adding that he was watched and tracked
as he walked by at least three wolves. In the fi rst night, blizzard
conditions kicked in, destroying the shelter he’d built. His three
pairs of gloves were frozen and useless.
Helicopter crew members:
• Pilot in command: Chief Warrant Offi cer 4 Robert Briggs
• Pilot: Chief Warrant Offi cer 3 Jesse Anderson
• Crew chief: Staff Sgt. Ty Bramble
• On hoist: Sgt. 1st Class James Williamson
Photos: Courtesy of Sgt. Laytreda Schultz, Elmore County Sheriff’s Offi ce
Letter of thanks
I want to take this opportunity to express my most profound
gratitude and sincere appreciation to all involved in my
successful recovery recently after getting stranded for two
nights in the mountains with a degraded and ultimately inoperable
snowmobile during severe snowstorms. The coordination,
cooperation, and ceaseless efforts by many agencies and friends
ultimately led to my safe return. I also want to express a very
special thank you to the Idaho National Guard family, Army
and Air, and especially the Black Hawk crew of Crow 55—Chief
Warrant Offi cer 4 Robert Briggs, pilot in command; Chief Warrant
Offi cer 3 Jesse Anderson, pilot; Sgt. 1 st Class Ty Bramble,
hoist operator; and Sgt 1 st Class Jimmy Williamson, deployer—
for the professionalism and tenacity shown by them during my
successful and timely recovery. It’s been 32 years since I went
through survival and helicopter jungle extraction training in the
Air Force. Little did I know that I would have the opportunity,
after my military retirement, to get “recurrent.” It’s diffi cult to
actually fi nd words that truly express my gratitude.
Thank you again to all of you!
Craig A. Noll
Lt. Col., IDANG (Ret)
SPrinG 2011 15