HSC-9 Conducts MEDEVAC of Sailor from Submarine

By LT Shea "SIMBA" Davis, USN

“Is there anything we’re forgetting?” As the crew of six finished spinning up the helicopter, they remained on deck and paused for a moment before answering. As briefed, the question was asked by LCDR Greg ‘Gurg’ Sutter, the Helicopter Aircraft Commander (HAC), just prior to launching from USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) to execute a MEDEVAC from USS Rhode Island (SSBN 740).

On March 8th, 2023, at approximately 1100, HSC-9’s Alert 30 Crew was notified of a Sailor who presented with heartattack/stroke-like symptoms that required a MEDEVAC from a submarine to the nearest Level I Trauma Center. While the majority of the crew had previous MEDEVAC experience, no one had ever executed a MEDEVAC from a submarine. This posed a unique challenge to the crew. A challenge that was going to require the collaboration of the entirety of Carrier Strike Group 12 (CSG-12) to overcome.

With an expected rendezvous time of 1700 with the submarine, the crew had several hours to carefully prepare for their flight. While HM1 Michael Trubatisky and HM3 Alejandro Garcia coordinated with Ford’s Medical Team to gather additional information on the status of the patient, AWS2 Nayran Fernandez and AWS3 Stephen Collins, the Crew Chief and Rescue Swimmer respectively, collaborated on the hoisting evolution. The Copilot, LT Shea "SIMBA" Davis, worked with her fellow squadron mates to research medical facilities ashore and to create a communications plan for the flight. It was determined that the patient would be taken to Shands Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida. While LT Davis reviewed the Jacksonville area with HSC9’s sister squadron, HSM-70, and coordinated fuel at NAS Jacksonville, LCDR Sutter collaborated with Carrier Air Wing Eight’s (CVW-8) Operations Department (CAG OPS) and Destroyer Squadron 2 (DESRON 2) to devise a route of flight and fuel plan.

Once preflight planning was complete, to include a weather brief highlighting the day’s rough seas and strong winds, LCDR Sutter joined HSC-9’s Commanding Officer, CDR Robert ‘Wolf’ Anderson, to brief the Ford’s Commanding Officer, CAPT Paul ‘Paulie’ Lanzilotta, on the evolution. Willing to pause Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) and clear the flight deck if required, CAPT Lanzilotta offered to assist the crew in all ways possible to ensure the successful execution of the MEDEVAC. With phenomenal efforts from the Air Boss and flight deck personnel, Aircraft 612 was spotted on the very busy flight deck without interrupting fixed-wing launches and recoveries. With the full support of CVW-8 and the full efforts of CSG-12 standing behind them, the Crew of Trident 612 was ready to launch!

The location of Rhode Island was anticipated to be approximately 100 miles to the north of Ford’s present position, with then another 50 miles to the medical facility. With coordination from DESRON Commodore, CAPT William Harkin, a ‘lily-pad’ fuel hit was pre-arranged with USS McFaul (DDG 74) to enable the crew to refuel in the vicinity of the Rhode Island.

During the transit to McFaul, the aircraft was unusually silent as each crew member reviewed their procedures and mentally caged-in for the events that were to unfold. With McFaul in sight, the silence was broken with familiar chatter as the crew set up for landing and briefed the approach to the single-spot ship. As expected, the high sea state had the destroyer pitching and rolling close to maximum acceptable limits for landing. Landing without incident, Trident 612 refueled and remained on deck until just prior to the expected rendezvous time with Rhode Island.

Upon lifting from McFaul, the wake of the submarine was almost immediately visible several miles off the port bow of the destroyer. The pilots cycled through a number of frequencies before ultimately hailing Rhode Island on Maritime 16 and proceeding to switch to a discrete frequency.

Once on station, the crew assessed winds to be 25-30 knots off the bow of the boat. Furthermore, due to the high sea state, the submarine was required to make 12-15 knots to stay balanced afloat. With seas nearing ten feet, waves were crashing over the top of the missile deck, which would be the primary hoisting location per the Air Capable NATOPS Manual. The secondary hoisting locations, the horizontal sailplanes, were also deemed unfeasible as occasional swells were washing over them as well. This forced the crew to execute a precision hoist to the center bridge area of the sail.

To execute the precision hoist, the crew initially maneuvered overhead to hover in line with the submarine, and began to hoist down AWS3 Collins in a double lift with HM1 Trubatisky. However, based on the heavy winds, the speed of the submarine, and a lack of visual references, the crew was unable to execute the hoisting evolution with the aircraft in the established position relative to the submarine.

Electing to accept a crosswind to afford better visual references along the length of the submarine, the pilot pedal turned 90 degrees to the left before continuing the hoisting evolution. As the aircrewmen touched down immediately next to the bridge, the crew of Rhode Island helped them climb to the top of the sail. Once aboard, HM1 Trubatisky went below deck to assess the patient, while AWS3 Collins maintained communications with the aircraft using the Aircraft Wireless Internal Communications System (AWICS).

AWS3 Collins relayed to the flying crew that the patient was assessed to be ambulatory and was capable of being hoisted via the rescue strop, vice a vertical lift in a litter, which would have been the only feasible lift method given the size of the sail bridge. This method of lift decreased risk to the patient and minimized the duration of the hoisting evolution. Once the patient safely made it into the cabin, HM3 Garcia attended to the patient as AWS2 Fernandez hoisted up the aircrewmen and gave the ready call to proceed with forward flight. Total time on station was 42 minutes.

Enroute to Shands Medical Center, Jacksonville, FL, HM1 Trubatisky and HM3 Garcia accessed the patient’s vitals. As the crew continued inbound towards the shoreline, ‘Trident 612’ became ‘Rescue 612’ as the pilots spoke with Approach Control. They received clearance to proceed direct to Shands Medical Center where, upon arrival to the rooftop helipad, they were met by medical staff standing by with a gurney for patient transfer.

With patient turnover complete, an unspoken, but unanimous sense of relief came over the crew of Trident 612. As the aircraft lifted from the rooftop, the crew mentally recaged for the return flight to Ford. It wasn’t until the entire crew was hanging up their gear in the paraloft at the end of the evening, that all that was accomplished that day began to sink in with everyone.

The feat of this particularly challenging MEDEVAC would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of HSC-9, HSM-70, DDG 74, SSBN 740, DESRON 2, CVW8, and CVN 78. A demonstration of wholesome teamwork within a CSG, this MEDEVAC is an example of the steadfast efficiency the Navy continuously trains to while prioritizing the Navy’s greatest asset, our Sailors.