500 miles out - two blackhawks, a C-130 for refuling, and parajumpers

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_9919742?nclick_check=1

I couldn't get through with your link but it worked with:
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_9919742

Neat story.

As I read it it sounds like three C-130s: one to drop the para-jumpers earlier and two to refuel. One to get the rescue out 16 hours later and loiter and a third that arrives as they turn for home. Cost a pretty penny I bet.

Oh well, I'm glad they did it. It isn't like the choice was between spending the time and resources or giving the cash equivalent to me. Not many other nations could, or would, do it. Fewer still for a common fisherman down on his luck.

Good to see we can still get some things right.

If you like reading true stories about this kind of thing, I just finished The Last Run, by Todd Lewan. About the USCG rescue of some fishermen after their boat sank off of Sitka, AK in the middle of a hurricane. 100+ mph winds, 70+ ft seas.

I have just started Pararescue, by Michael Hirsh, about the USAF PJ's rescue of the crew of a 450 ft ship that sank 1,200 MILES off of the east coast. Twelve plus hour mission in Blackhawks (pilots can't get up and walk around in a 'Hawk), with a jillion mid-air refuelings in really nasty weather.

Those rescue types, of both the USCG and USAF, are tough dudes!!!

Yes, and then they come home and some sandcrab navy reserve yoeman with 6 months active duty and 8 tattoos on some supply base calls them shallow water sailors.

I like the civilians who, upon learning that I was a Coastie, would make the comment, "So y'all guard the coast of the USA".

Yeah Right!!!!!! and all of the Carribbean, Mediteranean, North & South Atlantic, the Artic & Anarctica, North & South Pacific, Indian Ocean, including the Persian Gulf!!!!

Remember the OLD theme song sung by the Vietnam Vets:

Semper Paratus is a laugh,
We joined to avoid the draft,
The only shores that we will guard,
Are the shores that have our w****s,

etc, etc!!!!

If you have a good shortwave radio and a decent wire antenna you can sometimes listen to Coast Guard rescue operations. 5680 & 5696 (USB) are good places to listen. Many times I have a radio sitting on one of these frequencies running in the background while doing other things, like playing on the net…

I can’t listen to the short distance VHF, but the eastern seaboard and south of Florida is within my listening ability on shortwave. I would imagine on the west coast the whole western seaboard is open. Those living in the middle of the country may have a harder time picking them up.

I once received a QSL card from A station in upstate New York concerning a broadcast/conversation that I was having from GTMO, Cuba with USCG CommSta New Orleans.

It had been a rather interesting conversation and the QSL card addressed the issues we were discussing with a single question at the bottom of the card, "Did your buns get chopped off?"

The answer was NO!

Doesn't the USCG regularly sail through the Drake Passage, which the USN has deemed the most unnavigable body of water on the face of the planet? (I've been there, done that, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat, as it's the fastest way to lose weight I know of. I could stand to take off a few pounds...

Or puddle pirates. It cracks me up, where I am sitting, almost every day I see subs heading in and out of the Bangor sub base. Escorted by two or more USCG cutters. Those deep water sailors can't even escort and protect their own subs I guess...

A friend had two sons both join the CG a year or two back. One went to Kodiak, the other to drug interdiction in, of all places, Australia!!!