German SAR Chairman visits 920th Rescue Wing

International Maritime Rescue Federation Chairman Captain Udo Helge Fox, visited the 920th Rescue Wing, at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, June12, 2019. He came to the know the wing after awarding wing Airmen with the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service the Medal of Honor on Ribbon for Rescue Missions at Sea in Gold in a special ceremony held in Berlin, Germany Jan. 26, 2018, at the German Martime Museum. The wing was honored for its rescue of two German citizens, a father and son, whose vessel caught fire approximately 500 nautical miles off the east coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, July 7, 2017. Udo is a Master Mariner and has been Executive Director of the German Maritime SAR Service (DGzRS) since 2001. He has personally made a huge contribution to improving maritime SAR around the globe, working on behalf of the German Government, the IMRF, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union. Earlier this year, Udo was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in recognition of his work. (U.S. Air Force photo Tech. Sgt. Jared Trimarchi)

German Maritime Search, Rescue leader visits Rescue Wing

Published July 29, 2019
By Tech. Sgt. Jared Trimarchi
920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --

The executive director of the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service visited the men and women of the 920th Rescue Wing, June 12, 2019, at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida.

Udo Fox, who was also a part of recognizing the wing’s efforts for the rescue of two germanmen stranded approximately 500 nautical miles off the coast of Florida July 7, 2017, came to thank Reserve Citizen Airmen stationed here.

Fox said the professionalism of the 920th Rescue Wing’s Airmen is supreme.

On Jan. 26, 2018, some the Airmen responsible for the rescue visited Germany to receive the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service’s Medal of Honor on Ribbon for Rescue Missions at Sea in Gold. It was Fox’s time to return the visit.

“I am impressed, I expected to be, but listening to you talk about the mission of saving lives, it is obvious you are dedicated to helping others,” Fox added. “You don’t do it for the money, you save lives because you enjoy what you do.”