PORTLAND AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Ore. -- A 75-year-old woman was lost in the Pacific Northwest for three days. Search and rescue teams had been methodically looking for her but to no avail.
Skamania County Sheriff’s office had been leading the search, along with volunteer teams, for three days before the Sheriff's office asked the 304th Rescue Squadron to support their efforts.
Jung C. VanAtta, 75, had returned from mushroom hunting with friends before she decided to go out one more time, alone. VanAtta had no cell phone and was unfamiliar with the area, Sherriff’s office said.
The only clues the searchers had found was a bag of her freshly-picked mushrooms and a trash bag with a receipt in it, which was confirmed to belong to VanAtta.
Skamania County Sheriff’s office organizes the search efforts and teamed up the 304th Rescue Squadron with the North Country EMS, Volcano Rescue Team.
A Technical Sergeant and Pararescuemen, from the 304th Rescue Squadron was a team leader for one of the groups that found VanAtta on Oct. 15, he spoke of his experience.
The Tech. Sgt. said he likes to put himself in the missing person’s shoes, “Why was the bag dropped their, where would she have gone if she was tired?”
One of the other teams had a potential sighting near the Tech. Sgt’s position, a person was seen sitting down underneath high tension power lines.
“My team was only about 350 - 400 meters away,” said the Tech. Sgt. “The terrain was a lot more difficult to pass through with elevation changes, creeks and heavy vegetation.”
The other team radioed back to say the person seen underneath the power lines got into a vehicle and left.
It was in this area that they shouted and blew their whistles and then, quietly, listened.
That’s when the Tech. Sgt. and his teammate looked at each other, “Did you hear anything? I think I did.”
They were standing next to a stream that was “pretty loud,” said the Tech. Sgt. So they called out again.
“It was very faint,” said the Tech. Sgt. “But it sounded like a woman.” The team started running towards the sound and stopped every 30 - 40 meters to call out again.
The Tech. Sgt. radioed in to base camp to share their discovery.
“We kept hearing her yell and we told her to stay where she's at,” said the Tech. Sgt. “Keep calling out!”
Another team was up on the ridgeline and the two convened upon VanAtta’s location at the same time. The Tech. Sgt. was filled with disbelief.
“I can't believe this 75-year-old woman has been out here for three and a half days,” said the Tech. Sgt. “We found her, she's alive and well and she's looking at me with disbelief.”
They did a quick medical examination of VanAtta and her vital signs were good, “She was alert, oriented and very excited,” said the Tech. Sgt.
The team radioed in their coordinates and gave VanAtta some food and water.
To overcome the terrain, the team needed to use a rope system to get VanAtta out.
“We put a rope harness on her and a helmet,” said the Tech. Sgt. “Me and one of my other team members assisted her by getting under her arms and walking up a pretty steep 45-degree embankment.”
The 304th Rescue Squadron’s primary mission is to perform combat-search-and-rescue but supporting civilian search and rescue gives them a chance to hone their skills in the real world.
“I just really appreciate that we're given the opportunity to be able to go out on civilian rescue missions,” said the Tech. Sgt. “Although we are a federal force, I think it's fantastic that we are able to go out and help the community.”
The 304th RQS is part of the 943rd Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona and the 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick AFB, Florida.
The 304th trains, equips, and deploys Combat Rescue Officers, Pararescue Jumpers, and support personnel worldwide in the interest of U.S. national security.