The heroes of Operaton Redwing

Navy SEALs operating in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. From left to right, Sonar Technician (Surface) 2nd Class Matthew G. Axelson, of Cupertino, Calif; Senior Chief Information Systems Technician Daniel R. Healy, of Exeter, N.H.; Quartermaster 2nd Class James Suh, of Deerfield Beach, Fla.; Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Marcus Luttrell, of Texas; Machinist?s Mate 2nd Class Eric S. Patton, of Boulder City, Nev.; and Lt. Michael P. Murphy, of Patchogue, N.Y. With the exception of Luttrell, all were killed June 28, 2005, by enemy forces while supporting Operation Red Wing. (U.S. Navy photo)

Operation Redwing Rescuer

Col. Jeffrey Macrander signs an artist's rendition of Operation Redwing. The image shows four Navy SEALs who initiated the operaton engaged in a firefight by Jason Nicholson 2011. Macrander and fellow rescuers from the 920th Rescue Wing were part of the rescue mission that brought Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, the lone survivor of the operaton, home. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Paul Flipse)

Lone Survivor AC Commander

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Featured in the newly released documentary on the Smithsonian Channel, "The Taliban Gambit," is Col. Jeffery "Skinny" Macrander, the aircraft mission commander at the time and 920th Rescue Wing Operations Group Commander here. Colonel Macrander is now Air Force Reserve Command's Chief of Requirements, Dobbins Air Force, Ga. (U.S. Air Force photo)

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Rescuing the 'Lone Survivor'

Published Jan. 10, 2014
By 920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan -- For this week's edition of Flashback Friday, we travel to the Hindu Kush mountain range in northeastern Afghanistan's Kunar Province, where a group of 920th Rescue Wing reservists made history.

It was there, in June of 2005, that 25 reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing rescued Marcus Luttrell, a Navy SEAL on the run from the Taliban after all the other members of his SEAL team had been killed in an ambush during a covert operation.

Luttrell documented his ordeal in the bestselling novel "Lone Survivor," the Hollywood movie adaptation of which opened at Brevard County theaters this week.

Wing members also conducted the recovery operation to retrieve the remains of Luttrell's fallen SEAL team, including Navy lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the operation.

Many of the reservists involved with the rescue and recovery missions are still members of the 920th, including wing commander Col. Jeffrey Macrander, who piloted one of the HH-60G Pave Hawks used to rescue Luttrell.

For the colonel, a command pilot with more than 4,500 hours in five aircraft (including four different helicopters), saving the lives of servicemembers caught behind enemy lines is more than just a job.

"My life goal was to be a combat rescue pilot," said Colonel Macrander, who began his career in rescue in 1988 as a C/HH-3E mission pilot at the 38th Rescue Squadron, Osan Air Base, Korea.

In addition to Colonel Macrander, 10 members of the rescue/recovery team are still assigned to the 920th Rescue Wing - seven here at Patrick AFB, and three at the 943rd Rescue Group, the wing's geographically-separated unit at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.

The Airmen at Patrick are:

HH-60G Pave Hawk pilots Lt. Col. Paul Nevius and Lt. Col. John Lowe; assistant director of operations Senior Master Sgt. Stephen Schwarz; special missions aviation support Senior Master Sgt. Randolph Wells; and pararescuemen Senior Master Sgt. Michael Ziegler, Master Sgt. Chris Seinkner and Master Sgt. Daniel Murray.

The Airmen at Davis-Monthan are:

HH-60G pilots Lt. Col. Jeffrey Peterson and Maj. David Gonzales; and Maj. Joshua Appel, who was a master sergeant pararescueman at the time of the mission.

The book and movie versions of Lone Survivor are not the only media adaptations of Luttrell's story. The 920th Rescue Wing was featured in the National Geographic television series "Helicopter Wars," in which an entire episode, called "The Taliban Gambit,' was devoted specifically to the wing's role in the rescue mission.

Since 1956, the 920th Rescue Wing has saved more than 3,800 lives, including 850 combat rescues and 3,000 peacetime rescues, such as the 1,043 lives the wing saved during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

For more information on the 920th RQW, log onto: Facebook/920th Rescue Wing (Government Organization) or visit their web site at www.920rqw.afrc.af.mil.