Arctic Guardians rescue 2 plane crash victims at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park > Alaska National Guard > News

An official website of the United States government

Here's how you know

Official websites use .mil

A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.

Secure .mil websites use HTTPS

A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska –

Alaska Air National Guardsmen of the 176th Wing rescued two plane crash victims on Aug. 7 at Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve about 300 miles west of Anchorage, near the park’s border with Canada.

The National Park Service requested assistance from the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center after receipt of the Cessna 172’s 406 MHz emergency locator transmitter signal. Additionally, the survivors used their inReach satellite communication device to communicate with NPS personnel.

At the request of the AKRCC, 176th Wing launched a 210th Rescue Squadron HH-60G Pave Hawk and a 211th Rescue Squadron HC-130J Combat King II, both with 212th Rescue Squadron pararescuemen onboard.

The HH-60 located the wreckage, landed, and the pararescuemen extracted the uninjured occupants from the crash site. The crew transported the survivors to the Palmer Airport and released them to Alaska State Troopers to closeout the rescue.

Alaska Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Jacob Inman, AKRCC controller, said the party’s combination of an updated 406 ELT and a satellite communication device aided an optimal outcome.

“That definitely contributed to getting search and rescue forces out early,” he said. “Being able to correlate the 406 with the inReach was very helpful.”

For these missions, 210th RQS, 211th RQS, 212th RQS and the AKRCC were credited with two saves.

Alaska Military Youth Academy Career Work Experience program gives cadets a head start with job training and skills
June 8, 2023 — Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson — The cooperative work experience program is an integral part of the 22-week Alaska Military Youth Academy Challenge Program. The program provides cadets the opportunity to learn job skills, earn different job certifications and increase their chances of becoming employed upon graduation from AMYA. “The Goal of the cadet to work program is to give our students a leg up on becoming employed once they leave and graduate our program,” said Deborah Morton, Recruiting, Placement, Mentoring Supervisor for AMYA. “They will leave here with transferable skills and some type of certification from the program they choose. They can take that to any employer and say, ‘here you go.’”... MORE

Alaska Military Youth Academy cadet Jackie Tinker uses a hand torch to solder a piece of copper pipe during a Career Work Experience program class at Alaska Works Partnership in Anchorage June 01, 2023.

Adjutant General’s Match brings state’s top marksman to Fort Wainwright
June 8, 2023 — Alaska Air and Army National Guardsmen from across the state and 11th Airborne Division Soldiers from Fort Wainwright trained and competed against each other at the Alaska National Guard’s Adjutant General Match at the Fort Wainwright Range Complex June 1- 4, 2023... MORE

Alaska Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Travis Hall, 49th Missile Defense Battalion (GMD), fires a M110 A1 Marksman Rifle as AKARNG Maj. James Goddard, officer in charge of the TAG Match, acts as a range safety at the Fort Wainwright Range Complex June 4, 2023. The TAG Match is an annual marksmanship competition designed to challenge and test basic shooting fundamentals.

USAACE tactics instructors and Alaska Army National Guardsmen look to build bridging solution for Army Aviation initiative
June 6, 2023 — Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson — Aviation tactics instructors with Fort Novosel, Ala., U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence (USAACE) 110th Brigade and guardsmen with the Alaska Army National Guard 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion recently joined together on an Army Aviation initiative to transform the USAACE Instructor Pilot Course (IPC) into an Aviation Tactics Instructor Course (ATIC). According to Chief Warrant Officer 5 Dave Currier, Fort Novosel’s Tactics Chief with the 110th Aviation Brigade, part of the USAACE Commanding General tactics initiative in aviation is revamping the existing IPC to the newly envisioned ATIC. ... MORE

Chinook flying near Knik Glacier

Alaska Air Guardsmen assist National Park Service rescue of Denali climber
May 24, 2023 — Alaska Air Guardsmen assist National Park Service rescue of Denali climber... MORE

Alaska Air Guardsmen assist National Park Service rescue of Denali climber

Alaska National Guardsmen, State Defense Force deploy to Bethel, Circle to assist with flood recovery
May 23, 2023 — Nine members of the Alaska Organized Militia deployed to Bethel and Circle May 22 and 23 respectively to support flood recovery efforts in Western and Interior Alaska... MORE

Senior Airman Sean Lake, 168th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard, loads gear at Eielson Air Force Base in preparation to help with debris-clearing operations in Circle, Alaska, May 23, 2023. Four Guardsmen and one member of the Alaska State Defense Force will assist with cleanup and flood recovery efforts at the request of the Alaska State Emergency Operations Center. (Alaska Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Julie Avey)

Alaska's Best Warrior Competition Award Ceremony
May 21, 2023 — Alaska Army National Guard State Command Sgt. Maj. John Phlegar, announced the winners of the 2023 Alaska Army National Guard Best Warrior Competition during an awards ceremony at Camp Carroll on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson May 21... MORE

Command Sgt. Maj. John Phlegar, left, the state command sergeant major of the Alaska Army National Guard, pins the Army Commendation Medal on the 2023 Soldier of the Year, Spc. Adam Macro, a military police Soldier from Alpha Company, 49th Missile Defense Battalion during the Best Warrior Competition awards ceremony held at Camp Carroll, Alaska, May 21, 2023. Throughout the week of May 16, 2023, the Best Warrior Competition tested Soldiers on their physical and mental readiness as well as their knowledge of Army doctrine and common warrior tasks.

Alaska Army National Guard HH-60 hoists injured backcountry skier off Girdwood mountainside
April 20, 2023 — The Alaska Army National Guard conducted a mid-mountain, hoist rescue of an injured backcountry skier near Girdwood, April 19, 2023, after receiving the mission request from the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center. Air crew assigned to Golf Company, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion accepted the mission and departed from Bryant Army Airfield on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in a hoist-capable HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter specially designed for medical evacuations. ... MORE

On April 19, 2023, an avalanche broke loose at the top of a mountain near Girdwood, Alaska, pulling a backcountry skier 800 to 1000 feet down the face. The red box indicates the injured skier and rescue team. The Alaska Army National Guard’s Golf Company, 2-211th General Aviation Support Battalion received mission request from the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center and rescued the skier with a hoist-capable HH-60M Black Hawk helicopter specially designed for medical evacuations.

Bartlett High School JROTC Takes Flight With Alaska Army National Guard
April 14, 2023 — Thirty-six Bartlett High School Army Junior ROTC students jumped on an Alaska Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopter, and proceeded to rip up Arctic Valley giving the students a flight they won’t soon forget, if ever. For most on board, it was their first time in a helicopter. The event was especially memorable since it was the helicopter that was used to extricate the infamous Into the Wild Bus on June 18, 2020. The purpose of the orientation flight was to give the JROTC students a real-life experience with the Alaska Army National Guard and provide an opportunity for students to ask questions and learn about opportunities and benefits of joining the Guard. ... MORE

Bartlett High School JROTC Takes Flight with Alaska Army National Guard

National Guard, tribal consortium team up in St. Mary’s, Western Alaska
April 6, 2023 — “Your left. Your left. Your left, right, left.” As a young girl, Tech. Sgt. Sharon Queenie remembers Guardsmen marching down the dirt road in Mountain Village with their ruck sacks strapped to their shoulders, singing cadences. A 20-mile stretch of road connects Mountain Village to Andreafski High School in St. Mary’s where Queenie found herself speaking with students from her alma mater alongside fellow Alaska National Guardsmen March 31, 2023. ... MORE

Alaska Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Sharon Queenie, a surveillance technician with the 176th Air Defense Squadron, gives a presentation to students from her hometown of St. Mary’s, Alaska, during a recruiting initiative in partnership with the Association of Village Council Presidents at the Andreafski High School, March 31, 2023. The Association of Village Council Presidents recently partnered with the Alaska National Guard to provide recruiting information and resources through their Tribal Job Centers. The initiative kicked off in St. Mary’s with presentations from AVCP and AKNG, where representatives interacted with students, parents, teachers, and community members. AVCP provides community development, education, social services, culturally relevant programs, and advocacy for the people and 56 tribes of Western Alaska.

Alaska Air Guardsmen medevac patient from Little Diomede
April 5, 2023 — Alaska Air Guardsmen medevac patient from Little Diomede... MORE

Alaska Air Guardsmen medevac patient from Little Diomede