Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk 88-26118

Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk 88-26118 of the 12th Rescue Wing—a sister ship of Jolly 110—recovers pararescue jumpers during a training mission outside of San Francisco’s Golden Gate. (TSGT Lance Cheung, U.S. Air Force)

California Air National Guard pararescuemen of the 129th Rescue Wing, Moffett Federal Airfield, Ca. climb up a moving rope ladder, from the chilly waters outside the Golden Gate Bridge, up to a HH-60G Pave Hawk.

Tech. Sgt. Mike Sampognaro, flight engineer, monitors the training mission from the troop door. Hovering only six feet above the waves, Lt. Col. Thomas Laut must fly with extreme care as he deals with gusting winds, sea spray, sun glare, and sea swells, as he maintains a “low-and-slow” flight.

The HH-60G’s primary wartime mission is combat search and rescue, infiltration, exfiltration and resupply of special operations forces in day, night or marginal weather conditions. Some members of the 129th provided technical assistance for the production of the movie “The Perfect Storm.” (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Lance Cheung)

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