[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 148 (Wednesday, October 27, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S13288]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 62--RECOGNIZING AND HONORING THE HEROIC 
 EFFORTS OF THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD'S 109TH AIRLIFT WING AND ITS RESCUE 
                OF DR. JERRI NIELSEN FROM THE SOUTH POLE

  Mr. SCHUMER (for himself and Mr. Moynihan) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
Services:

                            S. Con. Res. 62

       Whereas the 109th Airlift Wing of the Air National Guard is 
     based at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Glenville, New 
     York;
       Whereas the 109th was called upon by the United States 
     Antarctic Program to undertake a medical evacuation mission 
     to the South Pole to rescue Dr. Jerri Nielsen, a physician 
     who diagnosed herself with breast cancer;
       Whereas the 109th is the only unit in the world trained and 
     equipped to attempt such a mission;
       Whereas the 10 crew members were pilot Maj. George R. 
     McAllister Jr., senior mission commander Col. Marion G. 
     Pritchard, co-pilot Maj. David Koltermann, navigator Lt. Col. 
     Bryan M. Fennessy, engineer Ch. M. Sgt. Michael T. Cristiano, 
     loadmasters Sr. M. Sgt. Kurt A. Garrison and T. Sgt. David M. 
     Vesper, flight nurse Maj. Kimberly Terpening, and medical 
     technicians Ch. M. Sgt. Michael Casatelli and M. Sgt. Kelly 
     McDowell;
       Whereas the crew departed Stratton Air Base for McMurdo 
     Station in Antarctica via Christchurch, New Zealand, on 
     October 6, 1999;
       Whereas on October 15, 1999, Aircraft No. 096 departed 
     McMurdo for the South Pole, where the temperature was 
     approximately -53 degrees Celsius;
       Whereas Major McAllister piloted a 130,000 pound LC-130 
     Hercules cargo plane equipped with Teflon-coated skis to a 
     safe landing on an icy runway with visibility barely above 
     minimums established for safe operations;
       Whereas less than 25 minutes later, following an emotional 
     goodbye and brief medical evaluation, Dr. Nielsen and the 
     crew headed back to McMurdo Station;
       Whereas the mission lasted 9 days and covered 11,410 
     nautical miles; and
       Whereas Major McAllister became the first person ever to 
     land on a polar ice cap at this time of year: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress recognizes and honors the crew of 
     the Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing for its heroic 
     efforts in rescuing Dr. Jerri Nielsen from the South Pole.

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