Attack Helicopter Recieves Unusal Mission, Medical Evacuation

Two pilots were operating their attack helicopter high over the battlefields of Iraq, when they received a call. They were told that a fellow soldier was wounded on the battlefield, and had been waiting on a medical evacuation helicopter for nearly forty minutes. The only problem was, their helicopter was only designed for two people. The details have only recently been released by the United States Army in a press release.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Kevin Purtee and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Allen Crist had been operating their AH-64 Apache attack helicopter in the area of Ramadi, when they got the call. After a brief discussion, they agreed that something needed to be done to save the soldier, who had been shot in the face and arm. Purtee and Crist agreed that something needed done, and Crist offered to give up his seat to save the wounded soldier. After landing their attack helicopter in the area of the wounded soldier, Crist, along with three other ground soldiers carried the wounded man to the helicopter, where he was placed into the cockpit.

After the injured soldier was secured into the helicopter, Crist proceeded out of the helicopter. He then took a tether and attached it to his flight harness and to a portion of the helicopter. After wedging himself into the position, he altered Purtee that he was ready to go, and the flight began.

The flight wasn't very long, but took place in a very dangerous area, according to Purtee, but he said, "it felt like it took forever." While the hospital wasn't very far away, the fear of taking fire was high on the short flight. Crist described his flight as like, "sitting in the back of a truck going down the highway." The next day, the pilots desired to visit their rescued soldier in the hospital, where they found out that he aspired to one day become a helicopter pilot.

About the AH-64 Apache: The AH-64 Apache is an attack helicopter utilized by the Army as an all around fire support helicopter. The helicopter typically accommodates 2 people, a pilot and co-pilot/gunner. The Apache first saw combat in the Persian Gulf War in 1991, and has seen action in the ongoing actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Flying at a maximum speed of 182 miles per hour, the helicopter is able to respond quickly to situations which require the fire power of the Apache. The Apache is outfitted with a single 30 millimeter cannon, as well as a variety of missiles and rockets.