A local Okinawa resident and US Marine were lost off the Okinawa coast on March 12, after becoming trapped in the bottom of an 80-foot cliff near a popular dive site on the island. Combining efforts, airmen from Kadena Air Base and Japanese first responders helped save the two divers after a five-hour search and rescue operation. Airmen from the 718th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Kadena had a HH-60 Pave Hawk ready to carry an aircrew and pararescuers to join a search as the sun began to set. Using a winch, the pararescuemen were lowered into a spot in the cliffs where 20-foot waves were pounding the two divers. After several aborted attempts, the airmen lifted the two divers out and delivered them to Japanese fire and rescue crews by 1:30 a.m. the next morning. “It was nice to see how smoothly we worked together,” said 2nd Lt. Timothy James, a combat rescue officer with the 31st Rescue Squadron.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
