A Sailor from a US Navy destroyer was medevaced by a Coast Guard aircrew off the coast of Washington on December 3, 2019.
As informed, watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received an initial request for a medevac from crew members aboard the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) approximately 34 miles offshore.
A 22-year-old female Sailor aboard the ship was experiencing chest pains and was being treated by naval medical personnel.
A Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew rendezvoused with the destroyer at a coordinated location at approximately 3 a.m.
However, the aircrew was unable to complete an initial hoist attempt due to hazardous weather conditions. The aircrew returned to Air Station Port Angeles to refuel.
The aircrew launched a second time at 5:34 a.m. and successfully hoisted the Sailor off the destroyer at 6:37 a.m.
The patient was transported to awaiting medical personnel at Air Station Port Angeles before being taken to Olympic Medical Center for further treatment.
USS Ralph Johnson is the navy’s 64th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The ship was built by Pascagoula-based shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and delivered to the US Navy two years ago.