End of an era flies by

CHERRY POINT — Four search and rescue helicopters known as Pedro took their last formation flight as a unit Friday out of the Marine Corps Air Station.

The Marine Corps will no longer fund the HH-46 unit, and their search and rescue mission will officially end in about a month because of budget restraints.

It’s the beginning of the end for the helicopter unit that’s been called on for decades to help save lives in Carteret County and surrounding areas. One of the four will be turned over to the Navy on Monday. The other three will stay on until Friday, Sept. 25. 

With the propellers of the helicopters filling the air with their mournful drone, the choppers crawled one last time as a group to the runway on Friday while military and civilian crews and the media stood along the fringes of the tarmac watching the historic moment.

According to Mike Barton, director of public affairs for MCAS Cherry Point, the helicopters have a long and distinguished service record. Initially, Pedro units were based at six air stations around the country and began search and rescue missions some time around 1959. 

He said in 1994 the Marine Corp stopped using four of the squadrons, only leaving units at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., and Cherry Point. Mr. Barton said tight budgets and the age of the choppers led to the decision to no longer fund the unit. He said the cost of replacing the choppers with other aircraft, such as the V-22 Ospreys, would be unbelievably high. 

“It would cost about $340 million to replace Pedro and $34 million a year to maintain them,” Mr. Barton said. “When Pedro is gone, the money can be better spent to support the war fighter with the training, equipment and weapons the Marines need.” 

He said the mission of Pedro has mostly been to support the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. 

The unit’s primary function has been to search for downed aircraft, ensure safety or put out fires at the gun ranges. 

However, they have also served an important role in supporting the U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities in search and rescue missions. 

“Since the first of this year, VMR-1 search and rescue helicopters Pedro have conducted 21 missions,” the public affairs director said. “A mission is defined by search and rescue (SAR) flights where they lift a person into the helicopter or put out a fire.”

As the choppers circled the field one last time Friday, Master Gunnery Sgt. Katherine Denham, airfield operations chief, watched. She arrived just three week ago from a Marine Corps headquarters transfer. She said she was sad to see the unit go. 

“It’s a great old bird with capabilities to get in and get out. It’s sad to see it go,” she said. 

She shared her memories of Pedro when she first joined the Marines 23 years ago. 

“It was the first aircraft I was ever acquainted with in the Marine Corps,” she said. “I’d jump in the bird and then jump into the sea. They’d go back and get the star rescuers and come back and rescue me.”

During a recent trip to Carteret Health Care emergency room in Morehead City with her mother, Master Gunnery Sgt. Denham learned the impact Pedro has had on the community.

“My mother asked the nurses about Pedro,” she said. “Everyone is sad to see it go as it is something that is very near and dear to the community. I got that right up front at the emergency room in Morehead City. It’s been a great aircraft, but it’s time.”

Mr. Barton said although the Pedro units will be gone, VMR-1 will remain and continue flying and training. When the remaining three helicopters are retired, the pilots will transition to flying two fixed-wing jets, a Cessna Citation and a C9-Skytrain.

“These aircraft are used all over the world for transport,” Mr. Barton said. 

He said search and rescue capabilities would be going to the U.S. Coast Guard, the Air National Guard and the U.S. Air Force.

Story and photo: http://www.carolinacoastonline.com