Iowa Wing News Online
Thursday, June 16, 2005
By Capt Bruce Tiemann
CAP Ground Team Leader Capt Shannon Juhl examines the deactivated EPIRB aboard the boat at a marina on the Mississippi River in McGregor, Iowa on 10 June.
Two Civil Air Patrol ground teams on a mission to locate an elusive emergency beacon signal during the early morning hours of 10 June found themselves in unusual surroundings -- bobbing on the deck of a 1960-vintage 42-foot-long cabin cruiser moored at a marina on the Mississippi River in McGregor, Iowa. After conducting an extensive search of the ramp and hangars at the Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, airport, CAP personnel concluded that they were actually tracking an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) located aboard a river vessel instead of an aircraft-mounted Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT).
"Conventional wisdom and tactics initially misled us on this mission," said Capt Bruce Tiemann, leader for one of the two ground teams involved in the all-night mission. "CAP Flight 1316 and our ground teams had every indication that the beacon signal was originating from the Prairie du Chien airport, but the river valley topography and power lines in the vicinity were amplifying and redirecting the beacon's signal toward the airport from a boat dock about two miles away on the opposite river bank. It was a real leap of faith to drive away from the airport with the signal still pinging loudly in our ears."
Civil Air Patrol personnel successfully solved the mystery and silenced the EPIRB at approximately 0225 hours local time. Officers and Cadets from the Cedar Rapids Senior Squadron, the Central Iowa Composite Squadron in Ames, the Des Moines Composite Squadron, the Dubuque Composite Squadron, and the East Iowa Cadet Squadron in Cedar Rapids joined forces to successfully complete the mission. In addition to CAP Flight 1316, CAP Flight 1376 provided crucial support as a 'high bird' at an altitude of 10,000 feet, relaying radio transmissions from the far-ranging CAP assets along the Wisconsin border back to Incident Commander, Maj Doug Jansen, at mission base in Ames, Iowa.
Officers and Cadets serving on the two ground teams included Ground Team Leader Capt Shannon Juhl; 2d Lt Brad Oglesby; Capt Theresa Reuter; 1st Lt Laura Schauer and Ground Team Leader Capt Bruce Tiemann along with cadets Tanner Ayers-Berry, Luke Conrad, Aaron Church, Landon Jones, Kyle Kephart, Chris Oglesby, Tessa Poppe, Jamie Schauer and Andy Tiemann.
Officers serving on the aircrew included Lt Col Don Cox, 1st Lt Terry Kruse, and 1st Lt Don Wood.
Monday, June 06, 2005
In a special ceremony on 2 June presided over by Col Rex Glasgow, North Central Region Commander, Col Ralph Tomlinson, Iowa Wing Commander, and past Iowa Wing Commanders Col Sheila Waldorf and Col Gene Kellogg, the 78th Cadet Squadron was designated a Civil Air Patrol 'Squadron of Distinction' for 2005. The award recognizes the unit's "exceptional cadet programs performance throughout the year 2004" based on squadron strength and growth rate, individual cadet achievements, first-time cadet encampment attendance, and participation in the cadet orientation flight program. The 'Squadron of Distinction' is awarded yearly to only one cadet or composite squadron in each of the eight Civil Air Patrol regions. This is the first time in well over a decade since an Iowa Wing Squadron has received this honor.
Civil Air Patrol officers and cadets from the East Iowa Cadet Squadron helped honor the nation's fallen heroes in a Memorial Day ceremony held at Veteran's Memorial Park in Cedar Rapids on 30 May. The unit's color guard served as a focal point for the event, reflecting the Squadron's emphasis on performing community service.
Cadets attending the Memorial Day remembrance included Tanner Ayers-Berry, Luke Conrad, Bryan Church, Isaac Grigg, Landon Jones, Kyle Kephart, Chris Oglesby, Brianna Reeves, Jonathan Ross, Taylor and Trey Seeley, John Sullivan, Craig Woychik and Ben Ziegler. Officers attending included SM Guy Ayers-Berry, CMSgt Robert Chiafos, 2d Lt Brad Oglesby, 1st Lt Chet Sullivan and Capt Bruce Tiemann.
