It was just another helicopter night mission on the 12th of November in 1974.
Or so James Greider thought.
"I'd flown those for 2½ years. Kind of boring," said Greider, now 77 and living in Flower Mound, Texas, who was stationed in Anchorage, Alaska, for the Air Force.
This night, however, turned out to be anything but boring. Little did James and his flying companions know they were about to fly what was considered at the time the most dangerous helicopter rescue in peacetime history.
The Rescue
A call came in from the Rescue Coordination Center with information about an airplane crash in the mountains. The sun had just set and night flying in the Alaska mountains is dangerous, especially in the darkness.
"The next hour was a combination of skill, luck, and teamwork," Greider recalled. "We located the downed aircraft and had to land and shut down the chopper on the other side of a raging creek.
"This would mean having to wade through the creek twice. The water was nearly four feet deep and moving swiftly, dragging us downstream."
After exiting the water, Greider and his crew had to climb 50 feet up to the crash site.
"The guy was still alive, that in itself was a miracle," Greider said. "Somehow, my flashlight worked even though it was soaking wet. After 20 minutes the survivor was loaded and strapped into the litter, and the three of us did a semi-controlled slide down the cliff into the water, drifting down to the waiting helicopter.
"Approaching hypothermia, we changed into warm clothes from our personal survival gear."
Greider recalled the takeoff into the clouds between two canyon walks at night worked perfectly, breaking out between two 5,000-foot mountain tops. And, yes, the crash victim survived.
"Looking back after 50 years this was a crap shoot. So much could have gone wrong," Greider said. "But we never lost sight of the mission. We were a rescue team and very well trained, combining flying and rescue skills."
Greider said fortunately a number of things happened or didn't happen to help make the mission successful:
- The timing was just right -- 10 minutes later and there wouldn't be enough light to find the crash site.
- The helicopter didn't crash while attempting to land or start up in a small mountain canyon 200 feet wide. It could have rolled into the cliff 20 feet in front of them and self-destructed.
- They made it through the creek twice. Another foot deeper and they would have been swept downstream and maybe drowned.
- They didn't hit the mountain canyon walls during the takeoff and departure from the canyon.
"We took it one step at a time. Only when you look back at the entire sequence of events does it look impossible and dangerous," he said. "We were successful because we didn't rush, made good decisions, operated with great skill from outstanding training, and some luck.
"I believe God put me on this Earth for this one event, as the aircraft commander of Alert 01, on Nov. 12,1974."
Greider added a footnote that another crew tried a similar rescue on Dec. 7, 1974. He remembers that the helicopter hit the mountain, crashed and burned.
"The pilot was killed and everyone else got out alive," he said.
Peacetime Medal
Greider and his co-pilot were awarded an Air Medal for their heroics. He noted these are rarely given in peacetime.
The Air Medal is awarded to anyone who distinguishes themselves through meritorious achievement while flying.
"Crossing a freezing river shoulder deep, carrying a rescue litter over our heads, climbing a 50-foot cliff, securing the survivor and repeating the events again in reverse in the dark with temperatures below freezing were overwhelming details which made this extra special," he said.
Greider served in Alaska from June 1972 through September of 1975.
"Being on a rescue mission requires leadership, camaraderie and quick decision making," said retired Air Force pilot Tom Lengnick. "Those are also necessary for being an excellent pilot. Jim is an excellent aviator, no matter the aircraft."
When the Wall Came Down
Greider was around when more history occurred on Nov. 9, 1989, the tearing down of the Berlin Wall.
He flew an F-4 Phantom airplane from December 1980 until December 1990. After training in Florida, his first assignment was to the 526 Tactical Fighter Squadron, at Ramstein Air Base, West Germany, where the mission was air defense of Central Europe from East Germany and other Warsaw Pact nations.
"We had to launch within five minutes to protect the German border from aircraft launched," he said. "This constant vigilance and deterrence eventually caused the will of the East German people to tear down the wall."
After leaving the 526th TFS in 1984, he returned to the 480th TFS in 1987 at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany. He was there when the wall fell.
"I actually went over to Berlin in 1990 and hammered pieces to take back to the USA, where my kids used them for school history projects on the Berlin Wall," he said.
Life Now
Greider spent 1991-98 trying to earn a place on the PGA Tour while owning a golf shop in Naples, Florida. He sold it after being hired by American Airlines to teach in simulators -- which he still does -- and moved to Flower Mound.
"His skill as an aviator is second to none and his ability to connect with his students is impressive to watch," said Capt. Alan Johnson, a coworker at American Airlines. "I am also a U.S. Army Helicopter Pilot, and I understand what missions like Jim was on require courage, skill, determination, and selfless dedication to your fellow man.
"In 1974, missions were entered into without much risk analysis completed. The operations officer would say, 'Here's the situation, will you accept the mission?' I know Jim answered without hesitation. That is just who he is."
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