Ohio AASF #2 Complete History
1946 – 2003
From: Adam Worthington [mailto:aworthin@columbus.rr.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 11:12 PM
Subject: “Forty-five Ohio National Guard helicopters”
I was doing some research on the Blizzard of 78 because if you haven’t heard we are now experiencing a similar weather pattern that made that storm develop then. Anyway I found the link using google that had the below couple paragraphs that mentioned the role the Ohio Guard had during that natrual disaster.
http://dept.kent.edu/ksutop_story/archive_98/980121_blizzard_of_78_shmid.html
Governor Rhodes summoned the Ohio National Guard in the disaster. Over 5000 men and women of the Guard were pressed into long hours of operating heavy equipment to clear roads, assisting utility crews in getting to fallen wires, transporting doctors and nurses to hospitals, and rescuing stranded persons in emergencies.
Forty-five Ohio National Guard helicopters flew 2,700 missions across Ohio working around the clock for three days. They rescued thousands of stranded persons, many in dire medical emergencies. More assistance arrived after President Carter declared a federal disaster in Ohio and dispatch 300 troops from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Toledo with arctic gear, bulldozers, and fuel tankers to rescue persons in northwest Ohio.
Can you imagine, 45 helicopters in Ohio? Makes you think if we, Ohio Guard Aviation, are in the desert and something like this happens again it will be an even bigger strain with out guard aviation support.
By the way they say mid February is when another blizzard “could” develop.
Just thought I’d share,
Adam