One of my favorite parts of island life is the chance to tour things I don't get to see back home. I have been on more subs than my cousin (who was a submariner). I have been on a variety of navy ships. I took the youth on one of the prepositioned ships that usually remain outside the reef of Saipan (we had homemade cookies, climbed on tanks, had to jump from a dingy in rough water to the ladder to climb aboard), and I took the children and youth on a NOAA ship and learned all about their research. (I even learned they take applications for a teacher to join them. That was tempting.) I was even on a replica of Magellan's ship and quickly realized that would not have been the life for me. Today...Perry and I got the helicopter tour.
Today we got to take a close look at a U.S. Navy MH-60S helicopter and meet its crew. They say it is the premier search and rescue helicopter squadron serving the Marianas. (I say it is probably the only search and rescue helicopter squadron serving the Marianas). According to the Navy's website, HSC-25 directly supports the U.S. Coast Guard and Joint Region Marianas. It has launched 2,445 missions, resulting in 762 medical evacuations, and rescuing 475 lives from waters and jungles of the island chain. The MH-60S can carry 12 passengers and four crewmembers. It has the capability of lifting over 6,000 pounds.
And for the record, I think Perry was the biggest hit at this event.
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