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4 December 2021 Desert Lightning News Desert Lightning News December 2021 5
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It’s back: the 2021 PJ Rodeo and Reunion “Steeple Morden Strafers”

by Airman 1st Class mediately jumped into a pool, saving and treating
wiLLiAM TuRNBuLL a mock patient, while simultaneously battling their by 1st Lt. and an Officers’ Club book with both what the pilots did prior to being sent on
own exhaustion. DoRoThY SheRwooD Lyon’s and Delhamer’s names listed.” missions, particularly the stack of small
355th Wing Public Affairs
By the time the competitors reached the fourth day, and Staff Sgt. The box contained over 50 different, pieces of brown notepaper covered in
The 2021 Pararescuemen Rodeo and Reunion in- they had completed shooting, jumping, swimming, KRiSTiNe LegATe well-preserved WWII artifacts from Delhamer’s handwriting. These were his
vited current and former U.S. Air Force PJs and Com- hiking and of course, rescuing. This day was focused Delhamer’s and Lyon’s time at Steeple notes from pre-mission briefings detail-
bat Rescue Officers from across the world to compete on rope climbing and rappelling patient rescue. Two- 355th Wing Public Affairs Morden. From maps, to personal pho- ing call signs, rally points, geographic
against each other in physically and technically chal- person teams started by climbing up the side of a This story is about two wingmen who tographs, aviator goggles and more, references, timelines and radio frequen-
lenging events around Tucson, Arizona, Oct. 25-29. six-story building with the mock patient, zip lining were stationed together over 77 years each artifact told a story and provided a cies. The notes are a testament to the
“The rodeo has been a 40-year tradition in the PJ from one building to another and then rappelling to glimpse into these pilots’ lives and what information overload pilots needed to
community,” said Master Sgt. Joshua Andrada, 68th the ground with the mock patient. ago in Steeple Morden, England. They they had to endure during WWII.
Rescue Squadron operations superintendent. “This “This competition is made to get the newer PJs in- served as P-51 Mustang pilots escorting The artifacts showed a snapshot into See STrAfErS, Page 8
year, we had over 30 PJs compete. That wouldn’t have volved, where they can practice and compete on their B-17 Flying Fortresses over Europe dur-
happened without the support of the 563rd Rescue core skills,” said retired U.S. Air Force Maj. James ing World War II.
Group and the 355th Wing and all the 120 volunteers Cusic, prior enlisted PJ and special tactics officer. The two veterans were 1st Lt. Robert
that helped support this year’s rodeo and reunion.” “The reunion aspect is focused on getting the older Delhamer and 1st Lt. William “Bill” 1st Lt. Robert
The first day of the competition tested competitors’ PJs and senior leaders involved, so that the newer Lyons. Both were assigned to the 357th Delhamer, 357th
shooting accuracy and patient extraction. All competi- guys can learn from their experiences.” Fighter Squadron which fell under the Fighter Squadron
tors started on a dirt strip shooting at targets and On the last day of the rodeo and reunion, former 355th Fighter Group. P-51 Mustang pilot,
racing to their mock patient. Once at the patient, they PJs and CROs celebrated by announcing the winners. “Delhamer and I flew many missions poses for a photo
ran back to the starting point and loaded the mock This year’s winners were Staff Sgt. Christopher Coy together,” said Lyons, one of the last sitting in the pilot’s
patient onto a training Pavehawk. and his brother Senior Airman David Coy from the WWII pilots from the 357th FS. seat of a P-51.
The precision parachute course was on day two. 306th RQS, under the U.S. Air Force Reserve’s 943rd Their story came alive when the 355th
Competitors jumped from an aircraft at 6,000 feet in RQG. After the announcement of the winners, every- Wing’s historian opened a box from Lyons
the air, trying to land the closest to the 8-foot diameter one in attendance, including service members from and Delhamer. What was inside the box 1st Lt. Robert Del-
painted target on the ground. the Korean War and Gold Star families, said their is a historian’s dream come true. hamer, second on
The stakes were even higher on day three with the farewells before going back to their homes and units Airman 1st Class William Turnbull “I immediately got goosebumps when the right, along with
medical monster mash. Two-person teams climbed to continue supporting the rescue mission. Aaron Duemmel, Air Operations Instructor with the 68th Rescue I saw what was inside the box, and the three other pilots as-
over a 6-foot wall while carrying an 80-pound medi- DM is home to the 563rd RQG, which consists of Squadron, records a Pararescuemen as he parachutes towards more digging I did, the more personal signed to the 357th
cine ball over a distance, conducted various callisthen- seven squadrons. These squadrons execute a variety of the ground in Tucson, Arizona, Oct. 26. The second day of the WWII artifacts I found,” said George 1st Lt. William “Bill” Lyons, Fighter Squadron
ic exercises and then climbed a rugged, cactus-filled rescue missions to include PJ training and operational 2021 PJ Rodeo and Reunion consisted of a precision parachuting Tinseth, 355th Wing historian. “There 357th Fighter Squadron P-51 at Steeple Morden,
hill, all while wearing a 20-pound vest. capabilities, as well as flying the HC-130J Combat course, where each team was scored based on how close to the were photos of Delhamer and the 357th Mustang pilot, poses for a England, pose for a
If that wasn’t enough — competitors then im- King II and HH-60G Pavehawk. target they landed. FS, as well as a “TS” ticket, aerial maps photo. U.S. Air force courtesy photos photo.

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