Mankato Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol

Squadron Helps Find Body of Missing Man PDF Print E-mail
Written by Capt Richard Sprouse, Group II PAO   
Wednesday, 26 November 2008 00:00
Mankato Squadron members preparing for a search sortie.
Ground team members await briefing near the Incident Command Post. Cadets participated as Search and Rescue Ground Team members. Major Paul Pieper helped coordinate CAP's search efforts.
Multiple ground teams participated in the search. CAP members geared up and ready to go. Major Chet Wilberg served as the Incident Commander for CAP assets.
Search and rescue personnel arriving in the search area and preparing their equipment.
Photos by Capt Nash Pherson, CAP.
Members of the Minnesota Wing of the Civil Air Patrol recently found the body of a man missing since late October.

The Scott County Sheriff's Department received a report on November 8 that an abandoned vehicle containing a suicide note was parked along a rural township road near Henderson, Minn. The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) activated Minnesota Wing that evening to assist with the search.

The following morning, 43 ground team members, 3 aircrew members and 5 mission base personnel searched the area near the abandoned vehicle.

A CAP aircraft scanned the immediate area including route searches along the Minnesota River, railroad tracks, and roads for possible clues.

While the aircrew made its search, ground team members were busy scoping out land along the river and nearby hillsides for the missing man.

During the ground search, two members of a team from the 130th Composite Squadron in Lakeville noticed something that "didn't quite look right" and discovered the body of the missing man in a camouflaged shelter.

Overall, Minnesota Wing members from 130th, Viking, St. Paul, Mankato, Owatonna and Hutchinson squadrons contributed 51 members, 510 hours and 2 sorties totaling nearly 4 hours to the search.
Last Updated ( Monday, 01 December 2008 12:23 )