AMT Seth Reeves and the rest of Coast Guard Rescue 6553 navigated dangerous weather en route to the Guadalupe River, where they saved hundreds of campers.
In the almost 30 years since assuming search and rescue alert in Alaska, the Air National Guard's 176th Wing has performed more than 2,000 civilian search and rescues and is credited with saving more than 1,750 lives.
National Guard rescuers in two military helicopters airlifted 214 people to safety on Saturday after flames trapped them in a wooded camping area near Mammoth Pool Reservoir.
An unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile was launched early Wednesday from California to a target in the Pacific Ocean in a test of the defense system, the Air Force said.