KODIAK, Alaska – Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Mark Panicek, a C-130 aircraft pilot, boards his aircraft at the air station here. Panicek and his crew left Kodiak today to assist with rescue and recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The seven members of the C-130 crew are the first from Kodiak to be deployed in support hurricane recovery operations. When the crew arrives they will join with more than 4,000 other Coast Guard personnel who are already conducting operations in the area. Panicek said, “We’ve got an extra aircraft and extra people and we’ll do what ever they need us to do.” (Official Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Paul Roszkowski)
Click here to download full-size image