(McMurdo Station, Antarctica) – Members of the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 187th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (AES) were key to a historic rescue – the first successful evacuation of a cardiac arrest patient from McMurdo Station in over 35 years.
As reported by Tech. Sgt. Lee Murphy, a 60-year-old U.S. civilian contractor and veteran of 20 Antarctic missions suffered a massive heart attack at the remote station. The situation was dire with temperatures near -35°C and previous evacuation attempts blocked by blizzards.
The man collapsed in the station’s galley and was found in full cardiac arrest. Emergency personnel from the McMurdo fire department, National Science Foundation, and U.S. Air Force performed nearly 40 minutes of CPR, epinephrine injections, and eight defibrillator shocks before stabilizing him for evacuation.
“This was a truly remarkable case,” said Maj. Nate Krueger, a flight nurse with the 187th AES. “Every step was executed with precision and urgency.”
Krueger and Master Sgt. Lyndsey Glotfelty, an aeromedical technician, had been deployed to support Operation Deep Freeze and led the patient’s transport. A Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion delivered extra medical staff, and a U.S. Air Force LC-130 flew the patient 2,500 miles to Christchurch, New Zealand – a seven-hour flight across unforgiving terrain.
The patient received two stents upon arrival and walked out of the hospital days later.
“This was a win through teamwork,” said Maj. Thomas Powell, McMurdo’s flight surgeon. “The partnership between the NSF and military was critical. A robust cooperative partnership between the National Science Foundation and the military was key to ensuring rapid medical care and evacuation of the patient.”
Brig. Gen. Michelle Mulberry praised the team’s efforts: “This was more than a mission — it was a life saved against all odds. What our Airmen and their teammates accomplished is extraordinary. The 187 AES embodied what it means to be Citizen-Airmen — bringing compassion and expert care to one of the most remote places on Earth.”