Nature’s fog of war descended on central Nepal as seismic waves erupted below the country’s surface. Roads in Kathmandu crumbled and the Himalayas trembled in all directions. At first, the local populace seemed unsure of the danger, but as the buildings around them cracked and fell, they quickly realized this would become a catastrophe.
In the face of avalanches, landslides, and falling infrastructure, everyone ran into open areas and huddled together. Families and friends called out to each other and desperately held on to one another. All driving on highways and small back roads ceased. Some motorcyclists dropped their bikes and watched in shock as buildings crumbled. Some drivers abandoned their vehicles altogether.
That 7.8 magnitude earthquake, on April 25, 2015, was recorded as the most devastating in Nepal’s history. Killing almost 9,000 people, injuring tens of thousands, and destroying hundreds of thousands of buildings. The earthquake spanned 120 kilometers long and 80 kilometers wide, leaving much of the country in ruins.
Shortly thereafter, the U.S. responded to Nepal’s request for assistance. Joint Task Force 505 was formed, employing the skillsets of 900 service members from the U.S. Armed Forces.
Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469, who had been supporting numerous exercises in the Pacific, shortly arrived in Nepal on C-17 Globemaster IIIs.
HMLA 469 provided three UH-1Y Venom Helicopters with the mission of delivering food, medical supplies, and shelter kits. During Operation Sahayogi Haat, the unit maintained at least two helicopters in the air each day.
MCIPAC Consolidated COMCAM deployed a team of Marines, split into two groups, to provide video and photo documentation of the operation. Each day, the imagery was processed to both highlight JTF 505 and the Nepalese people working together or to provide logistical and strategic support for commanders.
“From the time they woke up, got to the flight line, got on aircraft, shooting all day, they’d return, having grabbed some food where they could, and then immediately worked to edit. They were working to edit something, put together interviews that they’ve done throughout the day, and then release that imagery, so it’s just time-consuming,” said retired Marine Master Sgt. Ricardo Morales, who was the JTF 505 Combat Camera chief at the time. “On top of that, the leadership made sure they had the equipment they needed, made sure footage was released, and made sure that we all communicated the same thing. So just running that 24-hour operation cycle was pretty demanding for them.”
One day, Cpl. Sara Medina, one of the photographers, approached Morales and explained that she couldn’t recall the last time that one of her Marines, videographer Lance Cpl. Jacob Hug, had taken a shower. Hug worked continuously to edit video clips and interviews for release to the public.
“She wasn’t dogging him out or anything, she was just a concerned leader, and she really cared about the Marines under her charge,” said Morales. “It was just the nature of how much we were working. I couldn’t tell you how many days we did that for.”
Capt. Dustin Lukasiewicz had a litany of duties every day as a pilot and aviation safety officer of HMLA 469. He reviewed the flight schedule, ensured that risk assessments were completed, and briefed the commander on concerns, issues, updates, or developments.
