Guard members honored for care of Smoky Mountain bear attack victim

(AP) Four members of the Tennessee National Guard have been honored for a lifesaving medical evacuation in the Smokies.

According to a news release, the guardsmen responded last June after a 17-year-old girl was attacked by a bear while camping. The girl was seriously injured, and park rangers called the guard to airlift her to a nearby hospital.

The four-man crew out of Louisville consisted of Capt. Philip Webster, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Andrew Redley, Sgt. 1st Class Tracy Banta and Sgt. Timothy Allen. They are members of the 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion. They received the Star of Life award from the Children’s Emergency Care Alliance of Tennessee on May 4.

(IMAGE: Bristol Broadcasting Co News Archive)