129th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

by Airman 1st Class Jessica Green

Capt. Mary O. Jennings, 129th Rescue Wing HH-60G Pave Hawk co-pilot, receives the Purple Heart from California Air National Guard Commander, Maj. Gen. Dennis G. Lucas, during an awards ceremony Dec. 6, 2009. Captain Jennings was the recipient of the Purple Heart due to injuries sustained in a July 29, 2009 Afghanistan rescue mission. (Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Kim Ramirez)

Capt. Mary O. Jennings, 129th Rescue Wing HH-60G Pave Hawk co-pilot, received the Purple Heart during an awards ceremony Dec. 6, 2009. She was the recipient of the Purple Heart due to injuries sustained in a July 29, 2009 Afghanistan rescue mission. (Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Dan Kacir)

Capt. Mary Jennings, an HH-60G Pave Hawk co-pilot with the 129th Rescue Wing, Moffett Federal Airfield, Calif., stands with Tech. Sgt. Aaron Butler, a pararescueman from the 23rd Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Sergeant Butler treated Captain Jennings for shrapnel wounds sustained during a July 29, 2009 rescue mission in Afghanistan. (Courtesy of Capt. Mary Jennings)

12/10/2009 - MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD, Calif. -- An Air Guardsman from the 129th Rescue Squadron here was awarded a Purple Heart at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Dec. 6.

Capt. Mary Jennings, HH-60G Pave Hawk co-pilot, received the Badge of Military Merit, also known as the Purple Heart, by Maj. Gen. Dennis Lucas, commander of the California Air National Guard, in a ceremony attended by her family, friends and fellow Airmen from the 129th Rescue Wing.

She recently returned home from her deployment to Afghanistan after being wounded by enemy forces during the rescue of three injured American soldiers. Air Force rescue helicopter Pedro 15 launched July 29 from Kandahar Airfield in route to the convoy that had fallen under attack once striking an improvised explosive device.