The story behind The Story, Air National Guard

California Army National Guard aviators sit patiently in a room at the Cal Guard Aviation Facility in Fresno, California, awaiting a barrage of questions during a media round table organized by the National Guard Bureau Sept. 7, 2020. A day earlier these warriors rescued nearly 250 people who were trapped by the fast-moving Creek Fire in the Sierra National Forest, northeast of Fresno. Their efforts were recognized by President Donald Trump, who a week later awarded the seven Cal Guardsmen with the Distinguished Flying Cross. Front row: Chief Warrant Officer 5 Kipp Goding, pilot in command; Chief Warrant Officer 5 Joseph Rosamond, pilot in command; and Col. David Hall, commander, 40th Combat Aviation Brigade. Back row: Warrant Officer Ge Xiong, crew chief; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Irvin Hernandez, pilot; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Brady Hlebain, pilot; Sgt. George Esquivel, flight engineer; and Sgt. Cameron Powell, flight engineer. For nearly 10 hours the teams piloted a CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk into Mammoth Pool Campground that was surrounded by fire and blanketed by thick smoke. All told, the Cal Guard aviators rescued elderly and injured people, and got men, women, children and infants out of the danger area. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Eddie Siguenza)