By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sunday Sawyer
Juarez
(MAYPORT,
Fla.) – A 2000 Orange Park High School graduate and Jacksonville, Florida native is serving with a
U.S. Navy helicopter squadron that flies the Navy’s newest and most
technologically-advanced helicopter.
Petty Officer 1st Class William Winistorfer is an aviation
electrician’s mate with the “Air Wolves” of Helicopter
Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 40, a Mayport, Florida based squadron that operates
the Navy’s next generation submarine hunter and Anti-Surface Warfare
helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk. Each helicopter is nearly 65 feet long, may
weigh up to 23,500 lbs. (max gross) and can travel over 120 miles per hour for
nearly 320 miles on a tank of gas.
As an aviation electrician’s mate, Winistorfer is responsible
for maintaining the flight and electrical systems of the MH-60R helicopter.
“I have a great opportunity to teach the junior guys and help them advance," said Winistorfer. "I
get to work for the greatest Navy this world has ever seen."
According to
Navy officials, the MH-60R is the most capable multi-mission helicopter
available in the world today. It is used for a variety of missions, including
hunting and tracking enemy submarines, attacking enemy ships, search and
rescue, drug interdiction, delivering supplies and supporting the Navy’s
special operations forces.
It is replacing
the Navy’s older helicopters because of its greater versatility and more
advanced weapon systems.
Winistorfer said he and other sailors are proud to be part
of a warfighting team that readily defends America at all times.
Sailors’ jobs are highly varied within the squadron.
Approximately 297 Navy men and women are assigned and keep all parts of the
squadron running smoothly. This includes everything from maintaining
helicopter airframes and engines, to processing paperwork, handling weapons and
flying the aircraft.
“The Air Wolves of HSM-40, represent the best and the
brightest our Navy has to offer,” said Cmdr. David Loo, HSM-40 commanding
officer. “HSM-40's mission
is to train Fleet Replacement Pilots and Aircrewmen for deployed shipboard
operations in the MH-60R Seahawk aircraft.
The training conducted includes aircraft flights and full visual
simulators in Aircraft Operations, Anti-Surface Warfare, Anti-Submarine
Warfare, Search and Rescue, and Shipboard Operations. HSM-40’s support, maintenance, and instructor
staff allow for the completion of over 100 assigned students, year round, operating
16 MH-60R helicopters and 5 simulators.”
Serving in the
Navy, Winistorfer is
learning about being a more respectable leader, sailor and person through
handling numerous responsibilities.
"The Navy teaches everyone core values and can really build men and women into better people,” said
Winistorfer. “I was born and raised with those values but I really enjoy
watching it mold others and make them better.”