Noteworthy


Continental Flight Attendants 
Part Of Operation Valiant Rescue
After waiting five tense days as diplomats jockeyed for the release of 24 crewmembers of a downed Air Force EP-3 surveillance plane, a special charter flight crew from Continental Micronesia took off from Guam at 2:30 AM on April 12. 

The Chinese government had released the U.S. military personnel. Operation Valiant Rescue was on its way. "We arrived on Hainan Island at 6 a.m. China Time," said Suzanne Hendricks, Guam-based Flight Attendant for Continental Micronesia and president of IAM Local Lodge 2339-G. "After an anxious hour and a half on the ground, we were back in the air with America's newest men and women of honor."

The Chinese government would not let U.S. military aircraft land on Hainan Island, so the crew from Continental Micronesia operated a special charter flight to bring the U.S. servicemen and women to Guam. IAM members Beverly Haines, Cynthia Iverson, Deborah Purcell and Jean Tang joined Hendricks on the flight. "We were just doing our job, but it was a tremendous honor to participate in this bit of history," said Hendricks.

All smiles on Operation Valiant Rescue in the photo abouve. IAM-represented Continental Micronesia Flight Attendants (from left) Jean Tang; Beverly Haines; Deborah Purcell; Suzanne Hendricks and Cynthia Iverson pose with the crew from the downed American EP3 surveillance aircraft after their release from China's Hainan Island.

IAM Retiree Climbs 
Mount Everest
"Leave nothing but footprints," is the motto of today's mountain climbers. For Bob Hoffman, former IAM Shop Steward in San Francisco's Local 1781, it is a personal commitment. It has taken him to the slopes of Mt. Everest four times to clean up what some call the "highest garbage dump in the world." 

On Hoffman's 1998 trip, his third expedition, his group reached the summit and also removed 236 spent fuel canisters, 216 oxygen bottles and more than 3,000 pounds of garbage left behind by previous climbers. This trip was the only one where Hoffman reached the summit and the only time he had his "lucky IAM patch" with him.

Bob returned to the world's highest mountain in 2000 to lead another clean-up effort. His team removed hundreds of additional bottles, batteries and fuel canisters. He is currently planning a fifth expedition and "final sweep" for the Spring of 2002.