On July 25, a fun adventure turned into a harrowing ordeal for a man who was hiking near Idaho’s Leatherman Peak. While negotiating the rough landscape, he fell and sustained severe injuries, including compound fractures in both legs, stranding him at an extremely high altitude. Knowing that Utah Army National Guard teams receive specialized high-altitude training at Camp Williams, the state of Idaho asked Utah for help that evening.

A Blackhawk helicopter like this one was used to rescue an Idaho hiker in July. (Photo courtesy Utah Army National Guard)

“Due to the extreme altitude, low moonlight and rugged terrain, local search and rescue personnel were struggling to reach the stranded hiker,” the 97th Aviation Troop Command said in a statement. The 97th Aviation Troop Command is the brigade headquarters, or the unit overseeing the command and administration of a brigade, for Utah National Guard Aviation Battalions, including the 2-211th General Services Aviation Battalion, which supplied rescue volunteers. 

In an HH-60M Blackhawk helicopter equipped with just the kind of rare machinery the situation demanded, a West Jordan-based medical team of volunteers from the 2-211th General Services Aviation Battalion began its hurried flight to Idaho. 

A fraction of its current size, Camp Williams was established during WWI in 1914. (Photo courtesy Utah Army National Guard)

Following a stop in Idaho Falls to refuel, the team was able to locate the hiker in near pitch-black conditions after reaching his last known position. 

“[They] conducted an extremely difficult and technical hoist operation, lowering their on-board medic onto the steep terrain to begin immediate care of the hiker,” the 97th Aviation Troop Command said. 

When the medic was able to stabilize the man, the helicopter used a hoist cable to bring him on board while hovering in mid-air. The operation took place at approximately 10,500 feet above the average sea level. The hiker continued to receive lifesaving medical care as the Blackhawk sped to meet a waiting civilian emergency transport helicopter, which transferred him to a medical center. 

“This is a mission that the Citizen-Soldiers of the Utah Army National Guard are uniquely qualified for and stand ready to conduct at a moment’s notice,” the 97th Aviation Troop Command said. 

Many locals don’t realize that the training that makes rescues like this possible happens in our own backyard. “All units within 97th Aviation Troop Command train at Camp Williams routinely as a primary training site for members of the Utah National Guard,” Tamara L. West said. West is the public affairs officer for the Utah National Guard, which was organized in 1894. 

Camp Williams stretches across 24,063 acres in Utah County. (Photo courtesy Utah Army National Guard)

Camp Williams was established in 1914 as a training ground for the National Guard during World War I, though it was a fraction of its current 24,063 acres and hadn’t yet received its official name. In 1927, permanent and semi-permanent structures were built on the site, and a year later, the camp was named for Brigadier General William Grey Williams to recognize his role in founding the training location and for his service in the Spanish-American War.

The camp continued to grow, and after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, the U.S. Army took control of the complex, using it as a main training center for active-duty troops. Oversight of Camp Williams was returned to Utah in 1947, and since then, it has played an important role in training troops who would serve in Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, the Persian Gulf, the War on Terror and even during the state’s COVID-19 response. 

When the United States entered WWII in 1941, Camp Williams had grown significantly. (Photo courtesy Utah Army National Guard)

Today, the camp provides extensive combat and rescue training for the Utah National Guard, serves active-duty and reserve soldiers and hosts youth and civic groups. It also supports civilian, federal and state entities, including local, state and federal law enforcement organizations. The 97th Aviation Troop Command even executes flyovers for Provo’s annual Stadium of Fire celebration. 

“The Utah National Guard performs missions at the request and approval of our governor and trains [at Camp Williams] to support our state and civil authorities in a wide range of capabilities,” West said. “[It] regularly supports our state and communities with wildland fire support, technical rescue, debris removal and hazardous materials monitoring and assessment…”

 “Herriman City values its longstanding partnership with Camp Williams and the Utah National Guard,” Herriman Communications Manager Jonathan LaFollette said. “We work closely on land use, public safety, wildfire risk mitigation and community coordination to ensure residents and the Guard can thrive side by side.”

Camp Williams has been instrumental in training soldiers for multiple wars in the 20th and 21st centuries. (Photo courtesy Google Images)

In addition to a mine detection course, small arms firing ranges and a land navigation course, there are ranges for artillery, mortars, grenades and demolition, offering training and certification for every weapon the Army has.

“The Camp plays an important role in national defense and in supporting emergency response, training and coordination across Utah and neighboring states,” LaFollette said. 

The camp also includes classrooms, warehouses, dining facilities, a fitness center, workshop spaces and administration and maintenance buildings.

The training sessions are often the cause of the startling booms that residents sometimes hear and feel.

“Camp Williams is a primary training area for the 65th Field Artillery Brigade… as well as the 640th Regiment Regional Training Institute,” West said. 

Youth groups and camps are hosted at Camp Williams. (Photo courtesy Utah Army National Guard)

“Loud booms heard are practice and live artillery rounds being fired, usually from M109A6 Paladin howitzers and M119 howitzers as part of required training and certification. Artillery units work diligently to balance their training requirements with the impact their activities have on the populations surrounding training areas.”

To ensure units and individuals are always ready to serve, the camp receives soldiers from around the state and the nation for training in authentic and harsh conditions. “The Utah National Guard is comprised of citizen soldiers and airmen, neighbors and friends, and is proud to assist our communities, state and nation when called upon,” West said.

“We recognize the sacrifices and contributions of Guard members and appreciate the strength they bring to our region,” LaFollette said.