Title: Under the Ash: A Helicopter Pilot’s Photo Journal of Search, Rescue, and Recovery Efforts in the Aftermath of the 1980 Mount St. Helens Eruption
About the author: Michael Cairns is a decorated Vietnam veteran and helicopter gunship pilot who was injured by enemy fire as he rescued his fellow soldiers from life-threatening battle engagements. After completing his tours of duty, he continued to serve in aviation units through the Army Reserve and Army National Guard until 1985, including participation in the search, rescue, and recovery operations at Mount St. Helens in 1980. His long-time passion for photography provided an unexpected but extremely valuable gateway and avenue to document this cataclysmic event.
Review: While shooting the PBS series “We’ll meet again,” we reunited Mike Cairns with a woman he rescued from Mount St. Helens, and got a glimpse of the courage, valor and humanity… perhaps in all of us. – Ann Curry, Journalist
Thank you!
