All smiles on Operation Valiant Rescue. 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.

CONTINENTAL FLIGHT ATTENDANTS PART OF OPERATION VALIANT RESCUE
From the IAM Journal Summer 2001

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.