Airman helps deliver daughter, deploys same day

Airman 1st Class Timothy Pledger, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Unit electronic warfare journeyman, holds his daughter, Zoey, hours after delivering her himself Aug. 30, 2013. Pledger's flight to deploy to Guam had been delayed so he went home to be with his pregnant wife. Not long after he came home, she went into labor. In less than an hour, Pledger and his wife welcomed in their new baby girl, Zoey, into the family. (Courtesy photo)

Airman helps deliver daughter, deploys same day

Airman 1st Class Timothy Pledger, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Unit electronic warfare journeyman, poses for a photo on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Aug. 30, 2013. Pledger was supposed to deploy to Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, early in the morning, but an aircraft malfunction delayed the departure. While spending what little time he had left with his wife, her water broke. Unable to wait for an ambulance, Pledger successfully delivered his daughter while listening to directions over the phone from emergency personnel. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Benjamin Gonsier)

Airman helps deliver daughter, deploys same day

Published Sept. 4, 2013
By Senior Airman Benjamin Gonsier
2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Airman 1st Class Timothy Pledger was scheduled to depart for his six month deployment Aug. 30 in the early hours of the morning, but an aircraft malfunction pushed back his departure.

Pledger returned home until the new departure time to be with his pregnant wife, who was expecting any day. Around 9 a.m. his wife's water broke. With no time to spare, Pledger took action.

"I called emergency services when her water broke," Pledger said. "However, the baby was already coming out. I called them back so they could give me step-by-step instructions on how to deliver the baby."

The emergency personnel told him to ensure his wife was fine and to tell her to continue to push while also checking on the baby's condition. When the baby got stuck, Pledger had no idea what to do, but he kept his composure and listened to the emergency personnel's directions. After applying what the emergency personnel told him, a few minutes later his daughter was completely out and breathing normally.

"The moment was magical," Pledger said. "I was all choked up and could barely talk."

After the fire department and ambulance arrived, his wife and daughter were taken to a local hospital where they were stabilized and in good condition.

His daughter, Zoey, weighed in at six pounds, nine ounces, and measured 19 inches long.

"This is definitely a once in a lifetime situation," he added. "With the delayed jet in the beginning, it seems like this was meant to happen."

Later that day, the electronic warfare journeyman was on the plane to Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, to support the Continuous Bomber Presence mission.

"This is a testament to Airmen we have at Barksdale and the Air Force in general," said Master Sgt. Anthony Grubb, 2nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron first sergeant. "To deliver his own daughter early in the morning, when he was supposed to deploy, and not even 12 hours later, go through the processing line and get on a jet to support the mission says a lot about the great Airmen we have here. Family is important and so is the mission, and Pledger was able to successfully support both."