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Casing honor: 440th Airlift Wing inactivates

  • Published
  • By Allison Janssen
  • 440th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
POPE ARMY AIR FIELD, N.C. --  Members of the 440th Airlift Wing, Airmen from around the country, soldiers and community members gathered yesterday to honor generations of Airmen and pay tribute to the legacy of the Air Force's third oldest unit during its inactivation ceremony Sept.18.

Though members of the 440th have been planning and arranging for the closure of the wing's doors for months, little could truly prepare those gathered for the emotional ceremony; the heavy fog of both pride and sadness that would accompany the furling of the 440th AW's flag.

"I am honored to have spent my entire career with the 440th Airlift Wing," said Master Sgt. Thomas Yurchak, guideon for the 440th Logistics Readiness Squadron during the ceremony. "To case our flags was of course difficult, but I am filled with pride in the legacy of our wing and thankful that will be here until its very last day."

Major General John Stokes, 22nd Air Force commander, officiated the historic inactivation. In his remarks, Stokes celebrated both the history and achievements of the outstanding wing.

"To all 440th AW members, past and present, please accept my sincere appreciation for all you've done to accomplish your mission," said Stokes. "Since the 440th was first activated in 1943, you have been in the fight, supporting combatant commanders around the world. You have provided the United States military with operational capability, strategic depth and the capacity to surge quickly when needed. Even though we case your colors today, we can never erase all that you have accomplished in the defense of our nation."

In 1944, the first members of the 440th AW prepared for their first operational airdrop at Pope Army Airfield, practicing with actual paratroopers from the 82nd and 17th Airborne Divisions, and other elements of the 18th Airborne Corps.

Working together with these organizations, the 440th made history just a few months later, dropping American paratroopers behind the landing beaches of Omaha and Utah in Normandy, France, in the early hours of D-Day, June 6, 1944. Following the formal surrender of the Axis powers in 1945, the 440th AW continued to provide air support for missions around the world, simultaneously moving homes from Minneapolis, to Milwaukee, circling back to its first practice field of Pope Army Airfield for its final chapter in 2007.

From June 2007 to September 2016, the 440th AW has continued to honor its history by remaining steadfast in its commitment to service and always being prepared. Flying a fleet of C-130H Hercules aircraft, the 440th AW dropped more than 102,000 paratroopers, carried 3,371,497 pounds of cargo and flew more than 27,000 hours supporting operations such as Coronet Oak, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Enduring Freedom, Unified Response and Inherent Resolve.

During his final words to his Airmen, Col. Karl Schmitkons, 440th AW commander, discussed his pride in the wing, emphasizing the exceptional character Airmen of the 440th hold.

"The wing's accomplishments are a direct reflection of the truly outstanding Airmen that have filled the ranks of the 440th over the years. A wing's designation is really just a number and some letters on a piece of paper on file somewhere. The real wing itself is its Airmen," Schmitkons said.