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Flying Jennies Hauls Rescue Team to Texas

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. James B. Pritchett
  • 403rd Wing Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  After Hurricane Ike crushed the Texas coast, civil authorities called on the military to assist with search and rescue capabilities. Reservists from the 815th Airlift Squadron pitched in to help out by transporting Reservists and 5 tons of gear from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. into Texas.

Assembling a joint-service team of more than 400 people to create the 331st Air Expeditionary Group required pre-planning and Herculean logistical support. Airmen, Coast Guardsmen, Soldiers and Sailors melded, virtually overnight, to lead the search and rescue effort.

Many of the Reservists transported by the 815th, have experience in supporting this kind of mission. The 943rd Rescue Group deployed after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 where they performed missions that saved 1,043 lives, including 475 people in one day.

"We're always ready to haul when these kinds of disasters happen," said Capt. William Miller, who served as aircraft commander on the mission. "Having our own base and our own hometowns destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, we know the importance of getting assistance into the area quickly after a natural disaster."

Among those transported by the Flying Jennies aboard a C-130J-30 Super Hercules were aircraft mechanics, intelligence specialists and ground-radio specialists whose missions included maintaining the HH-60 Pavehawk helicopters used in operations, providing critical situational awareness to the aircrew in-flight and ensuring air-to-ground communication during the search and rescue operations.

Captain Miller said the Jennies also hauled two pallets of equipment for the 943rd which included equipment and supplies needed to support the mission.

In 2005, the Jennies forward deployed to Texas ahead of Hurricane Katrina and afterward flew numerous sorties, transporting many tons of equipment and supplies as well as personnel into and out of storm-affected areas including New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.