JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- An augmented crew from the 62nd Airlift Wing's 4th Airlift Squadron departed the United States on March 12 and delivered search and rescue, or SAR, equipment and personnel to Japan in support of humanitarian relief efforts after an earthquake and tsunami struck the island nation March 11.

The first airlift team to arrive in Japan, the C-17 Globemaster III transported 31.5 tons of California-based SAR equipment from Los Angeles to Misawa Air Base.

The 4th AS crew then delivered 54 power generators to Misawa AFB, which was mostly without electricity since the earthquake. The generators aided the rescue and recovery mission to continue, and allowed victims to cook, contact loved ones and heat their homes.

The crew also moved more than 25 military family members who volunteered to travel back to United States on a space-available basis. The total mission included more than 36 flight hours.

To support the C-17, a KC-10 Extender from the 60th Air Mobility Wing at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., provided in-air refueling over the Pacific Ocean. Without these tankers, the C-17s would need to land and refuel on the ground adding two to three hours to each mission, according to officials.

Taskings for missions come down from Air Mobility Command's Tanker Airlift Control Center. The TACC plans, schedules and directs a fleet of nearly 1,300 mobility aircraft in support of strategic airlift, air refueling, and aeromedical evacuation operations around the world.

In addition to the C-17 and KC-10 forces, AMC also has additional aircraft and crews prepared to respond if further assistance is requested.

Living up to the 62nd AW's vision of "Airlift Excellence... Right here... Right Now!" means not just supporting military personnel in the war zone, but also responding to global humanitarian efforts.

(Capt. Justin Brockhoff, Tanker Airlift Control Center Public Affairs, contributed to this report.)