21st Airlift Squadron flies final mission Published March 24, 2006 By Staff Sgt. Raymond Hoy 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The 21st Airlift Squadron completed its final operational C-5 mission after touching down at Travis Air Force Base March 13. The mission, with a crew of 11 onboard, left Travis March 5 for an around-the-world flight. The 21st AS ‘BEEliners’ will officially make the transition to a C-17 Globemaster III squadron April 3. The mission began with a trip to Charleston AFB, S.C. The aircraft was loaded with supplies bound for Balad Air Base, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The aircrew then proceeded to Hyderabad, India, to pick up two Marine CH-53 helicopters and 26 Marines, which were there in support of President George W. Bush’s trip to Afghanistan and India. After offloading the Marines and their equipment in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, the crew loaded two more CH-53s destined for Iraq, and headed home to Travis. The crew was not only proud to be on the last mission, but also to be part of an important operational mission as well. “It was great that we were able to do a downrange mission, as well as some presidential support,” said Maj. Mike Hanrahan, the mission’s aircraft commander. “It felt good to do some significant mission moving for our final mission.” The crew was selected by the squadron leadership for their capabilities and time in the squadron. “They were hand picked,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Bingham, 21st AS operations officer. “Every aircrew position was filled by the senior- qualified person in the squadron. Almost every member was also an evaluator.” Colonel Bingham was honored to make the final landing upon return to Travis. “It was nice to be a part of the final mission after running the operations for the squadron,” he said. “It was a great opportunity.” A few of the crewmembers had been with the squadron since it first stood up as the 21st AS. “I’ve been here a long time,” said Master Sgt. Dale Jackson, one of the mission’s flight engineers, as well as the 60th Air Mobility Wing’s ‘Red Erwin’ senior noncommissioned officer aircrew member of the year. “I was grateful to be on the last mission. In all the time I’ve been here, it was my first around-the-world mission. It was a fitting end to my time here.” The 21st AS still has one more local flight scheduled for March 31 and has already begun the transfer process of becoming a C-17 squadron. Most of its members, as well as the C-5 operational planning, have already transferred to the 22nd AS. Some of the squadron members will move on to their next duty stations as well.