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McChord AFB rushes aid to Pakistan

  • Published
  • By David Kellogg
  • 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. (AMCNS) --  Airmen from the 7th Airlift Squadron delivered the first U.S. relief supplies to Chakala Air Base near Islamabad, Pakistan, Oct. 10 to help the nation recover from the earthquake that killed and injured tens of thousands, according to Air Force officials.

The five-member crew delivered 12 pallets — almost 90,000 pounds — of food, water, medicine and blankets from Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. They also brought a forklift, as well as a tow bar, to move planes around at the air base.

Airmen and Soldiers at Bagram, with only a few hours notice, palletized the supplies and prepared them for the flight.

When the 7th AS crew arrived at Chakala, they were greeted by a group of people, including a representative from the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan and an Iranian aircrew, said 1st Lt. Josh Ehmen, a 7th AS pilot.

The Iranians wanted to see the C-17 and how the American crew unloaded it, said the lieutenant.

One of the Iranian crewmembers told him, it was good for both countries to come together and help Pakistan in its time of need.

Tech. Sgt. Dave Ryle, 7th AS loadmaster, had helped bring relief to Iran after an earthquake there in 2003. This latest humanitarian mission to Pakistan was one of the best run operations he had been on, he said.

Everyone from the crew agreed this mission was good.

“It’s rewarding to fly missions like this,” added Lieutenant Ehmen.

In addition to Monday’s response, another McChord crew airlifted more earthquake relief supplies to Islamabad Oct. 11.

The crew was a mix of Airmen from the 8th, 10th and 313th Airlift Squadrons and the 446th Maintenance Squadron. They delivered about 50 tons of food and shelter equipment.

The 818th Contingency Response Group-Element from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., has set up a round-the-clock operations center in Islamabad to unload supplies as they arrive. Supplies are transported approximately 70 miles north from Islamabad by helicopter to the hardest hit areas.

Brig. Gen. Imtiaz Sherazi, director of logistics for Pakistan’s army, is coordinating the distribution of relief supplies as they arrive and making sure they get to the areas that need them.

“I would like to thank the Air Force,” General Sherazi said. “These items are very valuable to us because there are lots of people in great distress. (Air Force News and 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs contributed to this report.)