Pakistan relief continues

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan -- Airmen offload a CH-47 Chinook heavy lift helicopter from the back of a C-17 Globemaster III here. The helicopter arrived in parts from Fort Hood, Texas. After reassembly, it will fly to Pakistan to help with earthquake relief operations. This was the first of 30 CH-47s to transit through Bagram. The base has been a hub of relief efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. James H. Cunningham)

Pakistan relief continues

Reserve C-5s deliver more Chinooks for earthquake relief

Published Nov. 1, 2005
By Tech. Sgt. Andrew Biscoe
439th Airlift Wing

WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. (AMCNS) -- A third C-5 Galaxy aircrew from the 439th Airlift Wing here left Oct. 18 to deliver more help to earthquake-ravaged Pakistan.

The giant cargo plane picked up two Army CH-47 Chinook helicopters at Fort Sill, Okla., and delivered them to Pakistan, after a stop in Spain. It was the 13th humanitarian mission flown by Westover’s crews since late August.

“This is something I wanted to do,” said Senior Airman Stephen E. Pinkerton, who flew on the mission, his first to provide relief. “I chose to get on this mission versus just a regular channel mission. It’s just something different.”

This was the second such helicopter airlift mission for the Reserve wing. The first mission left Oct. 14 for Hickam AFB, Hawaii, where a C-5 picked up two CH-47s and flew them to Pakistan.

Westover crews flew 10 missions in late August and September. Nine of those were for the relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina. One was for the victims of Hurricane Rita. The C-5s hauled a total of 396 tons of cargo.