Giant squids land at Dover AFB

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Veronica A. Aceveda
  • 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AFPN) --  A Reserve aircrew from the 326th Airlift Squadron landed July 11 at Dover Air Force Base, Del., with two giant squids in their cargo compartment. 

The two sea creatures were transported in a C-17 Globemaster III from Europe and will be delivered to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. The female preserved specimen will become the largest on display in the United States. She measures 24 and a half feet long, and the male measures 9 feet long. 

"My daughter is going to think I am the coolest dad ever," said Master Sgt. Phillip Vicker, a 326th AS loadmaster whose mission was to load and balance all of the cargo, including the squids, onto the aircraft. 

Even though none of the aircrew or Space-A passengers could physically see the squids, Sergeant Vicker said everyone could still see the long box, labeled with 'giant squids' stickers. 

"They were really pumped up about it; they kept asking 'are those really squids in there,'" he said. "Even we didn't believe it, when we first saw it on the cargo manifest. We thought it had to be some type of Navy vessel." 

The shipping container for the pair of squids was not as long as the actual bodies inside. 

The project manager in exhibits at the Smithsonian, Elizabeth Musteen, said this was because the specimens' arms and tentacles were folded over the top of their mantles.
However, when on display, the female will be fully expanded horizontally, and the male will be encased in a vertical state, she added. 

"These specimens, brought up in deep sea fishing nets off the coast of northern Spain, are expected to be a main attraction," Mrs. Musteen said.

The colossal squids will make their public debut Sept. 27, when the Smithsonian opens its new Sant Ocean Hall, an exhibition area designed to support ocean education. 

"I can't wait to take the family to the display," said Maj. Mark Chagaris, one of the C-17 pilots who brought the deep ocean dweller to the United States. "I can say, 'your daddy helped bring that over here.'" 

From Dover AFB, the 436th Aerial Port Squadron prepared the squids for transport to the Smithsonian by truck. 


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