Yokota provides typhoon relief to island of Yap

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Karen J. Tomasik
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) --  The island of Yap in Micronesia was devastated by Typhoon Sudal on April 10. The typhoon had wind speeds up to 125 mph for six to 10 hours, knocking out the island’s power, communications and infrastructure.

Two C-130 Hercules aircraft, four aircrews and six crew chiefs returned here April 16 after a five-day humanitarian mission to the island. Flying out of Andersen Air Base, Guam, they flew 11 missions and delivered 31 passengers and 102.4 short tons of cargo supporting Federal Emergency Management Agency relief efforts.

"I saw Yap back when we were airdropping supplies to the Micronesian islands," said 1st Lt. Matthew Campbell, a 36th Airlift Squadron navigator. "When we took the relief to Yap, you could see that most of the trees had been torn down or stripped of their leaves, and any building that didn't have a concrete foundation was destroyed. Almost every roof on the island was also blown away by the typhoon."

One of the crews flew in 56,000 pounds of cargo including four industrial generators to get the island's power running again.

"Since the typhoon knocked out all the power, the islanders had no way to desalinate their water," said Capt. Jason Fodor, one of the 36th AS aircraft commanders. "We took generators in the first day so the islanders could get their water plant running again. Until we arrived, they were taking water from the only river on the island and boiling it to have something to drink."

Relief supplies included water, juice, baby food and other nonperishable foods the islanders needed. Although they needed these supplies, the islanders were willing to share what little they had with the aircraft crews.

"When we hit the ground, I was amazed by the local community. They offered us water and food even though these were some of the supplies that we were there to provide them," said Staff Sgt. Jon Tomasik, a 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief. "With all the hardships that they went through, the whole community was still smiling."