Reserve C-130 crews critical to front-line fighters

  • Published
  • By Maj. Timothy Wollmuth
  • 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron
MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan (AFPN) --  While many people here are at the end of their average workday, eagerly anticipating working out, eating dinner or catching a movie before turning in for the night, Maj. James Hayes’ duty day is just beginning.

At 4:30 p.m., the telephone rings, alerting the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron pilot and his crew to duty. Major Hayes begins his ritualistic preparation for a 16-hour C-130 Hercules combat mission. He takes a quick shower, dons his desert flight suit, reads a few lines of Scripture and says a quick prayer before grabbing his personal gear and “lucky” red gorilla. His mom gave him the gorilla to keep him safe while traveling to locations like Bagram Air Base, and Kandahar Air Field in Afghanistan, as well as lesser-known coalition bases.

Major Hayes, a reservist from Air Force Reserve Command’s 934th Airlift Wing at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Air Reserve Station, Minn., and his six-person crew have 45 minutes before their ride to “Ops Town” arrives. After the crewmembers get there, they review all of the latest operational policies and get intelligence briefings to prepare for the mission.

One of the briefers is Maj. Dave Mirolli, a reservist from the 908th AW at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. The 777th EAS weapons and tactics officer briefs the crew on tactics and defensive-system settings for the mission to mitigate threats against their aircraft.

Three-and-a-half hours after the initial telephone call, Major Hayes and his crew fly the C-130 into the quiet, snowy night.

On this night, they must land on a blacked-out, rough and narrow Soviet-built airfield using night-vision goggles.

“The cover of darkness is our best protection against many of the threats we face daily,” said Tech. Sgt. Dean Grothem, the team’s loadmaster deployed from the Reserve’s 934th AW.

After quick-turning the aircraft, the next stop is a crack-of-dawn arrival onto a short, undisclosed dirt field located on the forward edge of the Afghanistan battle area.

As the crew rounds the end of a small ridgeline, the defensive weapon system blares, indicating they may have been fired upon. Unshaken, the crew calmly but quickly orchestrates a defensive maneuver, gut-wrenching to most people, but a thrill for these tactical airlifters. The aircraft descends as flares shoot out of the aircraft like a Fourth of July fireworks display.

Once above the desired landing zone, the crew rapidly configures the aircraft for landing and drops the plane onto a rough and dusty runway. Within minutes, the aircraft is unloaded and filled again with Soldiers and cargo. The doors slam shut. Maximum power is applied. The Hercules bounds down the dirt landing strip and out of the battle area.

“Every mission is different for the C-130 Hercules,” said Maj. Bernie Motschenbacher, another reservist deployed from the 934th AW. “But, we mostly fly food, ammunition and Soldiers to the frontlines.

“(Soldiers) are the tip of the spear in the war on terrorism,” he said. “Taking care of them is our mission, and we are all glad we can help any chance we get.”

After 16 hours, the crew returns here for rest. The crewmembers will soon be back in the thick of things as they continue to supply the front lines of the war on terrorism with troops and supplies.

“One may wonder what a grandfather twice over is still doing in this business,” said Senior Master Sgt. John Skarhus, a 30-plus year Air Force Reserve flight engineer deployed from the 934th AW. “But I really can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing. Since (retiring) from the fire department a few years ago, I have missed living and working in close quarters with a great group of guys like these.” (Courtesy of AFRC News Service)