Reaching out with aid

  • Published
  • By Maj. Bill Walsh
  • 315th Airlift Wing
PORT-au-PRINCE, Haiti (AFPN) --  The approach is much like flying into Baghdad or Balad. Pitch black darkness with night vision goggles and the adrenalin flowing. But this isn't Baghdad, even though it looks like a war zone when you hit the ground.

Our C-17 was chock full of supplies from water to blankets and even a bulldozer to move debris out of the streets.

In the air is the smell of smoke. Fires were burning everywhere in the town as the sun came up over a fallen city. "It smells like being back in Iraq," said one Army troop who had just landed with the 82nd Airborne and was sleeping on the tarmac.

Sleeping on the tarmac was common place as American military aid is flowing fast and furious to help the people of Haiti. Tent cities were going up and all the services were on the move from a number of nations including Canada and Spain.

We ran into a rescue and recovery team from Madrid who was camped out waiting for daybreak to start back at their sad, but desperately needed job of finding survivors and counting the dead.

As the offload of supplies progressed, our aircraft happened to park right in front of NBC's TODAY SHOW set up.

"We're sleeping in tents and on the ground," said NBC Anchor Ann Curry as we talked about our mission and how they were trying to cover it. "Thanks for doing what you do," she said to our crew members who were working just feet from their makeshift TODAY SHOW set.

The aid the Air Force and United States is providing will be a vital part of getting the Haitian people back on their feet.

Now, all around, it's just people in the streets. Afraid or unwilling to go back into their houses if they are still standing. Groups of people huddle around as old school busses go speeding by overloaded with people.

The airport at Port-au-Prince is quickly becoming a hub of support activities and there are hundreds of people trying to get out of the country by air.

This is just the beginning of what will be a giant operation as America reaches out with help along with our world partners to bring some hope to a country desperate for humanitarian aid.