| Public Affairs Detachment San Diego, Calif. U.S. Coast Guard |
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| Media Release | Date: February 1, 2005 Contact: LT Richard Stickley |
COAST GUARD CREW RETURNS FROM TSUNAMI RELIEF OPERATIONS SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento's C-130 and its crew of seven return home here Tuesday, Feb. 1, at 4:00 p.m., from a month long mission supporting Tsunami Relief Operations in Southeast Asia. The Sacramento based plane and crew delivered over 400,000 pounds of food, medical supplies, water purification equipment, assessment teams, and even toys to the tsunami-stricken countries of Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. A pair of Coast Guard C-130 long range aircraft, one from Barbers Point, Hawaii and one from Sacramento, in addition to four air crews, one each from, Barbers Point, Clearwater, Fla., Elizabeth City, N.C., and Sacramento, staged out of the island of Langkawi, Malaysia during relief operations. Flights lasting up to 12 hours were routinely flown from Langkawi International Airport to Jakarta, Indonesia, to Banda Aceh, Indonesia, then back to Langkawi delivering and ferrying necessary supplies and people in support of relief operations. One of the C-130 airplane's biggest advantage is that it has the ability to land on dirt runways or runways in disrepair. "For me, the biggest challenge is keeping these two aircraft operational," said Petty Officer Ken Norris Jr., a flight engineer from Clearwater, Fla. "I think it's outstanding we're using the C-130 for the job it's made for. You give us a load and 4,000 feet of dirt anywhere in the world and we'll deliver." The crews that fly the planes are also responsible for maintenance, which is completely unique to the Coast Guard. "Having multiple aircrews gives this operation the ability to operate on a 24-hour schedule. "Last night we flew for nine hours straight, then did maintenance for three hours, it's challenging but that's what it takes." said Norris. The returning crew will be met by family members and Coastguardsmen at the Coast Guard Air Station. An awards ceremony is also scheduled. |
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