A mid-air refueling pilot recounts a special mission over Afghanistan
It had not even been 72 hours since we all said good bye to our loved ones in Pittsburgh and we were already working hard on the other side of the world. We were all members of the 171st Air Refueling Wing (ARW), but for a brief time in history we would be "Liberandos" as part of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing (AEW), Manas AB, Kyrgyzstan. A large group of members from all sections of the 171st ARW were mobilized and deployed as part of the unit's Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) obligation in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and coalition operations in Afghanistan. We were all excited and filled with anticipation for what was, for some of us, an old routine and others our first combat missions.
Along with Aircraft Commander, Lt. Col. Jeff McKee, and Boom Operator, Tech. Sgt. George Meszaros, I served as Co-pilot for one of our deployed KC-135s. Our missions would consist of a six hour flight from Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan to the skies of Afghanistan where we offloaded on average 60,000 lbs of fuel to U.S. and coalition force aircraft. Our first flight could not have been more exciting. After an air refueling with a B-1, KC-10, and a flight of F-15s, we were tasked to refuel a flight of A-10s.
If you have ever seen an A-10, you know what they were built for. It was not speed or looks, but rather fire power. The menacing aircraft carries an 18-foot long Gatling gun and a wide assortment of rockets and bombs. It's named the Warthog and is commonly used for Close Air Support (CAS) for the Army.
Through the hectic chatter on the radios, we began our descent into the mountainous region of northeastern Afghanistan headed towards the Pakistani border. Moments later, out of the clouds surrounding the mountain-tops, the flight of A-10s approached our aircraft to receive their offload of fuel. These pilots could not have felt more at home. At 210 knots, the Willow Grove A-10's were quickly approaching a familiar sight - the boom of a "Team Pittsburgh" KC-135 Stratotanker. The A-10 pilots were Guardsmen from the 111th Fighter Wing, Willow Grove, Penn.
With a quick "hello" over the radio, our Boom was quick at work orchestrating the rendezvous and fuel offload. Colonel McKee mentioned, "This was just like flying over the skies of Pennsylvania." The Willow Grove pilot quickly informed us that he had just come from providing Close Air Support to Pennsylvania Army National Guardsmen from the 1st Battalion of the 109th Infantry Division deployed to Methr Lam Forward Operating Base, in eastern Afghanistan. When our troops need a little extra firepower, they call on the A-10s for air support. As long as the men and women on the ground remain in need of A-10s, we were there to keep the A-10s in the fight with our fuel.
This mission was an awesome representation of the Pennsylvania National Guard working together, the importance of the KC-135, and our state's commitment to the Global War on Terror. I could not have been more proud to be a Guardsmen and Tanker pilot. With the assistance of the other deployed unit members, I was flying a tanker that was supplying fuel to one of our own A-10s, who was protecting a fellow Pennsylvania Army Guardsman on the ground.
These Army Guardsmen could have been a neighbor, co-worker or even a relative. This was probably one of the most important and personally rewarding missions I will ever fly. My thanks to all the unit members who helped make that mission a success. Without your hard work, our Army Guardsmen may have had to go without that day. Without is not an option when it's for the safety of a fellow Pennsylvanian.