COLUMBUS, Ohio, - Three days before a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti, about 45 members of the Ohio Air National Guard were deployed to Puerto Rico in support of a U.S. Southern Command mission.
The 179th Airlift Wing was in the right place at the right time with their two C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft.
After the earthquake hit on Jan. 12, three air crews from the unit were put on alert and early the next morning, the first crew was activated and airborne within three hours.
The aircraft flew to Florida to collect search and rescue teams and communication crews and deliver them to Port-au-Prince. Shortly after, a second crew was alerted and airborne.
The first crew, led by Lt. Col. Kenneth Pecoraro, arrived in Port-au-Prince as the sun was setting on the evening of Jan. 13 and landed successfully, despite challenging terrain and a downed communication tower.
The Ohio National Guard C-130 was the first of its kind to land in Port-au-Prince.
The second crew, commanded by Lt. Col. William Baulkmon, arrived after sunset with three pallets of communication materials to improve departure and approach communication at Port-au-Prince airport.
In addition, three Puerto Rico Air National Guard aircraft have been tasked to the 179th Airlift Wing for this operation.
Today, 179th crews arrived in Florida in two of these aircraft to pick up and deliver additional supplies and personnel. They will arrive in Haiti by early afternoon.