News

Air Force Reserve aircrew evacuates refugees

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Paul Haley
  • 446th Airlift Wing
One-hundred, sixty-four people were evacuated from New Orleans, La., to Austin, Texas, today in a C-17 flown by an Air Force Reserve aircrew from McChord Air Force Base, Wash. 

The evacuation was part of a mission by the 728th Airlift Squadron that included bringing airfield supplies to Louis Armstrong International Airport, the only operational airfield for a city brought to its knees by Hurricane Katrina.

“We’re happy to do it,” said Major Lee Hoggett, aircraft commander. “Every member of the crew volunteered for this mission.” 

The crew originally thought they would be bringing medical evacuees to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, but discovered upon landing that they would be part of a refugee evacuation to Austin, Texas, instead. 

“This was the first plane load to come in to Austin,” said Sgt. Scott Depue, an Austin Airport Police officer. 

Every bit of available space was used to carry the nearly 200 refugees and what few belongings they brought with them. Among the refugees were a new mother and her six-day-old infant. 

One of the two loadmasters for the trip said the high number of passengers wasn’t a completely unusual situation to him. 

“We don’t do it regularly, but we study up on it so we know how to handle the situation if it comes up,” Staff Sgt. Joe Brown said. 

A relief aircraft lands at Louis Armstrong every 40 minutes, bringing much-needed supplies in and refugees out, said Senior Master Sgt. Curtis Berge, a member of the 621st Contingency Response Wing from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. 

The equipment brought to the airfield will help the CRW expand its night operations, said Sergeant Berge. 

The crew returned to McChord today and will return to alert status for future missions supporting Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.