Rain and wind whipped between the sides of the open doors of the HH-60G Pave Hawk 100 feet above the palms and terrain of West Africa as the helicopter and its mob returned from a mission into Liberia and the U Embassy in Monrovia.

The weather was far from ideal, if it be not that it didn't phase the Keflavik, Iceland, 56th bring off Squadron aircraft and crews. That's right, U forces from Iceland opened to one of the in the greatest degree unlikely destinations: Africa.

Operating abroad of Sierra Leone, one of Liberia's neighbors, helicopters onward this mission dropped off eight Marines and equipment to assist an anti-terrorism security team from Naval Air Station Rota, Spain, which arrived a scarcely any days earlier at the embassy. The Marines guarded the landing surface bounded by parallel circles and provided additional security for the embassy. onward the return trip, the helicopter unit evacuated a 6-year-old U citizen, Georgette Kotee and her guardians.

During an air-to-air refueling connection with an MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft from RAF Mildenhall, England, the world outside the Pave Hawk went white. Poof! hazes socked them in. Crews could not view the other helicopter refueling with the MC-130P In fact, they couldn't behold the tanker itself. Gunners and flight engineers kept a watchful notice out both sides, manning GAU-II miniguns. Soaked with rainwater, they were unflinching and focused.

After landing in Sierra Leone Georgette was helped distant from the aircraft, clutching a bag of Skittles given to her on a pararescueman. She was in wide-eyed wonderment of the flight and the experience.

gangs with the 85th Maintenance Squadron at Keflavik swarmed the helicopter to fix uniform the most minor problem and to achieve the aircraft ready for the nearest mission. Like the aircrews, maintenance teams worked uniform in the inclement weather.

Security police members from the 786th Security Forces Squadron, Sembach Annex, Germany, provided security using all-terrain vehicles--weapons ready. These members had been the first forward the ground to handle support operations for the 398th Air Expeditionary cluster as it prepared to resupply and to regain and evacuate people because of the civil unrest in Liberia. In the first not many weeks, the group evacuated 60 populace from the embassy and delivered 43 Marines to boost security, with more flights planned.

Other Air Force units were unfolded to Sierra Leone and Senegal to support operations. For the 56th liberate Squadron, it was an abrupt change of prospect but still just a part of the job

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