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Team of Sailors, Airmen return jets to the fight

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Eric Summers Jr.
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Members of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing recently received the chance to strengthen their bond with the U.S. Navy when Airmen and Sailors worked together to get an F/A-18C Hornet and an F/A-18F Super Hornet back into the fight.

On the afternoon of Sept. 26, a naval aviator from the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) declared an in-flight emergency when his F/A-18C Hornet experienced an engine malfunction. At nearly the same time, the F/A-18F Super Hornet systems indicated a problem with the landing gear. The pilots were diverted to the home of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.

"Airfield management was contacted by a Navy ship at sea [about] one of their aircraft," said Staff Sgt. Latia Jackson, 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron. "We were told that the nature of emergency was engine trouble."

Jackson, a native of Wilmington, Ohio, deployed from Aviano Air Base, Italy, immediately contacted the air traffic control tower and fire department personnel to advise them of the situation.

The two aircraft landed safely and were immediately inspected for damage. Maintainers were not only concerned about the condition of the aircraft, but also about possible objects that could have fallen off the aircraft and become foreign object debris -- potentially crippling other aircraft.

An immediate call was made to USS John C. Stennis requesting maintenance and ordnance personnel be transported to the Air Force base to begin further inspections and repairs.

The USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group entered the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility Sept. 15 and is conducting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation engagements, as well as providing support to Operations New Dawn and Enduring Freedom.

Before repairs could begin, a joint Navy and Air Force team of ordnance specialists and aviation ordnancemen needed to inspect the aircraft.

"I'm here to get this bird back in the air," said Aviation Ordnanceman First Class Theo Hill detached from Stennis.

Hill, assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 embarked aboard Stennis and home based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., said the airmen from the 379th AEW and Sailors from Stennis were motivated to help.

"We definitely needed them, we're actually a small crew as it is," the Brooklyn, N.Y., native said. "We also needed the support of Air Force ammo guys too."

Hill said they had no problems and coordinated with the airmen stationed at the 379th to ensure proper protocol were followed on the base.

CVW-9 maintainers worked tirelessly, day and night, to make the jets airworthy again.

Once repairs were complete, the jets were fueled and reloaded before heading back to the carrier. These jets are vital to the success of CVW-9 and Stennis Strike Group missions.

"Our strike group has trained countless hours to ensure our Sailors are ready to conduct operations in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility," said Commander, John C. Stennis Strike Group, Rear Adm. Craig Faller. "We look forward to building upon and strengthening our ties with allies and coalition partners in the region while supporting operations in Iraq and Afghanistan."