Posted on 12/30/2005 5:34:57 PM PST by SandRat
12/30/2005 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- The C-130 Hercules aircraft here have routinely hauled more than one million troops and 76,000 tons of cargo in and out of Iraq.
But today the mission was not routine.
At about 4 p.m., a C-130 from the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing touched down here carrying Baby Noor, her father and grandmother on their way to the United States for medical treatment.
Baby Noor was born with spina bifida and was given one month to live by doctors in Iraq, said Maya Dietz, vice consul for the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
Georgia National Guardsmen found the baby during operations in the Abu Gharib neighborhood of Baghdad. While the troops were searching the house, the baby’s grandmother took the infant to the Soldiers and asked for their help, Ms. Dietz said.
The guardsmen contacted their congressional representatives and formed an elaborate coalition of humanitarian assistance. A surgeon in Atlanta offered his services free. The commercial flights to the United States were donated by airlines and a non-profit organization in Atlanta will pick up the additional costs for the trip.
U.S. Embassy officials met the family and took them to a local civilian airport.
The C-130 crew on this mission was from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, and originally had the day off.
“We weren’t scheduled to fly, so to get alerted to fly something like this is pretty darn satisfying,” said co-pilot Capt. Raul Ochoa of the 738th Expeditionary Air Squadron. “We’ve had the opportunity to take part in a lot of missions but this is probably the most rewarding.”
The crew flew 71 troops and their gear into Iraq and flew Baby Noor and her family out.
“We’re just fortunate to be able to fly them out, it was an honor,” said pilot Capt. Craig Hinkley. “I’ve never done a humanitarian mission quite like this.”
U.S. Embassy officials in Kuwait coordinated with the Kuwaiti minister of interior to allow a smooth passage to the U.S.
“They were very helpful, allowing these three Iraqis to transit though without visas,” said Charles Glatz, a consul at the embassy.
While the story of Baby Noor now moves to the United States, members of the aircrew won’t soon forget the flight.
“[This was] one of the best missions I’ve ever done,” said loadmaster Tech. Sgt. Dave Rea. “It’s not often we get to help someone like that.”
Flight engineer Tech. Sgt. Bill Thomas summed it up best.
“[This flight] makes it worth getting up in the morning,” he said. “I was pretty excited to do something this important.”
The mother is only 18 years old and the grandmother didn't want her traveling alone. And the grandmother said she wouldn't go without her son, the baby's father, so she would have a male escort.
The mother is only 18 years old and the grandmother didn't want her traveling alone. And the grandmother said she wouldn't go without her son, the baby's father, so she would have a male escort.
The grandmother asked how cold Atlanta was. Well, we're having a lovely day, high near 60. The grandmother will not have to worry about being cold.
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