Charleston C-17s deliver under fire
This article from The State is a little dated, but these heroic flyers are under the gun constantly:
U.S. Air Force planes that fly troops, supplies and fuel in missions over Iraq and Afghanistan came under fire 215 times — an average of four times a week — during the 2006 fiscal year.
The only planes shot at more frequently were the smaller turbo-prop C-130 transports, which drew fire 65 times.
C-17 transport planes, like those based at Charleston Air Force Base, were shot at 25 times or once every two weeks, from Sept. 30, 2005, to Oct. 1, 2006.
Seventy percent of the attacks happened as the planes were flying below 5,000 feet, said Maj. John Sheets, spokesman for the Air Mobility Command. The majority of incidents involved small arms, such as rifles and machine guns.
Charleston AFB was the first in the nation to recieve the C-17 transport back in the 1990's. I was very proud of them back then, but not more so than now.
U.S. Air Force planes that fly troops, supplies and fuel in missions over Iraq and Afghanistan came under fire 215 times — an average of four times a week — during the 2006 fiscal year.
The only planes shot at more frequently were the smaller turbo-prop C-130 transports, which drew fire 65 times.
C-17 transport planes, like those based at Charleston Air Force Base, were shot at 25 times or once every two weeks, from Sept. 30, 2005, to Oct. 1, 2006.
Seventy percent of the attacks happened as the planes were flying below 5,000 feet, said Maj. John Sheets, spokesman for the Air Mobility Command. The majority of incidents involved small arms, such as rifles and machine guns.
Charleston AFB was the first in the nation to recieve the C-17 transport back in the 1990's. I was very proud of them back then, but not more so than now.
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