Heritage flight, 120,000 pounds of cargo delivered

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jonathon Carnell
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The 22nd Airlift Squadron from Travis Air Force Base, California, and the 312th AS partnered to load and deliver 120,000 pounds of cargo from Joint Base Lewis-McChord AFB, Washington, to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, March 31 to April 2.

The cargo mission provided an opportunity for 12 aircrew members and two flying crew chiefs to enhance their capabilities for the Air Mobility Command mission.

“The equipment shipped will be assisting training programs for units at Hickam,” said Capt. Heather Denny, 22nd Airlift Squadron instructor pilot and aircraft commander. “When we get to fill a C-5 with as much as we did for this mission, we challenge our aircrew.”

Three Air Force Reserve loadmasters assigned to the 312th Airlift Squadron accompanied the 22nd AS and loaded the C-5M Super Galaxy with 18 industrial-sized containers that nearly filled the cargo bay of the aircraft.

Denny explained how this mission was unique compared to others.

“When the C-5M Galaxy was first introduced to the Air Force (1970), I doubt there were enough female aircrew members to meet the flight requirements to complete a mission,” said Master Sgt. Kristen Lewis, 312th AS instructor loadmaster. “Today, though, we can man this aircraft and train our younger airmen who will carry on and further our legacy of being female aviators.”

Denny further explained just how rare it is to have an all-female crew and what the experience meant to her.

“I’ve been in the squadron for four years and I’ve never been part of an all-female crew before,” said Denny. “This is a mission I will remember for the rest of my life.”