Airmen of mercy

Airman, March, 2005 by Orville F. Desjarlais, Jr.

Tsunami brought in killer waves, death and destruction. It also clawed at the hearts and minds of the U.S. military who volunteered aid in the aftermath.

It was strange how death visited Sri Lanka the day after Christmas. It came with the tide, early in the morning, when children played with gifts, when men were either fishing or mending their nets to fish the next day. Women went about their daily chores. Those without jobs husked coconuts and sold them like soda.

As usual, a sea breeze blew through the palm trees and exotic birds whistled high-pitched tunes. Except, this morning was different. There were no elephants. The lack of animal carcasses after the disaster indicated they knew something was amiss. Some say the animals heard death rumbling across the ocean.

It arrived in a series of waves, called a tsunami. At around 7:30 a.m., deep underwater, two tectonic plates shifted just north of Simeulue Island, off the western coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The India plate dove under the Burma plate some 50 feet, causing a fault line 750 miles long. The magnitude 9.0 earthquake, the largest recorded since the Good Friday earthquake off Alaska in 1964, triggered a series of 2-foot waves that traveled more than 250 mph.

The waves swelled 20 to 30 feet as they rumbled across 12 different countries' shores in the worst recorded tsunami in history. A 1703 100,000 people was the previous record holder

By midmorning, an estimated 165,000 to 234,000 people died in Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia and Indonesia. The killer waves prayed on the young and elderly. United Nation's Children Fund officials estimate between 70,000 and 80,000 children were killed. About 30 percent of all casualties were elderly. Because many of the bodies were swept out to sea, the true death toll may never be known.

"The carnage is of a scale that defies comprehension," said President George W. Bush on New Year's day. "As the people of this devastated region struggle to recover, we offer our love and compassion, and our assurance that America will be there to help."

Help came in the way of $350 million in relief assistance and the U.S. military. As of Feb. 25, the Air Force had delivered 20 million pounds of relief supplies and equipment using helicopters, cargo and tanker aircraft. Kadena Air Base, Japan, and Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, deployed the bulk of Airmen who joined more than 11,500 military members across the region in Operation Unified Assistance. Yokota Air Base, Japan, and the U.S. Coast Guard supplied most of the C-130 cargo airlift.

The Navy delivered supplies in ship-to-shore operations that eliminated the need to use damaged or overcrowded airfields. The Marines helped clear debris and purify water in wells contaminated by salt water.

About midway through the deployment, Airman 1st Class Emily Starcher said, "It was a tremendous feeling to know we're playing a part in helping people put their lives back together."

"I feel proud to be a part of this mission. We're making a difference," said the HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter flight engineer with the 33rd Rescue Squadron based at Kadena.

Edward Fox, a Senior U.S. Agency for International Development official, said, "The thing that distinguishes the United States from the rest of the world is its military, especially the Air Force and its airlift capability."

He also said the helicopters were worth their weight in gold. But, you didn't have to tell that to Maj. Doug Hiestand, a 33rd Rescue Squadron HH-60 helicopter pilot and assistant operations officer during the operation.

He and the rest of his squadron helped feed and supply more than a million people left homeless on Sri Lanka's eastern and southern coasts. Those affected were in temporary shelters provided by local government officials, but the camps were difficult to get to because of washed out bridges and roads. Debris covered many roads, making them impassable. In many cases, helicopters were the only means by which to bring doctors, medicine, food and supplies to the camps.

One day, about three weeks after the disaster, the major landed in a clearing near the village of Dampula, located in central Sri Lanka. The villagers loaded the helicopter with vegetables and salt and he hauled his precious load to Ampara, located close to the worst struck eastern area.

"I feel good about what I'm doing, but I just wish I could do more," he said when he landed at the end of the day.

It was a feeling shared by many who took part in the largest humanitarian relief effort since the Berlin Airlift. But they did what they could, and they did it proudly, according to Col. Mark Schissler. The 374th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, co-located with the combined Support Force 536 at Utapoa, Thailand, said most Airmen wore American flags on their sleeves.

"The people there knew [the American flag] represented capability," he said. "We were proud to be there and represent America in a region where people needed help. We are a reliable partner when trouble comes their way."