Today started off pretty well routine, just like all the other days here in Galena.  Get up, get my coffee, go to breakfast, untie my helicopter, then wait for a flight.  I heard something big coming down the runway that was just landing.  Check this out…a Boeing C-17 big airplane. 

The Alaska Air Guard had come to town.  Galena’s airport used to be an Air Force base with a runway long enough for

C-5 Galaxies to take-off and land.  Back in the days of the Cold War this was a highly strategic small airfield that housed a squadron of fighter jets and all the personnel that supported them.  Anyway, I’m getting sidetracked.

This large aircraft with its full complement of officers and airmen and women were here as part of an Alaska public relations flight.  The aircraft landed and the crew went to work unloading the trucks and trailers that were carried with them.  Gazebo’s and tables were set up explaining the roll of the Guard in case of disaster or emergency.  Everything was very professional as you would expect out of our military.

The local citizens were invited to come out and look around, both outside and in the aircraft.  I took my turn and checked it out along with everyone else.  It was really cool!

Like I said earlier, this plane is big.  I walked all around just taking in the size of it.  This is a high wing aircraft with four engines.  Each one of those engines are bigger than my helicopter.  There’s a door and ramp at the rear that open hydraulically to allow equipment to be driven in and out of the cargo bay.  The payload is well over 100,000 pounds and the aircraft can transport an M1 Abrams tank.  This bird is huge!

After walking around the cargo bay, I took my turn climbing the stairs up to the cockpit.  This is only spot that I couldn’t get very good pictures.  There were just too many wide-eyed youngsters up top, checking out everything possible.  That’s okay with me, I’m glad they enjoyed it.

I was amazed at how young all the crewmen were, then it dawned on me that during my time in the Navy, myself and all my fellow crewmen were in the same age range as these kids.  Kind of makes me feel old.  Everyone involved was professional and courteous, just what you would expect from the most professional military on earth. 

This was a good day.  Remembering that two days ago was Memorial Day, I would like to publicly thank these young men and women who willingly putting themselves in harm’s way to protect this great land of ours.  Whatever your politics (and I’m not going to go there) I hope we can agree that these young men and women deserve our thanks and respect for the dangerous position they put themselves in every day for us.

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