Wing members return from deployment to Djibouti

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Edward Eagerton
  • 176th Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Approximately 16 members of the Alaska Air National Guard's 176th Wing returned here June 12, after a four-month deployment to the Horn of Africa in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The Guardsmen from the 210th Rescue Squadron, 211th Rescue Squadron, 176th Operations Group and the 176th Logistics Readiness Squadron deployed in January to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti as part of 81st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron.

Their primary mission there was to provide a personnel-recover force for the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa mission.

Along with personnel from the 176th Wing, the deployed unit took with them several HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters which belong to the 210th Rescue Squadron. The primary mission of the HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters is to conduct day or night personnel recovery operations in hostile environments to recover isolated personnel during war. The HH-60 is also tasked to perform military operations other than war, including civil search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster response, and humanitarian assistance.

Also deployed with the rescue personnel and aircraft were a host of maintenance and support personnel to provide support for the mission.