Local Reserve fighters deploy to Hawaii

Senior Airman Juan Martinez throws a bag to Tech. Sgt. Joseph Currence wile loading a truck in the A-10 Hangar at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., July 6, 2012. Both Airmen are assigned to the 917th Fighter Group. Airmen from the 917 FG are left Barksdale to take part in RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific), which is the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jeff Walston/Released)

Local Reserve fighters deploy to Hawaii

Members of the 917th Fighter Group load a bus outside the A-10 Hangar at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., July 6, 2012, for transportation to the flight line. They will board a military aircraft straight to Hawaii to participate in RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific), which is the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jeff Walston/Released)

Local Reserve fighters deploy to Hawaii

Published July 11, 2012
By John Prime
Shreveport Times

Barksdale Air Force Base, La. -- A-10s from the 917th Fighter Group at Barksdale Air Force Base have left for Hawaii to be in an international exercise that will continue into early August.

Late last week, seven fighters in its 47th Fighter Squadron left to link up with three other Warthogs in Arizona, to head to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to be in RIMPAC 2012, an exercise that involves ships, planes and 25,000 personnel from 22 nations.

The trip will afford group and squadron personnel to mark a unique historic tie to Hawaii. Pilots from the 47th's ancestor unit, the 47th Pursuit Squadron, were among the few to claw their way into the air on Dec. 7, 1941, to take on Japanese attacking Pearl Harbor. Several managed to down enemy airplanes and one, 2nd Lt. John Dains, was killed by friendly fire.

"I have an indescribable sense of pride that the 47th is getting another opportunity to deploy in an exercise where our heritage began," said Col. John Breazeale, the 917th's commander. "We will fly out of all the areas the 47th originally stood up and trained and defended the island. It's a unique opportunity a lot of people don't get."
The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC is designed to help ensure the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. Held every two years, it began June 29 and will end Aug. 3.

The year's showing will feature the first demonstration of a U.S. Navy "Great Green Fleet," during which U.S. surface combatants and carrier-based aircraft will test, evaluate and demonstrate the use of biofuels for both ships and airplanes.