Mission continues despite Mother Nature's fury

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jason Lake
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Three C-130 Hercules aircraft were evacuated from Yokota Air Base to Kadena just hours before Typhoon Roke struck mainland Japan Sept. 21. The typhoon, which stopped short of hitting Okinawa days earlier, strengthened before heading north -- triggering the evacuation of the aircraft and aircrew.

Each year Kadena aircraft are forced to evacuate to other Pacific Air Forces bases due to frequent typhoons, but this time around the roles were reversed as the 18th Operations Group, 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron and 733rd Air Mobility Squadron welcomed temporary visitors.

The 733rd AMS was notified that three C-130's were in-bound to Kadena and immediate attention was taken to provide ramp space, cargo download capability, and establish command and control capabilities with the aircraft via the 733rd Air Mobility Command Center," said Capt. Benjamin Seedall, 733rd AMCC flight commander. "Upon arrival, the C-130's received fleet servicing and crews were offered billeting through Air Mobility Command's Prime Knight program. Upon departure back to Yokota, the C-130s assisted operations with the movement of 11 passengers, and 81 pounds of registered mail. We were privileged to offer them support during Typhoon Roke and execute their safe recovery by the book with combat focus."

Col. David Nahom, 18th Operations Group commander, said Team Kadena has vast experience receiving and bedding down Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force aircraft from various locations within Pacific Command for training as well as real-world emergencies.

"This situation was just another example of the great teamwork between Kadena Airmen and our Pacific partners," Nahom said. "Typhoons can't stop operations. Our mission to defend Japan and provide security in the Pacific region continues. Sometimes we just have to move aircraft to alternate locations."

Earlier this week, then Tropical Storm Roke threatened to strike Okinawa as it approached from the southeast, but stalled just short of hitting the island. At the same time, the storm mushroomed and gathered strength before heading toward mainland Japan as a moderate strength typhoon.

According to 1st Lt. Kimberly Bracken, Yokota's weather flight commander, Typhoon Roke was the strongest storm of the season to hit the base with wind gusts of 57 knots (approximately 65 mph). On Sept. 22, 374th Civil Engineer Squadron worked feverishly to restore power to various parts of the base.

While the lieutenant said Yokota received only five inches of rain, local Japanese news stations reported that more than five people were killed throughout mainland Japan due to heavy rainfall and landslides.

Typhoon Roke would have been Okinawa's fourth storm this year. In late May, Typhoon Songda battered Okinawa with record-setting wind gusts in excess of 136 knots (approx. 156 mph) before weather sensors broke down.

Amazingly, 18th Civil Engineer Group officials said damage to U.S. military installations on Okinawa were estimated at $1.8 million -- nearly half the damage caused by another typhoon this year, Typhoon Muifa, which hovered over Okinawa for three days in early August. Typhoon Muifa clocked only 84-knot winds (approx. 96 mph), but drenched the island with more than 40 inches of rain that caused more than $3 million in estimated damage to Kadena and other U.S. installations on-island.

Tropical Storm Maeri also passed near Okinawa in June with wind gusts of 50 knots (approx. 57 mph).