Airman reunites, delivers humanitarian supplies to family in American Samoa

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Mike Meares
  • 15th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii --  What started out as a normal Hawaiian day for Senior Airman Danny Hollister, quickly turned to one of uncertainty, anxiety and fear. Then images of pending doom quickly flooded his mind as he got word his family and friends were fleeing to high ground in American Samoa bracing for the impact of a tsunami. 

An earthquake Sept. 29, initially measuring 8.3 on the Richter scale, triggered a tsunami that reportedly claimed nearly 200 lives, leaving thousands homeless. Airman Hollister, from Ili'ili, American Samoa, set his mind to figuring out how to get to his parents and sisters. 

After many attempts to call, he hadn't heard from his family. His uncle lived on the coastline. 

"I was worried on Tuesday," he said, remembering the helpless morning the wall of water slammed into the islands. "I didn't want to watch the news and see the death toll." 

Once he heard Hickam aircraft were planning to deliver humanitarian relief in airlift missions bound for American Samoa, the Air Force loadmaster wanted to make sure he was on one of those C-17s. He was immediately put on crew rest for the mission. 

"I wanted to get down there as quickly as possible, but I know I have a job to do too," he said. "I wanted to load the jet to get there safely." 

Hickam Airmen jumped into action and started planning and preparing supplies, equipment and identifying personnel to deploy to the devastated shores of Pago Pago, American Samoa. Airman Hollister's mission finally got off the ground in the early morning hours of Sept. 30 with vehicles, passengers, a medical team and supplies. 

Like many of the islands littering the South Pacific, American Samoa has a unique personality. According to Airman Hollister, though it is a small island, the family oriented culture makes an already small island even smaller. Everyone knows someone. The entire flight, he busied himself checking the load to try and keep his mind off his family.
As the sun started its accent into the eastern sky, the C-17 Globemaster III Airman Hollister was on landed on an airstrip that was immediately cleaned and prepared for the arrival of aircraft carrying equipment, supplies and people. Airman Hollister stepped off the ramp of the C-17 while marshaling a vehicle and looked over his shoulder at a gaggle of people pressed against a fence, cheering and waving their arrival. 

"I looked over near a fence line at people waving and saw mom, dad and my sisters waving," he said through watery eyes, recalling their first sight. "I was relieved, but I still had to get this jet unloaded." 

"I wanted to make sure this (humanitarian supplies and equipment) got to the American Samoan people." 

Once the aircraft was unloaded, he started helping the rest of the crew clean up when Australian Air Force Flight Sgt. Dave Pyatt, an E-8 equivalent, gave him some very specific instructions. 

"He told me to 'go and see my family,"' he said, recalling his hesitation to about leaving the crew to pick up his slack. "I wanted to help finish, but I also wanted to see my family. He was cool about it and told me to go." 

So he ran to his family. 

"I'm not going to lie, I broke down and cried," he said after their long embrace. "I was just so happy to see they were okay." 

Over a tuna sandwich in the airport terminal, they talked about their experiences with the earthquake and the tsunami. He found out his uncle was doing fine and there was minor damage to the house he was in. His parents told him as soon as they felt the earthquake, they jumped in their car and headed for the mountains. They had a bad feeling it would be bad. 

"I know families that weren't as lucky as mine," he said. "They are pretty much homeless." 

His girlfriend, who is in U.S. Army basic training, lost her aunt during the wave.
After a couple of hours with his family, he was told, "when the engines start, that's your cue -- time to go." 

Airman Hollister has made a few trips delivering much needed supplies to American Samoa. During his off time, he checks the news channels and the social media site to view the images coming out of the clean-up of his home. 

"When I look at pictures, I think, 'Man, I used to walk that street all the time. It's hard to believe." 

"We're pretty laid back on the island," he said. "If something bad happens, helps comes from everywhere. You meet aunts and uncles you've never met." 

Though the threat of hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis remain a constant worry for the islanders, Airman Hollister believes the blood of their families and friends runs thicker than water. 

"I believe after all this is said and done, families will salvage what they can, rebuild, and hope for the best."