Air Force Special Operations Command crews from the 347th Rescue Wing, headquartered Moody AFB, Ga., had picked up 221 stranded Hurricane Katrina survivors as of Aug. 31, the Air Force confirmed Thursday in a statement. That is the latest date for which comprehensive data are available. Operating from the Jackson-Evers International Airport in Mississippi, the AFSOC wing sent in 14 HH-60G Pave Hawks (including nine from its units at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., and Nellis AFB, Nev.), aircrews, pararescuemen, and maintainers.
The U.S. conducted a drone strike in Iraq on Dec. 3, as the American troops there continue to be targeted by Iranian-backed militants. The strike took place near Kirkuk as the militants were preparing to attack U.S. troops in northern Iraq, a U.S. official told Air & Space Forces Magazine.…