Several veteran C-130s from Ramstein AB, Germany, made a quick stop—only four minutes on the ground—at a dirt landing strip in central Africa, deploying soldiers to provide training for African forces supporting the war on terror. It was a test of joint operations to reach into sub-Saharan Africa for the new Africa Command. And, according to Capt. Justin Brumley, 37th Airlift Squadron pilot, the mission “would test the C-130’s capabilities to its fullest.” The 37th AS and 38th AS utilized E-model Hercules and crews that had been flying tactical airlift missions for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Ramstein report by 1st Lt. Matthew Wunderlich)
For weeks, Operation Epic Fury showcased the breathtaking reach, precision, and persistence of American air and space power: more than 13,000 combat sorties and more than 12,300 targets struck by April 1. But numbers do not tell the most important story. What is truly important is what happened on April…