The Air Force saw their last active duty C-130H Hercules cargo aircraft assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron depart Yokota, Japan on October 16th. The squadron is transitioning to newer C-130J models.
“It’s sad to see it go,” said Lt. Col. John Kerr, shortly before he took the controls of the old Herc for a long flight to Montana. Like the other H-models, the plane will take on new jobs for the Air National Guard.
Before the plane lifted off, Col. Kevin Wade — a C-130 pilot and commander of the 515th Air Mobility Operations Group — told members of the 36th that new planes won’t mean a change of culture.
“Your blood and sweat stopped genocide in East Timor, it relieved flood and earthquake victims in places such as Malaysia, Nepal and Japan,” he said. – Stars and Stripes
Featured image of a C-130H aircraft preparing to take off for a nighttime mission in support of Operation Damayan at Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines by US Air Force
