361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron ends their mission in RC-South

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Whitney Houston | Col. Rhude Cherry (left), Master Sgt. Illyas M. Asaddullah, and Lt. Col. James Mansard (right), fold the colors of the 361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron on Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Sept.1, 2014. The ceremony marked the end of four years of intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance flights throughout Regional Command-South.  

AFGHANISTAN

09.03.2014

Story by Staff Sgt. Whitney Houston 

ISAF Regional Command South

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - A group of Airmen chatted quietly in their seats between two symmetrically positioned MC-12W Liberty aircraft in a hangar at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. The Airmen waited in the center of the nicely arranged presentation of chairs and aerial vehicles for their unit’s last flight, or “sortie,” to land so their end of mission ceremony could begin.


Lt. Col. James Mansard, commander of the 361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron Ravens, 451st Air Expeditionary Group, flew the unit’s last intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission in Regional Command-South before their colors were cased Sept. 1, 2014. When the final flight arrived, Mansard was greeted with applause from his squadron, and the ceremony began with a short history of the unit.

“The 361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, was created in response to an ISR requirement shortfall in the skies over Afghanistan,” said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Gerald Haynes, who serves as a sensor operator with the 361st, and was master of ceremonies for the event. “The MC-12W was developed under the Project Liberty program, and executes its combat role using the highly modified Beechcraft 350 aircraft. It was also the fastest aircraft acquisition program since the P-51 Mustang development during World War II.”

Haynes explained that the unit has been flying ISR missions in Afghanistan since March 2010. After his brief review of the unit’s history, he reviewed some statistics and accomplishments, demonstrating the effectiveness of the 361st.

“I know that you’ve all been busy, and everyone has performed magnificently. What a great mission you guys have performed the last couple of years,” said Col. Rhude Cherry, commander of the 451st Air Expeditionary Group. “You’ve flown over 25,000 sorties, flown 125,000 hours…That amounts to 57,000 kilometers of routes scanned, 700 convoys, 190 vehicle interdictions, 150 drug interdictions, 320 weapons caches, and most importantly you’ve removed 890 enemy off of the battlefield.”

After Cherry’s comments, Mansard took the stand to share his sentiments of his unit’s accomplishments, and highlight a few Airmens’ efforts, as well as those who had died while serving their country.

“I want to take a moment to recognize four Airmen who are only here in spirit,” Mansard said. “Capt. Brandon Cyr, Capt. Reed Nishizuka, Staff Sgt. Daniel Fannin, and Staff Sgt. Richard Dickson. These are fellow Ravens that paid the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of their country. We are proud to call them teammates, friends, and Ravens.”

Mansard explained that the 361st was a very unique squadron that was pulled from over 23 bases to fill the gap and keep Service members safe on the ground.

The 361st is one of three ERS Air Force units that have been cycling through six-month rotations for the past four years to provide IRS commanders in RC-South with mission-essential information. Since World War II, the 361st has been called upon many times to fly in support of U.S. military operations around the world.

“This squadron was first activated in 1943 during World War II flying B17’s, which changed to B24’s later on in the war. It was shortly after deactivated when the war ended,” Cherry said. “It was reactivated in Vietnam and the unit was flying EC-47’s, and again it was deactivated. Then it was reactivated for this special mission. So these colors will be unfurled again, we just don’t know when or where. This squadron seems to have a life that continues on.”

When the discourses were finished, a formal casing of the 361st’s colors marked the unit’s end of mission, and a time of inactivation until called upon again to meet the call of duty as they have in times past.

• Date Taken: 09.03.2014
• Date Posted: 09.03.2014 08:20
• Story ID: 141007
• Location: AF
• Hometown: FORT CAVAZOS, TX, US
• Hometown: MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, NJ, US
• Hometown: NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, NV, US