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Six B-52H Stratofortresses from the 23rd Bomb Squadron as well as approximately 300 support personnel returned from Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar throughout the week of Sept. 17, 2021
Referred to as the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron while deployed, their objective was to provide strategic-bomber support to U.S. allies and partners during the drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
“Once again, the B-52 proved itself one of the U.S. Air Force’s most versatile and reliable weapons systems”, said Lt. Col. Michael Middents, 23rd Bomb Squadron commander. “Our crews regularly stepped out of their traditional roles to enable the joint mission.”
Middents said that one of the top priorities for the B-52 crews supporting USCENTCOM, flying top cover for U.S. and coalition ground forces in Afghanistan supporting the Department of State – led evacuation of U.S. citizens and Afghan evacuees.
“As Coalition capabilities decreased in Afghanistan, our crews offered armed overwatch, striking close air support targets, but also provided intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as well as a beyond line of sight communications bridge to the Combined Air Operations Center for other airborne assets,” said Middents. “These crews met the commander’s intent every time they were called upon.”
During the deployment, the 23rd EBS provided on-call firepower support to urgent aeromedical evacuation operations and to the final U.S. forces departing Afghanistan. Aircrews and supporting ground personnel enabled over 16 hours of close-air support with more than 20 engagements in support of ground-force objectives, with a max-duration sortie lasting over 22 hours.
“While airborne, they enabled over 123,000 people to evacuate from Afghanistan,” said Middents.
With evacuees flowing steadily out of Afghanistan, mission support looked uniquely different from the typical bomber deployments many 5th BW Airmen supported in the past.
“Many of our crews voluntarily landed from combat sorties and immediately ran over to support the refugee effort at Al Udeid Air Base,” Middents said. “I’m incredibly proud of this team, if there’s such a thing as a standard combat deployment, this wasn’t it. The team essentially supported two major missions in the forms of the Coalition withdrawal and the non-combatant evacuation operation.”
According to Middents, the 5th BW personnel at Al Udeid helped support the care of over 55,000 of the very same evacuees they covered from the sky.
The deployment serves as a stark reminder for those who served in the early days of Operations Enduring Freedom.
B-52’s first deployed to Diego Garcia in late 2001 to support OEF ground missions, which commenced in October 2001.
According to Air Force historical records, air support provided by the B-52’s in November 2001 enabled U.S. backed Northern Alliance forces to capture Kabul, as well as securing the small air field which would grow to Bagram Air Base.
During 2002, the 5th Bomb Wing supported three deployments, providing an enduring bomber presence during Operation Anaconda.
With B-52s supporting the beginning of OEF ground operations and the U.S. draw down and evacuation of Kabul, the 5th Bomb Wing book ended the operations in Afghanistan
| Date Taken: | 09.17.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 09.22.2021 13:38 |
| Story ID: | 405786 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 131 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Warbird Airmen Return From Historic Deployment, by SrA Jesse Jenny, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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