Last C-141 OIF mission Published Jan. 12, 2006 By Maj. Ted Theopolos 445th Airlift Wing WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio -- “I don’t want anyone to treat this mission different than any other mission we’ve done in the past,” said Lt. Col. Tim Baldwin. The colonel was the aircraft commander for the last C-141 aeromedical mission flying out of Wright-Patt on Sept. 26. This mission will conclude the C-141 role in Operational Iraqi Freedom and starts the deactivation of Air Force Reserve aircrew and maintenance assigned to the wing. “I think the fear of jinxing the mission or implying this mission carried a greater significance than the hundred of aeromedical evacuation mission were done over the last couple of years was wrong,” said the colonel. Col. Baldwin continued on with the inbrief by having Intel give its last report of what’s going on. The colonel thanked Master Sgt. Mark Sanders from Intel for the briefing and for all their support for the last couple of years. Aircrews soon finished up and headed out to aircraft 0132 for the last flight. Before taking off several reservists were interviewed by local media about the last C-141 aeromedical OIF mission. “It’s like your favorite car", said loadmaster Senior Master Sgt. Ricky Smith, to a reporter referring to the C-141. "You hate to get rid of it.” The mission was soon on its way to the first stop at Dover AFB, Del., where eight pallets of war fighting material were loaded including a jet engine. After the loading the crew had a good meal before embarking on the long eight-hour flight to Germany. During the flight over, Col. Baldwin had time to reflect on flying the C-141. “In reality, I’ve greatly enjoyed flying the C-141. The vast missions that the aircraft performed and the variety of places it took me. But mostly the people, the crews I worked with, the passengers and troops we carried and the world of people I met once we landed.” At Germany the aircrew quickly unloaded the aircraft and headed for their rooms for needed shut eye. Just two rows down was a C-17 from Jacksonville, Miss., that is going to take over the mission once the C-141 leaves that Friday. The next day’s mission started around 1:00 p.m. with wheels up headed for Iraq before dinner time. The aircraft was fully loaded and with all available seats taken. There where seven pallets weighing 37,350 lbs., along with seven aeromedical crew from the 791st EAES and three critical care air transport teams or CCATT and their equipment. After several hours of flying, the aircraft landed under the cover of darkness at Balad Air Base, Iraq . Loadmasters quickly unsecured the pallets to quickly upload them on a 60K loader. Before all the cargo was off the aircraft the medical crew started reconfiguring the aircraft for an aeromedical evacuation flight. Stanchions were put up, oxygen lines drawn, medical equipment set; the medical crew reviewed the medical paper work for the patients ready to board. Under some what cool night for Iraq with clear skies three ambulance buses or better known as ambus backed up to the rear of the aircraft directed by Sgt. Smith. Two buses had litter patients and the other with ambulatory patients. Twenty-four litters and 23 ambulatory patients were loaded on the aircraft with three attendees. One of the litter patients was in critical care and was monitored by one of the CCATT we transported down here. Before the crack of dawn, the C-141 was back in the sky headed for Germany. All eyes on the flight deck watched out the window for anything on take-off that might be a threat to the aircraft. A tense moment for all on board until a safe altitude was reached. With aircraft safely headed back to Europe, Tech. Sgt. Monty Monteau, flight engineer reflected on the mission. “As I think about the time I’ve spent on the C-141 it's not that the aircraft is going away, it’s that the people I flew with are going away,” said Sgt. Monteau. “ Alot of the C-141 crew members are retiring with the airframe and I think of it as losing two finds instead of just one.” “This being the last of the combat flights gives me time to reflect on how the C-141 has seen me through some pretty tough times and always brought me home safely,” said the sergeant. After a nights work, the aircraft landed back at Ramstein at 7:40 a.m. The patients were unloaded onto waiting ambuses to take them to Landstuhl Medical Regional Center. The crew exhausted from the nights flight, boarded a bus and headed to billeting for a long nap. That evening there was a picnic for all members at Ramstein to come and celebrate the last successful mission out of Iraq. The following day started early with a ceremony by the 435th Air Base Wing thanking us for our service. Col. Brian Dominguez, 445th AW vice commander was there to represented the wing. “This is an emotional day for our crew as we fly our last live aeromedical mission over the Atlantic in the C-141,” said Col. Dominguez. “On many levels, the aeromed mission has been extremely rewarding for all of us. As is the case in any successful operation of this magnitude, it really takes a committed team working together to pull this off – and that’s exactly what we had here at Ramstein.” The colonel went on to thank each organization for their support including the mayor of Ramstein and Col. Rod Zastrow, 435th Air Base Wing, vice commander. Shortly after the ceremony the C-141 taxied out toward the runway as two 60K loaders bowed to the aircraft as though thanking it for its service. The airframe rolled threw a rainbow arch of water spread by a water canon of two fire trucks as the aircraft rolled onto the runway one last time. On the aircraft heading back to the states was 17 litters and 18 ambulatory patients. The mission was not complete yet. Three of the litter patients were monitored by a CCATT because they all were on ventilators. Two members from the 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron were on the flight heading back home. Tech. Sgt. Terry Kennedy, flight medical technician, reflected on here service aboard the C-141 aircraft. “Looking around the plane on this last AE mission from Ramstein, I wondered where the past 15 years had gone,” said Sgt. Kennedy. “The plane and I are both a little older now and both a little more worn out at the end of the day but still fit together like old friends. I realized what I truly will miss are the men and women of the 89th AS and 356th AS. They are our friends and became our family on this old bird.” After dropping off patients at Andrews AFB, Md., the aircraft continued on to Wright-Patt. Once on the ground, the crew was glad the mission was over and back home, but a little teary eyed that the C-141 war time mission had come to a close.