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Taskmasters Fly to Record

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS030606-15 Release Date: 6/8/2003 2:31:00 PM

By Senior Chief Journalist (SW) Doug Hummel, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove Public Affairs

WILLOW GROVE, Pa. (NNS) -- Peacetime or wartime, the tasking of a fleet logistics support squadron remains the same: to fly missions carrying military personnel, cargo and equipment to support combat operations at sea and overseas.

But during wartime, the need and the requirements for their missions greatly increases. Because of those increases, Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 52, stationed here, accumulated 719.2 flight hours during April to set the record for number of flight hours flown in a month by a C-9 squadron assigned to Commander, Fleet Logistics Support Wing.

The Taskmasters and their five planes didn't spend much time at their home base during April. Planes and support crews were deployed to the Mediterranean, the United Arab Emirates and California, providing assistance for units and personnel involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Aviation Structural Mechanic 2nd Class (AW) Jermaine M. Francis, an air framer and plane captain who was a member of the Mediterranean crew that deployed to Sigonella, Sicily, said that being deployed to support the war made him feel like he was really making a difference.

"It was awesome to see what it's really like over there," said Francis. "When you go on a deployment, you actually see what we're doing. We're carrying passengers, troops, cargo - we even brought back a couple of SCUD missiles. That made me feel real proud to know that our work actually meant something."

Francis and the rest of the Mediterranean crew worked 13-18 hours a day to support USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) Battle Group operations, by flying back and forth between Sigonella and Cyprus.

"The hours didn't mean anything to me. Just getting up every day and knowing that you were a cornerstone in the war was exciting," said Francis. "All the guys get along and work together very well. Once you get going and start working in sync, you don't even realize that time is flying by. Before you know it, it's time to go home."

Using all the squadron's personnel assets and having them work together as a team were key to VR-52 earning this record.

"That's the big word - team. We can't do our mission without everyone working together," said Lt. Joe Byers, VR-52's maintenance material control officer. "That's been a major factor with all the flight hours we've been doing, and the airplanes we've had to maintain."

The squadron takes great pride in the fact that they maintain their over 30-year-old aircraft to the level of having less than 10 discrepancies per plane, said Byers. "That in itself, and flying that many flight hours is tough. You can't single that out to one person, because it's everybody doing their job and doing it very well."

The Taskmasters, just as their name indicates, are far from taking the rest of the year off. They continue to meet missions by providing planes and support crews to Sigonella, South America, and Atsugi, Japan, or anywhere else they might be assigned.