Pope Air Force Base
In June 1971, the 40th began preparations for the 317th Troop Carrier Wing’s move-this time to Pope Air Force Base. At Pope, the Squadron met rejoined the 41st which had just returned from six years in Southeast Asia. As part of the move from Lockbourne, the Squadron shed all of its personnel and aircraft, and moved only its flag and lineage to its new home, where it acquired the personnel and aircraft of the recently deactivated 435th Troop Carrier Squadron. The move to Pope AFB brought some mission changes as well. The Squadron lost its obligation as a Replacement Training Unit, but gained the Adverse Weather Aerial Delivery System (AWADS) mission. Previously, C-130 squadrons at several bases had AWADS, but it was gradually consolidated into the three squadrons at Pope. The 40th also gained a rotational commitment to Southeast Asia in addition to its regular rotations to Europe and Panama. It soon became common for crews to spend ninety days in Germany, come home for a few weeks, deploy to Panama for six weeks, come home again for a short rest, then depart for the Pacific.
Read more about this topic: 40th Airlift Squadron
Famous quotes containing the words pope, air, force and/or base:
“From pride, from pride, our very reas’ning springs;
Account for moral, as for nat’ral things:
Why charge we Heav’n in those, in these acquit?
In both, to reason right is to submit.”
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744)
“But not luck
brought us here. By design
clear air and cold wind polish
the river lights, by design
we are to live now in a new place.”
—Denise Levertov (b. 1923)
“If you would feel the full force of a tempest, take up your residence on the top of Mount Washington, or at the Highland Light, in Truro.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Who is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak, for him have I offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a Roman? If any, speak, for him have I offended. Who is here so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak, for him have I offended.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)