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Northwest airmen soldiers aiding in Libya operation

A C-17 Globemaster sits on the tarmac with Mt. Rainier in the distance at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Lakewood.
Biggunben
/
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A C-17 Globemaster sits on the tarmac with Mt. Rainier in the distance at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Lakewood.

Some Air Force and Army bases in the Northwest are helping with the Libyan fight. Seven tankers and about 100 airmen from Fairchild Air Force Base are already working in undisclosed locations in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn.

The tankers and crews are helping to refuel airplanes working in Libyan airspace. Fighters, bombers and recon aircraft all refuel from these Boeing 707-like tankers.

Colonel Paul Guemmer from Fairchild says some of his crew had about 24 hours notice before they left town:

"I couldn't be more proud of how efficiently and effectively we got out of town. I even had one of my maintainers who was getting married the day that he deployed. He got married, then showed up, got on an airplane and left."

Also, ready to help in the fight, massive C-17 cargo planes are on standby at Joint Base Lewis McChord.

Anna King calls Richland, Washington home and loves unearthing great stories about people in the Northwest. She reports for the Northwest News Network from a studio at Washington State University, Tri-Cities. She covers the Mid-Columbia region, from nuclear reactors to Mexican rodeos.