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CROME 46 crew averts crisis with Congressmen on board

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Chris Hoyler
  • 43rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  C-130s flown by both U.S. and Iraqi pilots come in and out of Baghdad International Airport numerous times a day.

According to Capt. Kay Sipe, the threat to air operations at the airport is one of the highest in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and as an intelligence officer in support of the mission she said there has been an increase in surface-to-air threats to mobility aircraft over the past year.

Nevertheless, aircrews still transport troops and supplies in support of rapid-deployment missions every day. They also fly distinguished visitors coming through Iraq's largest airport. On the night of Aug. 30, 2007, the crew of Pope's CROME 46 had the honor of transporting three U.S. Senators and a Congressman to Amman, Jordan.

The crew flawlessly evaded surface-to-air rocket fire just five minutes into the flight, and for their accomplishments they were awarded Air Mobility Command's 2007 Field of Aeronautics and Astronautics Aviator Valor Award.

The award is given for a conspicuous act of courage or valor performed during aerial flight during either combat or noncombat.

The crew, led by Maj. Paul Pepe, was carrying Sens. Mel Martinez, Richard Shelby, James Inhofe and Rep. Bud Cramer. They began their ascent out of the airport and reached an approximate altitude of 5,000 feet when 1st Lt. Robert Davidson, the navigator, spotted three separate but coordinated rockets fired at the aircraft.

"We train for this individually, but we all receive the same training," Lieutenant Davidson said. "Anytime we descend into or climb out of an airfield in the Area of Responsibility, the entire crew scans for enemy threats, then alerts the crew with standard and practiced phraseology."

On this day, Lieutenant Davidson directed the crew to perform immediate maneuvers to avoid the rockets and each of the members began executing the individual measures they were trained on.

Major Pepe and his copilot, 1st Lt. Robert Gillis, had to quickly maneuver the aircraft to defeat the initial shot.

Lieutenants Gillis and Davidson then coordinated with Staff Sgt. Adam Monroy, one of the two loadmasters, to visually acquire the location of the second and third shots and call out threat maneuvers for Major Pepe to execute with the aircraft.

The final piece of work to finish the avoidance of the threat was for Lieutenant Davidson to plan an escape route as the standing co-pilot, Capt. Kaly Godfrey, and loadmasters Sergeant Monroy and Staff Sgt. Kyle Anderson kept their sights on the ground for any further attacks.

Throughout the incident, Staff Sgt. Charles Jones, the flight engineer, monitored the aircraft's performance, and Capt. Jessica Kehren, the flight surgeon, ensured all passengers were safe and secure.

"I was very impressed with the coordination of our crew throughout the attacks," Captain Godfrey said. "From the moment our navigator, Lieutenant Davidson, identified the first attack our crew members each performed their own duties and worked together as a unit to defeat the threat.

"Each crew member is trained at Pope on their unique responsibilities, but we also practice reacting to threats together as a crew."

"Although the Senators were quickly transported away upon arrival in Jordan they publicly expressed gratitude and commended my crew's actions for getting them safely out of Baghdad," Major Pepe said.

Captain Sipe, who was the intelligence officer on the ground during the mission, said that while procedures were reviewed and reemphasized following the event, no significant changes were deemed necessary.