The Blue Hen Flies Again
| 447th Bomb Group The Blue Hen Flies Again |
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As a tribute to our very own
Blue Hen Chick and the men who flew in her, the 709th Airlift Squadron based at Dover AFB in Delaware
named one of its C-5Bs The Spirit of the Blue Hen.
In celebration of the event, a roll-out ceremony took place on November 10, 2003 at Dover AFB. Veterans of the 709th Bomb Squadron, and the 447th were on hand for this special ceremony and a tour of the 709th’s facilities. |
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Blue Hen Chick (43-38719 'A') flew 67 combat missions between October 1944 and April 1945, with 21 different crews. She returned to Kingman, Arizona after the war. See our Profile for complete details on the aircraft and its service record. |
| The current Blue Hen, C-5B No.860023, set the world record for the heaviest air drop on June 7, 1989. The drop included four Sheridan tanks, 73 paratroopers, plus a load of 190,493 pounds. The plane was named to honor the citizens of Delaware, members of 709th Bombardment Squadron of World War II, and today's parent unit, the 709th Airlift Squadron. |
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About the 709th Today In 1973, the U.S. Air Force activated the 709th as the 709th Military Airlift Squadron (Associate) AFRES and assigned it to the 512th Military Airlift Wing (Associate) AFRES at Dover AFB DE to fly the C-5A/B Galaxy. Since then the unit has flown strategic airlift missions airlifting general cargo, outside cargo, and passengers in support numerous Air Force and Department of Defense airlift operations. These include humanitarian airlifts, unit deployments, Presidential movement logistical support, and contingency airlifts. Some recent 709th airlifts: Disaster Relief - Hurricanes Hugo and Andrew, Armenian Earthquake, PROVIDE HOPE to Russia, PROVIDE COMFORT, many other humanitarian airlifts large and small. Contingency Operations - Yon Kippur Israeli Airlift, JUST CAUSE to Panama, DESERT SHIELDS/STORM, RESTORE HOPE to Haiti, Somalia, and Rwanda On August 1990, the President activated the 709th MAS for DESERT SHIELD/STORM. The unit was a key part of the aluminum air bridge that airlifted units, supplies and personnel into and later, out of the Persian Gulf region. On 1 June 1992, as part of the post Cold War reorganization of the U.S. Air Force and the Military Airlift Command (MAC) the 709th Military Airlift Squadron was redesigned as the 709th Airlift Squadron (709th AS) and was assigned with its renamed parent wing, the 512th Airlift Wing, to the newly formed Air Mobility Command. |
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