910th Airlift Wing takes supplies to earthquake-torn area in Algeria

Crews provided a visible symbol of American support.
VIENNA -- Area Air Force personnel delivered 71/2 tons of emergency relief supplies to Algiers, Algeria, after an earthquake devastated the city last month.
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake shook the coastal capital city of about 2.3 million May 21. About 2,300 people were killed and 10,000 injured by the quake and aftershocks. According to the U.S. Geological Service, the quake's epicenter was about 40 miles east of Algiers.
Janet Sanderson, U.S. ambassador to Algeria, described relief supplies being unloaded from an Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules from the 910th Airlift Wing at Vienna as a "very visible symbol of American support," Air Force officials said.
The local C-130 crew was on temporary duty in Algiers from its primary assignment in Germany. In January, more than 200 activated reservists and six C-130 Hercules aircraft from the 910th Airlift Wing took the lead role in the 38th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base in support of Operation Joint Forge.
Peacekeeping force
The 38th, also known as the Delta Squadron, is part of a NATO-led stabilization force supporting peacekeeping operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The earthquake destroyed homes, schools and hospitals and left more than 200,000 people living in the streets. Among the American relief supplies flown to Algeria from Ramstein were medical kits, blankets, sleeping bags, cots and tents.
"It's great to be a part of helping people," said Major Jeffrey Shaffer, a 910th Airwing navigator of Ellwood City, Pa. "When we landed, we were greeted by a lot of smiling faces. It's a nice feeling knowing you're welcome."
While assigned at Ramstein, 910th personnel have participated in a variety of assignments: flying cargo to numerous airfields around the world, including battle-damaged runways in Iraq; leading an active-duty C-130 experiencing radar problems out of Iraq, as part of the 37th Airlift Squadron.
In April, the Delta Squadron received the Commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe Award of Excellence for the combined contributions of Reserve, National Guard and active-duty C-130 people during critical command missions under hostile conditions.
From March 11 to May 26, the squadron flew 909 sorties, carried 4,384 passengers and airlifted 2,426 tons of cargo, while running combat operations out of two theaters (Iraq and Bosnia/Kosovo) at the same time, officials said.