Ill Winds: Air Force Reserve's Response to Hurricanes

First Lieutenant Wendy Hendley, 403 rd Wing facility manager, inspects damage for the Air Force
Reserve Command civil engineers during AFRC's assessment team visit to Keesler AFB, MS, 20
September 2005. An early estimate set the damage at more than $300 million. Many of the
command's office buildings, maintenance shops and hangars were severely damaged by Hurricane
Katrina on 30 August. (USAF photo by Lieutenant Colonel Bob Thompson) 168
20 Sep 05 The 403 rd WG (Keesler AFB, MS) flew two sorties against Tropical Storm
Rita. 169
20 Sep 05 Tropical Storm Rita reached hurricane intensity. It was ranked as a
Category 2 hurricane when it passed about 50 miles south of Key West,
FL, where it downed trees and produced storm tides of up to five feet in
parts of the Florida Keys. 170
21 Sep 05 The 920 th RQW (Patrick AFB, FL) had 4 HH-60s and 6 crews on alert for
Hurricane Rita. 171
21 Sep 05 A 514 th AMW (McGuire AFB, NJ) KC-10 aircraft moved (18) security
force personnel from the 514 th Security Force Squadron (SFS); (7) from
the 913 th AW (Willow Grove ARS, PA); and, (13) security force
168 Photo and caption (U), Lt. Col. Bob Thompson, “Rebuilding of Hurricane Hunters’ Home Begins,”
USAF photo, 20 Sep 05, available at http://www.af.mil/photos/media_search.asp?q=katrina&page=3 on 8
Nov 05.
169 Timeline (U), HQ AFRC/DOOM, “Hurricane Katrina Comprehensive Timeline,” as of 30 Sep 05.
170 Report (U), National Hurricane Center, “Monthly Tropical Weather Summary,” 1 Oct 05, available at
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/tws/MIATWSAT_sep.shtml? on 8 Nov 05.
171 Timeline (U), HQ AFRC/DOOM, “Hurricane Katrina Comprehensive Timeline,” as of 30 Sep 05.
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