Illinois National Guard helicopters move relief supplies

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Photo A

SPRINGFIELD, IL (09/18/2018) (readMedia)-- SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – The Soldiers and helicopters deployed in support of Hurricane Florence relief efforts Sept. 13 are making an impact.

The pilots, crew, and aircraft staged in Tennessee originally, but moved to Raleigh, North Carolina once the storm passed.

While in North Carolina the aircraft have transported both cargo and relief personnel. The CH-47 Chinook and crew transported 28,000 pounds of food, water, and relief supplies to a hospital in the disaster area Sept. 17. On the same day the UH-60 Blackhawk and crew transported 2,750 pounds of relief supplies to rural Jones County, North Carolina. On Tuesday, the Blackhawk crew is flying Red Cross responders into the disaster area.

Approximately 10 Illinois National Guard Soldiers and two helicopters departed for North Carolina to support the response to Hurricane Florence Sept. 13.

North Carolina officials requested one Illinois Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook and one UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, their crews and two maintenance Soldiers. The CH-47 Chinook, crew and maintenance Soldiers are members of B Company, 238th Aviation Battalion based in Peoria, Illinois. The UH-60 is from B Co., 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation Regiment based in Kankakee, Illinois.

Photo A: Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation Regiment load relief supplies onto an Illinois National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter Sept. 17. Aircraft and crew have been supporting relief operations in North Carolina since Sept. 13.

Photo B: Relief supplies await transport on board an Illinois National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter Sept. 17. The UH-60 and crew transported nearly 3,000 pounds of supplies to Jones County, N.C.

Photo C: Hurricane relief supplies are loaded onto an Illinois National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopter Sept. 17. The Chinook and crew transported nearly 30,000 pounds of food, water, and relief supplies to medical personnel at a hospital in the flooded area.