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A year ago, Colonel Colin McCluskey was on one of the last U.S. military flights out of Kabul. He was an Air Force Colonel responsible for managing, operating and maintaining airfields and runways during the troublesome Afghan withdrawal.
McCluskey played a key role in what became the largest evacuation in history as Flight 778 evacuated 124,334 people in 17 days. On average, 7,500 civilians were evacuated each day, with his highest point on August 23, when he abandoned more than 21,600 on all types of aircraft departing every 34 minutes.
McCluskey was on a mission in Africa when he received a call to go to Afghanistan. Instead of returning to his home, he was sent to end the Twenty Years’ War.
“We got a call saying, ‘This is happening in Afghanistan. We need you to go,'” McCluskey explained to Fox News.
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August 16th was the day the airfield was overrun with people trying to flee. It was also the day McCluskey and his team attempted to land.
He sat in the cockpit of a C-17 flying over Kabul, watching the pilot attempt to land. “They tried everything they could to get into Kabul, but they couldn’t land on people,” McCluskey said.
The crew tried to adjust the tanker to gain extra time as the people below were clinging to the plane. A few hours later, in the early morning hours of August 17, McCluskey and his team landed and got to work. He and his team had to quickly repair radar, airfield lighting, refueling facilities, ground maintenance equipment and vehicles.
McClaskey assessed the situation on the ground. , trying to protect them and ultimately trying to protect our aircraft. ”
Crowd control was a big concern after the images he saw on television. Did. “If someone wants to jump, they probably can, but it’s a good enough deterrent and will help reduce some of that congestion,” he said.
An anti-artillery system, the C-RAM is also used to shoot down incoming artillery shells. McClaskey’s big concern was protecting desperate people from threats like the Taliban and his ISIS-K.
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Then there was the operation of the airfield itself. “The air traffic control tower was damaged, but we didn’t have the air traffic controllers we needed and the communication systems we needed,” he said.
The air traffic controllers there ended up operating out of a tent called “Kabul Tower 2.”
Junk was also piled up on the runway. “Suitcases, mattresses, personal items, Chinese sets, etc. were dropped on ramps. The more piled up, the fewer aircraft could park there,” McCluskey explained. .
A forklift was used to move some equipment and other heavy items. Aviators of the 621st Emergency Response Wing maintain, unload, repair, and load Hamid’s 721 of his 778 aircraft that transited his Karzai International Airport (HKIA) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We serviced an average of 4 aircraft simultaneously 24/7.
McClaskey is proud of the work they have done.
McClaskey emphasized the courage of the American servicemen and what the Americans there meant to those trying to flee.
“Imagine people banging against a wall with their families and all their belongings and doing everything they can to keep themselves safe. In this case, behind the safety is a big American flag. he said.
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About half of the U.S. Air Force fleet of 222 C-17s was used during this operation. Three children were born on board the evacuated flight, and 12 of his other children were born shortly after landing. Operation Stork was born.
McClaskey used his fatherly skills to help with the logistics of caring for the baby.
“Was it to solve the formula problem set … How do you ensure that you have safe, clean water to mix with the powdered formula to ensure the longest shelf life? It made the kids understand the importance of having plenty of diapers, baby wipes, etc. It was powerful,” he said.
But it wasn’t just infants and women. There were many elderly people who were having a hard time in the crowd.
“There were so many elderly and severely disabled people who couldn’t walk or get out. say.
The most difficult day for McClaskey and his team was when a suicide bomber attacked Abbey Gate, killing 13 young American soldiers. At one point, the airfield lost power and thousands of Afghans were sitting in the dark. A young girl approached McCluskey. he tried to reassure her.
“She just kept crying and screaming,” McCluskey said, giving her hope and confirming to run away with her family.
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“And I can tell you, you’ll be in California. Within an hour of that.”
He also noticed how good the girl’s English was. It was better than her brother. McClaskey believes that some of these girls who fled the Taliban will one day achieve great success.
“I would be shocked if I saw one or two of these young women not make it big, whether in pop culture or the media. But they were driven and now unbridled.” “They will have a great life,” he said.
McClaskey and his team were among the last American soldiers to fly out of Kabul on August 30.
Later that night, the last five C-17s flew into the HKIA under cover of darkness, carrying special equipment and over 800 remaining U.S. military personnel in the three hours before departing at 11:59 p.m. local time. loaded.
McCluskey said, “We made a very decisive push a few days ago to make sure that any ammunition, anything of that nature, that could be used for military purposes is either disabled or is no longer there.” said.
Soldiers and military men sitting in the back of the plane to Germany were exhausted from what he had just accomplished. But McCluskey couldn’t sleep. All he wanted to do was call his wife so she could let other military families know he and his team were safe.
“I couldn’t wait to call her to let her know, not that I was safe and sound, but that all American airmen were on their way,” he said.
McClaskey’s team headed to Ramstein, Germany, in hopes of getting professional help and a three-day mental health check to unpack and unpack everything they had just seen. is.
“In my career so far, I have seen a lot from the disaster in Indonesia, but I have never seen anything like this. I knew it was going to be very difficult for many of us, young people,” he explained.
McClaskey said he was grateful he was able to do it, but the trauma of how the war ended and the suicide bombing at Abbey Gate still haunts him. It is important for them to talk about the missions they have accomplished and the experiences they have had.
“We need to talk about the people, especially those of us involved in it,” McCluskey said.
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Reflecting on those weeks, he said:
Still, McClaskey is grateful for the mission he helped accomplish: many others. ”