335th FS welcome home

Valerie McClure keeps her sons Tyler and Mason warm while waiting for the arrival of her husband on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., Jan. 8, 2009. Capt Philip McClure, 335th Fighter Squadron aircrew, deployed for four-months to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Whitney Lambert)

335th FS welcome home

Airman 1st Class Clara Karwacinski, 4th Fighter Wing broadcast journalist, interviews Lt. Col. Lance Bunch, 335th Fighter Squadron commander, about the F-15E Strike Eagles returning to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., Jan. 8, 2009. During the interview Bunch expressed his pride in the accomplishments of the 335th Fighter Squadron during their deployment. Karwacinski is from Los Angeles and Bunch is from Enid, Okla. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Whitney Lambert)

335th FS welcome home

Family members of Captain Justin Elliott's, 335th Fighter Squadron pilot, wave as he taxis to a parking spot on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., Jan. 8, 2009. Pilots and weapon system operators from the 335th Fighter Squadron and 336th Fighter Squadron flew the 18 returning F-15E Strike Eagles more than 16,000 hours in Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Whitney Lambert)

Chiefs return, all F-15Es back at Seymour

Published Jan. 11, 2010
By Tech. Sgt. Tammie Moore
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Armed with flags, colorful signs and personalized T-shirts, family and friends lined the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., flight line to welcome home pilots and weapon systems operators from the 335th Fighter Squadron Jan. 8.

The officers deployed in September to assume the Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, close air support mission from the 336th Fighter Squadron, their Seymour Johnson AFB brethren. This return of 18 F-15E Strike Eagles marks the first time in nine months all of the aircraft have been at homestation together.

While deployed, the 335th FS Chiefs flew more than 1,670 combat sorties totaling nearly 6,500 flight hours.

"The Chiefs didn't miss a single tasked (air tasking order) line during their four-month deployment," said Lt. Col. Lance Bunch, 4th Operations Group deputy commander. "They supported operations resulting in 19 high-value individuals being captured."

The Chiefs were instrumental in the defense of Coalition Observation Post Keating during the heated battle Oct. 3-4, 2009.

"During this battle, the outpost was being ambushed by more than 250 Taliban fighters in a well-planned, 360 degree-coordinated attack that outnumbered Coalition Forces three to one," Bunch said. "For the duration of the battle, the Chiefs were overhead, many times working with other airborne assets. The actions of the Chiefs saved more than 72 Coalition lives and prevented COP Keating from being overrun by insurgents."

While everyday operations downrange for the Chiefs were not for the faint of heart, hugging loved ones in their welcoming committee for the first time in months still managed to get their adrenalin pumping.

"I'm ecstatic," said Capt. Taylor Francis, 335th FS aircrew, as he enjoyed an embrace from his wife, Stephanie, and seven-month-old son, Edward. "You think you know how you will feel when you get home, but you really have no idea until you get here."

After months of maintaining a steady state of readiness and making decisions that had an automatic impact on other's lives, Francis said he is looking forward to relaxing and reconnecting with his family by syncing to his son's schedule.

The returning Chiefs will have an opportunity reconnect with family and friends before returning to work at the end of the month to resume training. As a capstone to their reconstitution training, they will deploy to participate in RED FLAG at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, in April.