Today in Air Force history June 17, 2003 The U.S. Air Force awarded 34 aircrew members from Charleston AFB, S.C., the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions in Operation Enduring Freedom. Eight recipients earned the DFC during the first night of humanitarian relief operations in Afghanistan (Oct. 7, 2001), while the others received the DFC for inserting Marine forces at the Rhino Landing Zone near Kandahar on Nov. 28-30, 2001. The crews flying to the landing zone performed a deep insertion of Marines into hostile territory. They also accomplished three C-17 operational milestones: (1) the first C-17 combat landings on an unimproved dirt strip; (2) the first missions by C-17 special operations low-level aircrews in hostile conditions; and (3) the first use of night vision goggles by C-17 aircrews to make blacked-out approaches and landings in hostile territory. "AF.mil"
Posted on: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 11:50:01 +0000
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