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Refueling Over Iraq

Photojournalist Ed Darack says that “Some of the most exciting moments of my two-week embed with the 2nd Marine Air Wing (FWD) came when the cargo door of a C-130J cranked open miles above Iraq’s Anbar Province, as the craft motored through the air at hundreds of miles per hour. Strapped in, I was guided to the very edge by Staff Sergeant Mike Torres, a loadmaster. Out of the gray distance, two dots emerged—F/A-18D Hornets, call signs Covey 60 (lead) and Covey 61. The jets roared up to the rear of the 130, deployed their refueling probes and connected. The Hornets were so close I had to switch to wide-angle lenses for my cameras.”" (02:20)

Photography: Ed Darack

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Comments

From a Marine veteran from another war, God bless them all. Bless all the seargents and W O ones, bless all the corporals and there Marine sons...

All praise to the refuelers and the refuelees, whose skill, training and practice made this possible, also to those who designed, manufactured and service the planes....and all broken-hearted desires that we collaborate in creating a world where there will never again be a need to do this.

I love these guys.

Great video. Wish I could have been sitting there taking the pictures.

Great video. Reminds me of VMGR-152 over Viet Nam 68-69.

Taking those photos is something I'd love to have done. Thanks for sharing it with us. God bless these men and women who serve, and their families back home.

Isn't the world an amazing place! I am 60 years old but I can sit and watch the refueling of a jet over Iraq! The skill of those pilots was awesome. I noticed how the camera bucked and jiggled but those planes held steady and got what they needed.

The call signs for the aircraft are the same as those used in Vietnam for Covey FACs.

As a Navy C130 Flight Engineer from the '60 I say "Go Marines - Go Herky!"

What can you say except that these guys are exceptional, the courage and skill it must take is awesome. As somebody said before our boys, English or American are doing a wonderful job, its a pity that more people don't realise and appreciate it. Without them where would we be!

I do this sort of photography for a living. If you ever need any tips or have questions please feel free to ask. So glad you were able to experience such a unique part of the Navy, Marine, and Air Force operations.

Should they give out so much info such as names? Do they still have C-130s? Obviously they do but they must really be updated from the one I came back from Vietnam in 1966. Semper Fi.

This is really cool. Was the sound bad? God bless America and all our men, especially the Marines!

Having done this as an A7E driver from 1973-1979 I can tell you that it is an everyday thing but takes a lot of attention. Once you rendevous with the tanker, you get a pretty steady hand at this. Try it at night with a rotating beacon flashing in your face and you will know the true meaning of vertigo. These guys are the BEST!

There are not enough superlatives to describe the skills, courage, dedication, and professionalism of our military and the many sacrifices they and their families voluntarily endure and overcome every day so that we and the rest of the world can live in or attain freedom and peace. As I learned during my 30 years in the USAF, the services of our military men and women often go unnoticed by most Americans, but what positive praise they do receive pales in comparison to the positive good they provide the free world. Our military forces and those of our allies are the best in the world BAR NONE!! May it ever be so.

Awesome,Truly amazing video. Keep up the great work. Thanks to all the military serving everywhere.

The thing that I have always found incredible is that this sort of thing is that this is done routinely,in all sorts of weather, and at night, right at the edge of stall-speed for these fighter/attack aircraft and if it takes more than one run at it, the squadron commander will hear about it. These folks are the best and they know it too--May God's Grace follow them as they take on our enemies, As as interesting side-note, I see that both of these are D-mods carrying both a aviator and a weapons systems officer (or whatever the Marines call them) -- definitely setup for a little ground support, something which the Marines have excelled in for as long as they've had aircraft to do it. My thanks, gentlemen in both the 130 and the two F/A-18s.

During VietNam, I was in the USAF, stationed in W.Pakistan. We loaded & unloaded C-130's inbound & reloaded them to leave. Some of the C-130's did not have the rollers on the floor, which was really a chore to load & Unload. We then started getting the C-141's ( Jets) made for a more pleasant job to unload. I said that if I had to go home on a C-130 I would not ever go, then the C-141's started coming. This was in 1966-67. 6937 Comm Gp., Peshawar, W. Pakistan.

As the son of a Marine Pilot (Vagabonds VMA-324). Thank you for all the you guys do up in the air and on the ground. My Dad's call sign was "Benjo", he was in from 1969-1975. Be safe out there.

God bless you all. Be safe.

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