By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Lt. Col. Skip Vincent, right, commander of the 203rd
Air Refueling Wing, yesterday welcomed home Major
Peter Fata, the co-pilot of a KC-135 tanker based
at Hickam Air Force Base.

Two isle-based tankers
return after aiding
Persian Gulf effort

By Gregg K. Kakesako
Star-Bulletin

Two three Hawaii Air National Guard jet tankers that left here 11 days ago to help with the buildup of U.S. forces facing Saddam Hussein returned yesterday.

Three KC-135 "stratotankers," belonging to the 203rd Air Refueling Squadron, formed an air bridge over the Pacific Ocean by refueling B-52 bombers that were flying to the Persian Gulf.

The three tankers and their crew of 50 were stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, 25 miles south of Fairbanks, Alaska, after they left here Nov. 11. One of the tankers returned early Saturday.

In September 1996, the unit performed similar missions when it refueled B-52 bombers crossing the Pacific for Operation Desert Strike, where cruise missiles were launched against Iraqi targets.

The Hawaii Air National Guard jet tankers also have been sent to Europe twice to help enforce the no-fly zone over Bosnia by refueling NATO aircraft patroling the area.

There are nine tankers in the Hawaii Air Guard fleet.

Still in the Persian Gulf as part of the 24,000 troop U.S. buildup are 1,000 sailors from Pearl Harbor.

They are stationed on three destroyers -- the USS Fletcher, the USS Paul Hamilton and the USS Hopper.

The Paul Hamilton and Hopper are Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, while the Fletcher is a Spruance-class destroyer.

Aboard the Fletcher are 30 additional sailors and two helicopters from Anti-Submarine Squadron 37, Detachment 7 from Barbers Point Naval Air Station.

All three destroyers are capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles.