Hilo-based Guard unit bids fond farewell Wednesday (Aug 31)

• 13 years ago

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Photography by Baron Sekiya | Hawaii 24/7

By Baron Sekiya | Hawaii 24/7

Words of praise, prayers for safety and long goodbyes echoed through the Hawaii National Guard center as the Hilo-based Blackhawk helicopter unit held its deployment ceremony to Iraq on Wednesday (Aug 31).

Fifty-two Company C, 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment of the Hawaii Army National Guard men and women will be loaded with their UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters aboard two C-5 Galaxy Air Force jets bound for Fort Hood, Texas where they will be training for a month-and-a-half before deploying to Iraq.

The Blackhawk helicopters are a familiar sight at Hilo International Airport and soon only a pair of Blackhawks will be left with crews that are not deployed.

This is the second tour to Iraq for the unit, with the first being in 2007. About 60 percent of the unit was part of the first tour in Iraq where they served for a year.

The unit conducted more than 1,100 missions and logged more than 4,800 combat hours that year. They also transported and escorted top Iraqi and U.S. officials.

Members of the unit are: