Loring AFB deployed planes to southwest Asia

LIMESTONE — Loring Air Force B-52G bombers and KC-135 tankers are standing by in southwest Asia in case of war, base officials said Monday.

The commander of Loring’s 42nd Bombardment Wing, Col. Terry A. Burke, has been deployed with planes from the northern Maine base.

The aircraft began departing Loring on Aug. 7, along with cargo and personnel, base officials said.

The number of aircraft deployed and their destinations could not be revealed Monday “because of safety and security reasons,” according to Col. Alvin Jorgensen, Loring vice wing commander.

“We cannot say where they’ve gone or how long they’ll be gone,” Jorgensen said. “But we will say that our bombers and tankers represent a very visible deterrent force in the region.”

The Air Force announced on Aug. 14 that Loring planes had been deployed overseas in operation Desert Shield. But until Monday, the military refused to specify what types of planes had been sent from Loring.

The Pentagon reported earlier that Air Force B-52s had been sent to the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to support Desert Shield.

Loring officials said some plane squadron commanders were deployed and that personnel were “rotating in and out” at the base. Air Force KC-10 supertankers were reported “stopping in for supplies.”

Strategic Air Command tankers had refueled more than 200 aircraft and delivered more than 2 million gallons of gasoline in support of Desert Shield.

Air Force tankers and several thousand support people from almost every SAC base continued to work around the clock to provide an air bridge linking U.S. forces to Persian Gulf destinations across 7,000 miles of ocean.

The names and titles of Loring personnel sent to southwest Asia were not available until Monday. Staff Sgt. Don Moncrief said Jorgensen had become acting wing commander and that Burke was with the deployed planes overseas. Officials said they could release names and titles of Loring personnel sent to southwest Asia, but not the personnel strength of the Loring force on temporary duty in the area.

There were other indications that Loring AFB, with its 10,000 military, dependent and civilian personnel, had gone on a war footing.

The heavily traveled west gate entrance conducted a 100 percent identification check “until further notice.” Officials in the past had expressed concern about possible terrorist activity and posted a sign saying “deadly force” might be used to stop unauthorized personnel. Desert Shield resulted in closure of the east gate from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily, according to the 42nd Security Police Squadron.

Staff Sgt. Kirk Boyd, editor of the Loring Limelite, said a rumor that Army National Guard troops had replaced active duty military people who deployed was false. The Guard units arrived for annual training and remained in Caswell on state land known as the training range.

Desert Shield caught Loring families off guard, with military personnel being sent to unknown destinations for unspecified stays. The mood of the base changed from one of training to one of gearing up for war.

Boyd wrote a story in the Limelite telling how spouses and families could send care packages overseas.

Yellow ribbons were tied on trees, lampposts and doorknobs.

Some Loring families elected to return to hometowns. Others decided to remain on base during “temporary duty” separations.