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The engine cranked on as vibrations coursed through the cargo
bay. Outside the small windows, he could see the propellers spinning
into action as his C-130 taxied out for departure from the 136th
Airlift Wing at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base,
Texas. Secured to one side of the bay, he acclimated to the constant
hum of the aircraft and as they took off, he braced and prepared for
the bumpy ride to destinations unknown. For the rest of the aircrew,
this occurrence was a regular day at the office, but for Airman 1st
Class John Karley, 136th Maintenance Squadron propulsion technician,
this was all a first.
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Members from the 136th Airlift Wing, Texas Air National Guard, pose
for a group photo after landing at the Wake Island Airfield during
temporary-duty assignment in July 2016. (U.S. Air Force Airman 1st
Class John Karley is on left end of back roll.) The crew
traveled to Hawaii, American Samoa, Australia, Wake Island and Guam. (Texas
Air National Guard courtesy photo)
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Karley had worked on C-130's for more than two years with the
Texas Air National Guard, but until now, had never actually flown in
one. More than that, he had never left the country. But as they
lifted off at seven that morning, that would change. During an
eight-day deployment with his unit, Karley would visit Hawaii,
Australia, Samoa, and Guam.
“I was honestly in awe the
entire time,” said Karley. “I'd never really thought I would have an
opportunity to go anywhere with the Air Force, besides maybe a
Middle East deployment. Initially, when they told me about the trip,
I thought it was just a training exercise. I definitely didn't
expect to go to the places we did. I'd only been to Texas, Oklahoma,
Arkansas and Missouri in my entire life. Don't get me wrong, I
wasn't a secluded child, but we weren't big travelers as a family.”
After a quick refueling stop in San Diego, his initial escapades
took him on a brief overnight to Hawaii and then the crew made their
way to the second stop, American Samoa. During the course of the
flight, Karley got called to report up to the flight deck. He
thought there was some type of engine malfunction, but was relieved
to know that the issue wasn't an aircraft problem at all.
“When I got up to the flight deck, our commander tells me we are
about to cross the Equator,” Karley said. “I was excited, and at
that moment realized how far I truly was from home. I didn't know
there was more to it though, when the commander informed me of a
tradition in the Air Force that the first time you fly over the
equator, you have to put all your clothes on backwards. I thought he
was joking around with me, until I saw two other crew members
beginning to turn their shirts around. It was fun and a great
experience, I was just glad to be part of it.”
The crew
arrived in Samoa around 9 p.m. The small group of islands rest in
the South Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and New Zealand. He didn't
see anything until the next morning, but when Karley woke up, he
arose to a humid climate and beautifully scenic mountain range.
Having never been out of the central time zone, this new scenery was
beyond anything he could have expected.
On extended trips
the C-130 crews take an engine mechanic along with them, so in the
event of an aircraft issue they have someone proficient who can
analyze and fix the problems effectively. Karley, along with one
other technician, maintained regular inspections of the aircraft
throughout the trip. After fixing a few maintenance glitches, he was
able to explore the local area before they departed the next day.
“Every moment I was there I kept thinking, I can't believe I
am halfway around the world,” he said. “Samoa was definitely my
favorite stop on the entire trip. The people were great and it was
just a gorgeous place. Then the next day we headed out for Cairns,
Australia, and had to cross the International Date Line. That was
crazy for me because we took off Friday morning and landed in
Australia Saturday night. Calling family, it was kind of hard to
comprehend the time difference at first. On top of that, being in
another country was so much to take in. In Australia, the accents,
and the people driving on the other side of the road was so
interesting for me.”
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July 8, 2016 - U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class John Karley,
136th Maintenance Squadron propulsion technician, Texas Air National
Guard, takes a photo of the scenery in Cairns, Australia, outside of
the back of the C-130H2 Hercules aircraft, during a temporary-duty
assignment. The crew traveled to Hawaii, Australia, American Samoa,
Wake Island, and Guam. (Texas Air National Guard courtesy photo)
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Thirty minutes south of Cairns was Townsville,
Australia. They would stop here and pick up a load of
equipment before traveling to Guam and Wake Island. Karley
was able to explore the World War II historical land mark,
and then as they made their last stop back in Hawaii before
heading back to mainland America, he was able to take in
more of the island and enjoy his final day on the beach
swimming and staring out at the crystal blue water. After
eight days, the crew touched back down in Fort Worth, in the
105 degree Texas heat.
“I'll never forget that experience, literally being on the
opposite side of the world,” Karley reminisced. “It's not something
you can just take in and go on with your life. Texas is beautiful,
but that was completely different. The scenery, the water and
beaches, and the mountains. It was unforgettable, and I am so
thankful that I got a chance to go. It gave me a new perspective on
the world and my aircraft, and now I'm excited about the next trip.
Anywhere I can go, I'll take it.”
Learn more about
Texas Air National Guard
By Texas Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Kristina Overton
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2016
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