On Feb. 6, an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck southern Turkey and Northern Syria, leaving a trail of death and destruction in a region already plagued by war. In one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded in the region, with the number of deaths climbing to nearly 50,000, the U.S. Army pilots and air crews chipped in to help.
Two CH-47F Chinook helicopters flew 40,000 pounds of humanitarian aid including tents, hygiene products, and diapers to a Turkish aid group on the ground.
The helicopters are assigned to 1st Armored Division and have flown 60 flight hours so far in support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Turkey. Established in 1961, USAID is the largest American foreign aid organization and conducts humanitarian missions across the world as an arm of the US government.
"The Army’s task force provides dynamic lift capabilities through three CH-47F Chinooks, six UH-60M Blackhawks, and two HH-60Ms, which is a medical evacuation version of the UH-60M Black Hawk. Each type of aircraft enables access to remote areas and affected communities," an Army press release describes.
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