[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 14 (Thursday, February 14, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S851]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 ``GUNFIGHTERS'' FROM MOUNTAIN HOME AFB

 Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 
accomplishments of our service men and women who have served or who are 
serving during Operation Enduring Freedom. All who were involved in 
this operation have done an extraordinary job routing terrorism, 
defending our nation from further attacks, and making their fellow 
Americans proud of their efforts and accomplishments.
  Let me especially thank the brave men and women of Mountain Home Air 
Force Base (MHAFB). The 366th Wing of MHAFB deployed three of their 
flying squadrons during this recent and ongoing operation, which 
included the 389th Fighter Squadron of F-16Cs, the 391st Fighter 
Squadron of F-15Es, and the 34th Bomber Squadron of B-1Bs. During their 
time in and around Afghanistan the 389th flew daily sorties attacking 
Taliban vehicles, facilities, and cave complexes. The 391st added to 
toppling the Taliban and al Qaeda by dropping a majority of the 500 
pound precision-guided munitions. And finally, the 34th were the lead 
bombers of the campaign and accounted for a majority of the Air Force's 
14 million pounds of munitions in the first 95 days of the air 
campaign.
  Without these squadrons' support, justice might still have been 
served in Afghanistan, but it would not have been served forcefully, 
with authority, and with accurate and deadly precision. This was a 
tremendous accomplishment which demonstrated to potential evil-doers 
that aggression against the United States will provoke a response from 
Mountain Home Air Force Base and other United States entities.
  While the 389th, the 391st and the 34th received well-deserved 
attention, let us not forget the efforts of MHAFB here at home 
protecting the United States. In addition to its efforts abroad, MHAFB 
is playing a significant role in defending our nation as part of 
Operation Noble Eagle. Currently, the 726th Air Control Squadron is 
protecting our interior air space twenty-four hours a day. And as I 
speak, the 726th is monitoring the air traffic over and around Salt 
Lake City ensuring the Olympics continue without interruption. Also 
helping support a safe Olympics is the 22nd Air Refueling Squadron of 
Mountain Home, which is flying air refueling missions for the combat 
air patrol fighters around Salt Lake.
  Once again, I want to thank all of our men and women in uniform for 
their efforts and I especially want to take this opportunity to salute 
MHAFB. As the motto of the 366th Wing says, ``Audentes Fortuna Juvat,'' 
Fortune Favors the Bold. I am proud that Idaho is the home of the bold 
men and women of Mountain Home AFB, and I wish them good fortune in all 
their future endeavors.

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