Special ops group resupplies Sendai

Maj. John Traxler (left), 320th Special Tactics Squadron commander, speaks with the airfield commander shortly after landing at Sendai Airport March 19. The 320th STS is supporting U.S. military efforts to provide assistance to Japan following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

Special ops group resupplies Sendai

Tech. Sgt. Ray Decker, 320th Special Tactics Squadron special operations weather team, takes a nap on an MC-130P Combat Shadow bound for Sendai Airport March 19. The relatively small squadron currently manages Sendai Airport, meaning squadron members work long hours with little sleep, making downtime like this a welcomed break. The 320th STS is supporting U.S. military efforts to provide assistance to Japan following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

Operation Tomodachi

YAMAGATA, Japan -- Marines from Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, exit a MC-130 here March 19. The Marines were transported by the 17th Special Operations Squadron from Kadena Air Base, Japan, to Yamagata in support of Operation Tomodachi. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jeromy K. Cross)

Operation Tomodachi

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Senior Airman J.T. Mills (near), and Staff Sgt. Nick Wisnoski, 17th Special Operations Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan, load a pallet on a MC-130 at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, March 19. The 17th SOS was at MCAS Iwakuni to transport Marines in support of Operation Tomodachi. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jeromy K. Cross)

Humanitarian relief supplies arrive at Sendai Airport

SENDAI AIRPORT, Japan -- Members of the 353rd Special Operations Group from Kadena Air Base, Japan, unload the first pallet of humanitarian aid from the first C-17 Globemaster II here March 20. Members of the 320th Special Tactics Squadron from Kadena Air Base, Japan, reopened the runway to fixed-wing aircraft March 16 and cleared the rest of the runway to accommodate larger aircraft such as the C-17, enabling larger shipments of humanitarian aid to help those affected by the earthquake and tsunami of March 11. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

MC-130P combat shadow performs four successful aerial refueling missions

PACIFIC OCEAN -- An MC-130P Combat Shadow from the 17th Special Operations Squadron refuels a HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter from the 33rd Rescue Squadron March 18. The refueling missions are in support of humanitarian relief operations after an 8.9 magnitude earthquake and following tsunami that rocked Northeastern Japan March 11. (U.S. Air Force photo/Osakabe Yasuo)

MC-130P combat shadow performs four successful aerial refueling missions

PACIFIC OCEAN -- Senior Airman Ramon Mortensen, a 17th Special Operations Squadron loadmaster, observes an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter from the 33rd Rescue Squadron during an aerial refueling March 18. The refueling missions are in support of humanitarian relief operations after an 8.9 magnitude earthquake and following tsunami that rocked Northeastern Japan March 11. (U.S. Air Force photo/Osakabe Yasuo)

MC-130P combat shadow performs four successful aerial refueling missions

PACIFIC OCEAN -- An MC-130P Combat Shadow from the 17th Special Operations Squadron refuels a HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter from the 33rd Rescue Squadron March 18. The refueling missions are in support of humanitarian relief operations after an 8.9 magnitude earthquake and following tsunami that rocked Northeastern Japan March 11. (U.S. Air Force photo/Osakabe Yasuo)

MC-130P combat shadow performs four successful aerial refueling missions

MATSUSHIMA AIR BASE, Japan -- Senior Airman Ramon Mortensen, a 17th Special Operations Squadron loadmaster, looks at damaged F-2 fighters after landing here March 18 to drop of relief supplies. The aircraft were damaged after an 8.9 magnitude earthquake and following tsunami that rocked Northeastern Japan March 11. (U.S. Air Force photo/Osakabe Yasuo)

320th STS, ready to fly anytime, anywhere

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Two team leads from the 320th Special Tactics Squadron from Kadena Air Base, Japan, discuss the upcoming mission before boarding an HH-60G Pave Hawk here March 15. The 320th STS has combat controllers, pararescuemen and special operations weather teams to go anywhere and set up forward operating locations and impromptu runways. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

320th STS, ready to fly anytime, anywhere

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- An HH-60G Pave Hawk flies over the Japanese countryside carrying members of the 320th Special Tactics Squadron from Kadena Air Base March 15. The 320th STS has combat controllers, pararescuemen and special operations weather teams to go anywhere and set up forward operating locations and impromptu runways. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)

320th STS, ready to fly anytime, anywhere

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Combat controllers with the 320th Special Tactics Squadron from Kadena Air Base, Japan, fly in an HH-60G Pave Hawk on their way to Sendai, Japan, March 15. The 320th STS has combat controllers, pararescuemen and special operations weather teams to go anywhere and set up forward operating locations and impromptu runways. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse)