Historic Puma mission ends at Lajes

  • Published
  • By Eduardo Lima
  • 65th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
LAJES FIELD, AZORES --  Another example of extraordinary partnership between the U.S. and Portuguese Air Forces took place here May 23, 2011, through the support of the 65th Air Base Wing and 729th Air Mobility Squadron.

The support involved the use of a 60K loader from 729th AMS to help pack spare helicopter blades and other parts from three SA-330 Puma helicopters that were once assigned to Air Base No. 4, into a Portuguese air force C-130 aircraft.

"The Puma helicopters have already returned to mainland Portugal after serving in the Azores for more than 30 years, but the spare blades stayed behind because they were too big and needed the help of a K-loader to be put inside the C-130," said Alferes (Lt.) Fernando Silva, Military Air Transportation's officer in charge at Air Base No. 4.

The Puma helicopters, which were recently replaced by two EH-101 Merlin helicopters, first arrived to the Azores in 1977, and have since provided invaluable service, not only to the Azorean people, but also to distressed sailors, saving numerous lives.

During the mission in the Azores, the Puma helicopters logged an impressive record of accomplishments. They were used to evacuate 2,602 patients from other Azorean islands to the archipelago's main hospitals, extract 401 injured or sick crewmembers from ships in a total of 348 medivac missions, and also carry out 351 search and rescue missions. Over the course of these missions, an interesting accomplishment was also logged: 17 babies were born aboard Puma helicopters while en route to a nearby hospital. These helicopters also played a major role supporting relief efforts during natural catastrophes, particularly in the aftermath of the Jan. 1, 1980, earthquake that rocked the islands of Terceira, Graciosa and São Jorge, as well as the mudslides in Ribeira Quente on the Island of São Miguel, Oct. 31, 1997.

Although the new EH-101 Merlin helicopters are newer and more capable, the Azoreans will always remember the silhouette of the dependable Puma flying over the Azorean skies with feelings of nostalgia.