Rosecrans Airport welcomes the return of the 139th Airlift Wing

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

Photo courtesy of the Air National Guard, 139th Airlift Wing.

Members of the 139^th Airlift Wing are returning to Rosecrans Memorial Airport as the Missouri River retreats from major flood stage.

Vice Commander, Colonel John Cluck, says the Air National Guard followed a set plan in leaving Rosecrans when the Missouri threatened to flood Elwood, Kansas and overflow the airport.

“We thought we were prudent by removing our high-value assets, which obviously are our C-130 aircraft as well as many of the things on our base,” Cluck says. “We have a lot of industrial equipment that it takes to run a wing, things of that nature. We got it all out of the flood zone and out of the danger area and then just continued to operate as best we could.”

Cluck says evacuation plans began in earnest when the Missouri River headed toward 28 feet, a foot above major flood stage.

The 139^th flew its C-130 aircraft to nearby Forbes Field in Topeka, Kansas where the 190^th Refueling Wing with its KC-135 Stratotankers is based. It is not only near St. Joseph, the base is within driving distance for the personnel at the 139^th, who live in the St. Joseph and North Kansas City area.

Cluck says though the 139^th had to leave its home base during the threat of flooding, it maintained a state of readiness.

“As this challenge presented itself to us, we felt it was important that we maintain that readiness and with the question of rising flooded waters, honestly the best way to maintain that was to reposition our aircraft at a different base,” Cluck says. “So, really, it didn’t change anything.”

Cluck says the 139^th was prepared to respond to any call, whether from the governor or the White House.

Members of the 139^th worked along with Elwood, Wathena, and St. Joseph residents to reinforce the levee which protects Elwood, keeping the Missouri out of the town though it reached a reported record crest of just over 32 feet.

The National Weather Service reports the Missouri River Wednesday dropped below 26 feet, heading toward 25 ½ feet. It could drop below moderate flood stage by the first of April.