Home from Korea

Capt. Tim Smith, 9th Fighter Squadron pilot, is welcomed back by his wife, Katrina, sons, Jackson and Hughston, and daughter, Hannah, after returning home to Holloman from deployment. Captain Smith was part of a deployment that sent more than 300 Holloman Airmen to the Republic of Korea. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jamal Sutter)

F-117s come home to Holloman

Published April 5, 2007
By Airman 1st Class Heather Stanton
49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Family and friends came to greet four F-117A Nighthawks returning home to Holloman April 4 from a routine deployment to the Republic of Korea.

The F-117s are the first of more than a dozen that deployed alongside more than 300 Airmen to Kunsan Air Base, Korea, in January.

"It's good to be back," said Lt. Col. Mark Drinkard, the first 9th Fighter Squadron pilot to land. "It feels great, like it always does."

Capt. Tim Smith, 9 FS pilot, said it's good to be back at his home base and to see his family again.

"It's great to have him home," said Ms. Katrina Smith, Captain Smith's wife. "We made a cake for his return."

The returning pilots said the deployment went well and they learned a lot from the 8th Fighter Wing in Korea.

"We flew a lot and went through three OREs (Operation Readiness Exercises) with the 8th," said Colonel Drinkard.

The 9 FS learned upgrades in missions and roles while gettting the chance to integrate with the Airmen at Kunsan, said Maj. Ronald Rae, 9 FS pilot.

The Airmen and the rest of the F-117 Nighthawks will return home to Holloman in the coming week.