A KC-130T "Hercules" tanker aircraft assigned to the Marine Corps Reserve Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 234 (VMGR-234) based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, refuels an Army MC-47 "Chinook" helicopter from the 160th Spe...

FORT SILL, Okla. -- Fort Sill was again the site of a joint military operation, this time involving two aviation units July 31 at Henry Post Army Air Field (HPAAF).

A KC-130T "Hercules" refueler aircraft assigned to Marine Corps Reserve Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 234 based at Naval Air Station/Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, and two Army MC-47 "Chinook" helicopters from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) based at Fort Campbell, Ky., participated in an Aviation Delivered Ground Refueling (ADGR) "Wet Wing"exercise.

The KC-130T aircraft arrived at Fort Sill before the "Chinooks." Then crews set up two refueling points a safe distance from the tanker by unloading equipment from the aircraft, unrolling fuel hose and connecting the equipment and hoses.

After the MC-47 aircraft arrived, the refueling crews marshaled them into place and conducted the refueling operation while the aircraft engines were running. After the helos departed from the refueling point, the refueling crews stowed the refueling equipment on the KC-130T and the aircraft departed. The refueling took about 35 minutes.

The "Wet Wing" exercise was a prime example of inter-service military Support. HPAAF provided personnel to marshal and park the Marine Reserve aircraft, a facility where the ADGR "Wet Wing" exercise could be conducted and air traffic control for the participating aircraft.

The exercise provided essential training for the air crews and refueling crews for the Army and Marine air crews. Fort Sill has worked with the squadron and 160th in the past with similar exercises.

A recent previous exercise was all-Marine as the primary participants were the Marine Reserve KC-130T Aerial Refueler aircraft and three Marine MV-22B "Osprey" tiltrotor aircraft assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161 from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. The exercise was conducted at night at HPAAF in March, with HPAAF operations personnel participating with marshaling and parking the tanker.