A C-130 cargo plane loaded with Christmas presents for children on Saint Lawrence Island was turned back from the tarmac on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson following Friday’s magnitude 7 earthquake.
The plane was part of Operation Santa Claus, an annual tradition of the Alaska National Guard and the Salvation Army. For now, though, Operation Santa Claus is grounded.
Maj. John Callahan, a public affairs officer for 176th Wing of the Alaska Air National Guard, said he was heading for takeoff with a few dozen other guardsman and volunteers when the earthquake struck.
“We couldn’t really feel the earthquake much ourselves, because we were on the plane literally taxiing out on the runway here on base when the plane came to a stop,” Callahan said. “They turned us around, took us back, and unfortunately had to cancel the mission.”
Then, of course, there was the question of damage. The earthquake broke pavement and infrastructure around Anchorage. JBER personnel wouldn’t take any chances, Callahan said.
“In a circumstance like this, of course our engineers have to do safety inspections on the runway and the control tower and the other buildings around the airstrip.”
Shortly after the earthquake, Gov. Bill Walker issued a disaster declaration and said the base now serves as an incident command center. Callahan said the Guard would be ready to assist as needed.
