Return of The Oregon Guard's 1042nd Helicopter Company Now Delayed Until Sunday

After six-months in the Afghanistan War theatre, the Oregon soldiers continue to experience delays in their last leg of the journey home.

Blackhawk in Flight Photo By: Tim King

(Salem) - The arrival of the men, women and equipment of the 1042nd "Air Ambulance" Medical Company of the Oregon Army National Guard is tentatively scheuled for Sunday, February 26th around 10:30 AM at the Portland Air National Guard Base near the AMC Hangar.

This unit has been deployed in dangerous war locations many times under the Bush administration due to what guard officials call "the critical need of medevac capability." They have just completed a six month rotation into Afghanistan. Their primary mission was the evacuation, stabilization and transport of military and civilians who had been injured.

This newest delay is due to a transport issue with the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and the cargo plane scheduled to bring equipment belonging to the unit back to Oregon.