Red Horse squadron completes mission

Monday, June 17, 2002 | 10:39 a.m.

They may not have fired weapons in combat, but the more than 250 members of Nellis Air Force Base's 820th Red Horse Civil Engineering Squadron still overcame great physical challenges in their recent five-month mission.

Serving as engineering and infrastructure specialists for U.S. forces as part of the war in Afghanistan, Red Horse members toiled in 125-degree temperatures and 70 percent-plus humidity to build defense projects.

The exact location of the squadron's work was not disclosed by the Air Force.

"The conditions they told us about were hellish," Nellis Air Force Base spokeswoman Lt. Amy Render said. "Not only was it so hot and humid, they also at times put in 12-hour shifts to complete their assignments."

The squadron left in early January and returned Friday, building among other projects a 1,044,525-square foot concrete parking ramp, at a cost of $25.4 million.

Red Horse also built a fire station, maintenance warehouse and aircraft hangars, Render said.

The squadron suffered no combat casualties nor endured any hostile fire, Render said.

A welcome home party was held Friday at Nellis' Thunderbird Hangar upon Red Horse's return from the Operation Enduring Freedom mission.

The squadron has in recent years undertaken humanitarian missions in addition to support of U.S. forces abroad. Since 1999 the squadron has helped repair airport runways in Albania, built a school in Grenada and worked to repair the damage caused by Hurricane Mitch in El Salvador.