Texas Air Guard Members Fly at Falcon Leap 2022

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands - Airmen from the 136th Airlift Wing attended the Falcon Leap Exercise on Eindhoven Military Air Base Sept. 12-17, commemorating the allies' joint World War II Operation Market Garden.

Polish, Romanian, Dutch, British and Italian Air force aircraft participated in the exercise. The Texas Air National Guard's 136th Airlift Wing brought its new C-130 J Super Hercules.

Falcon Leap was a time to remember Operation Market Garden, but it was also a joint NATO exercise to train for global air power interoperability.

The 136th flight crews helped drop Army Airborne Soldiers from Rhode Island, North Carolina and Georgia throughout the week. The rigger teams and airborne regiments participated in static line and freefall drops throughout the week.

The exercise enabled the 136th Airmen to practice these personnel drops with other nations.

"This week, we get to work with other nations on our tactics to inter-fly airdrops of heavy equipment, containers, delivery systems, and personnel," said Capt. Sean Noyes.

"It was one of the largest airdrops of WWII, and the U.S. was a big player," Noyes said about Operation Market Garden. "So, for the U.S. to be here with our Airborne members and aircraft is quite momentous; it would be something less if the U.S. weren't here for this commemoration."

The Texas Air National Guard is committed to supporting the mission of U.S. airpower globally.

"I'm glad we're here; it's an honor that Texas gets to do it and support this mission," Noyes said. "Our aircraft fly all over the world, and we always get good remarks wherever we go; this is just another feather in our cap, and I'm glad we're able to come to do this."