Shortly after 10 a.m. Monday Aug. 26, Banning-Beaumont Patch got questions from readers including "Would you have info on all the helicopters flyin in from the desert?"
On the Front Porch Yucaipa Facebook page, people posted comments such as "10 black choppers passed over rolling hills really low then circled and went higher. Anyone know anything?" and "Ten helicopters ! Pretty cool lol"
One Patch reader said "We counted at least 40 they were military."
Contacted by Patch on Monday, Capt. Anton T. Semelroth of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar said he would try to get details, and on Wednesday he wrote back in an email:
"3rd Marine Aircraft Wing did have aircraft flying in the vicinity of Beaumont and Yucaipa Monday. Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469 aircraft, stationed at Camp Pendleton, were transiting from Camp Pendleton to Twentynine Palms for a training exercise.
"Due to weather in the area, the pilots made a deviation from their original flight plan. The deviation was a standard operating procedure and in accordance with FAA regulations."
Asked for photos of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469 aircraft for publication, Capt. Melanie Salinas of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing shared images taken by Marines deployed out of Camp Bastion, Afghanistan in June 2012.
Full captions on photos attached to this report read:
"AH-1W Super Cobras with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron make their way down the flight line at Camp Bastion ready to take off for the day's missions in Helmand province June 26."
"An air crew with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469 preps its UH-1Y Huey for return to Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, June 20. Hueys and AH-1W Super Cobras are typically used to provide close-air-support because of their ability to provide heavy firepower and 360-degree security."
For more info on 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing visit http://www.3rdmaw.marines.mil/.
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