An MC-130H Combat Talon II pilot lands at Sendai Airport, Japan, on 16 March 2011. Sendai is the largest city in the region hit by the tsunami on 11 March. Sendai Airport was practically destroyed. Within hours, a US Air Force Special Operations team working with the Japanese cleared the runway allowing C-130s to land carrying much-needed disaster relief. Sendai Airport has become a symbol of hope for Japanese people in the region. As of 26 March 2011, the Air Force has flown more than 640 tons of humanitarian relief supplies into Sendai Airport to be distributed to the Japanese people throughout the region.
