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On August 29 , 2005 , Hurricane Katrina 

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ravaged the Gulf Coast and prompted the 

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largest deployment of military 

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personnel for a humanitarian operation 

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in US history . Katrina was one of the 

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most devastating hurricanes to make 

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landfall in the United States . 

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Answering the call for assistance , the 

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US Air Force mobilized active duty , 

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reserve and National Guard units as 

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part of the Joint Task Force Katrina . 

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Airmen flew critical missions to 

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deliver supplies and equipment , 

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transport personnel , conduct search 

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and rescue missions , and evacuate 

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civilians during this unprecedented 

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national emergency . The scope and 

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impact of the Air Force's response to 

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Katrina was meticulously documented by 

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Department of the Air Force or DA 

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historians who observed and recorded 

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the operation across all phases . These 

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historians serve as a vital bridge 

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between military operations and the 

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dissemination of his . data for 

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decision making contingency planning , 

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and the development of solutions for 

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future challenges . Their role is 

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especially critical and complex 

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multi-agency efforts such as the 

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Katrina operation where coordination , 

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timing and adaptability are essential 

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to mission success . Staff historians 

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chronicled the entire flow of air and 

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support operations from the WC-130 

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hurricane hunter aircraft of the 53rd 

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Weather Reconnaissance Squadron was 

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tracked and measured Katrina before 

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landfall to the airlift transport and 

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search and rescue assets that brought 

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much needed relief to the devastated 

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region . These historians 

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compiled mission data and sortie counts 

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for all Air Force personnel and 

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aircraft involved in relief operations . 

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They detailed the evacuation of 26,943 

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displaced persons , as well as the 

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airlift of hundreds of emergency 

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personnel and over 11,000 tons of 

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equipment and supplies into the region . 

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Historians recorded the evacuation of 

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over 2600 medical patients to 

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facilities throughout the United States 

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and Air . Force medical professionals 

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treated more than 16,700 patients . 

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Among the most notable accounts 

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documented were the heroic actions of 

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the 347th Expeditionary Rescue Group , 

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which executed the largest rescue 

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mission in Air Force history and saved 

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4,322 people with 791 rescued in a 

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single day . Daff historians play a 

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crucial role in observing , documenting , 

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and preserving the legacy of Air Force 

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missions during Hurricane Katrina . 

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They were instrumental in capturing the 

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Air Force's extensive relief efforts . 

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Information and data recorded by Daf 

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historians proved useful almost . 

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Immediately as Hurricane Rita struck 

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near where Katrina had just hit 3 weeks 

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prior , their documentation ensures 

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that these actions are not only 

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remembered but also analyzed to inform 

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future decision making , improve 

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contingency planning , and refine 

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operational strategies .