Manas Air Base

Manas Air Base (unofficially Ganci Air Base) is a United States military installation at Manas International Airport, near Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, primarily operated by the U.S. Air Force.

Dedication

The installation was named after New York Fire Department Chief Peter J. Ganci, Jr., who was killed in the September 11 terrorist attack.

Shortly after the U.S. Air Force had used the name "Ganci," it was found that an Air Force Instruction (AFI) dictated that non-US air bases could not bear the name of any US citizens. Since that time the air base has been officially called Manas Air Base, after the name of the airport where it is located.

The all-ranks club/recreation center on Manas (Ganci) is called "Pete's place" in his honor. His image and story adorn the entryway. His courageous acts of self-sacrifice are related to all new personnel. Peter Ganci is considered to be one of 9/11/2001's greatest heroes.

The name Manas comes from the hero of the Kyrgyz epic poem of the same name. The longest epic poem known to modernity, one recording of Manas is over half a million lines long, twenty times longer than Homer's Odyssey and twice as long as the Mahabharata.

Operation Enduring Freedom

In December 2001, US engineers arrived at Manas to open the airfield for coalition use as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/manas.htm] US close air support aircraft deployed there included US Air Force F-15Es and US Marine Corps F-18s. In February 2002, a detachment of French Air Force Dassault Mirage 2000D ground attack aircraft and KC-135 air-refueling tankers deployed to Manas in support of ground forces in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. In March of the same year, the Royal Australian Air Force stationed 2 B707 air-to-air refuelling aircraft as part of the Operation. On October 2002 a tri-national detachment of 18 Danish, Dutch and Norwegian F-16 ground attack aircraft took the place of the Mirages, in addition, support for the new aircraft came in the form of one Netherlands KDC-10 tanker, and several American KC-135s, which remain assigned to this day. The unoffficial nickname to this base is "The Gateway to Hell", as many that pass through the base are on their way to combat. This nickname was originally picked up by USAF FireDawgs (Fire Protection) as they would forward deploy to FOB Salerno, Afghanistan.

ISAF support

In September 2004, the Royal Netherlands Airforce again returned with 5x F-16 fighter/bomber to provide Close Air Support (CAS) for the ISAF mission, which now encompassed both Kabul and Northern Afghanistan. The supplement the small availability of tanker aircraft, a RNLAF KDC-10 was also deployed which flew regularly to supply Dutch F-16s with fuel. At that time, the Spanish Airforce was also giving support with a single C-130. The Dutch, commanded by LtCol Bob "Body" Verkroost, remained until the presidential elections of October 9, 2004 elected Hamid Karzai as president of Afghanistan. The last F-16 mission was flown on November 19, 2004 at which time the F-16s were withdrawn to their homebase of Volkel Airbase, the Netherlands while the KDC-10 flew the personnel back to Eindhoven Airport. The Dutch returned with F-16s to the Afghan theatre in 2005 but at that time began operating out of Kabul Airport.

Recent events

The Tulip Revolution of March, 2005 led to the toppling of Kyrgyz president Askar Akayev. However, American and allied personnel did not find themselves disrupted or affected, according to international news reports. One military member even indicated, "It's been business as usual...We did not miss a single flight." [cite web|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/04/01/002.html|title=Business as Usual at U.S. Base in Kyrgyzstan|author=Christian Lowe|publisher=Reuters|date=2005-04-01|accessdate=2007-07-20]

In April, 2006, Kyrgyzstan's new president, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, threatened to expel U.S. troops if the United States would not agree by June 1 to pay more for stationing forces in the Central Asian nation. He withdrew this threat, however the U.S. and Kyrgyzstan have yet to agree to new terms for the military base.

On September 6, 2006, a U.S. Air Force officer, Maj. Jill Metzger went missing after being separated from her group while visiting a shopping center in Bishkek. She was found three days later in the nearby city of Kant. Metzger claimed to have escaped from kidnappers, though U.S. officials noted "serious inconsistencies" in her account. The matter is still under investigation.

December 2006 shooting

On December 6, 2006, U.S. serviceman Zachary Hatfield fatally shot Alexander Ivanov, a Kyrgyz civilian, at a truck checkpoint at the base. A statement from the base stated the airman “used deadly force in response to a threat at an entry control checkpoint." [cite web|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16072996/|title=U.S. troops quizzed after Kyrgyz man shot dead|author=|publisher=Associated Press|date=2006-12-07|accessdate=2007-07-20] Ivanov, a truck driver for Aerocraft Petrol Management, was waiting to finish the security check before proceeding into the U.S.-controlled area. According to a base spokesman, "As the airman approached the tent, the driver physically threatened him with a knife which was discovered at the scene. The airman drew his 9mm weapon and fired in self-defense." [cite web|url=http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/12/ed4eb5c6-2a9a-497c-a4d1-be89f9d68d82.html|title=Kyrgyz Man Shot By U.S. Soldier Is Buried|author=|publisher=RFE/RL|date=2006-12-08|accessdate=2007-07-20] Hatfield fired two shots into Ivanov's chest, killing him.

The killing drew widespread condemnation from Kyrgyz authorities and they quickly demanded that Hatfield's immunity from local prosecution be revoked. In the meantime, U.S. authorities agreed to have Hatfield remain in Kyrgyzstan until the matter is resolved. [cite web|url=http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/12/13a53d4b-b2be-4944-9efd-adfeaae535eb.html|title=Kyrgyzstan Wants U.S. Soldier's Immunity Lifted In Wake Of Shooting|author=|publisher=RFE/RL|date=2006-12-07|accessdate=2007-07-20] However, a few days later it was revealed that Hatfield was evacuated from Kyrgyzstan despite initial promises.

Another issue to come out of the shooting was that of the compensation offered to Ivanov's family. His employer offered the family $50,000 while the U.S. government offered only around $2,000. Galina Skripkina, a lawyer representing Ivanov's widow, described the US offer as "humiliating" and said that if it was not increased the family would take legal action. However, the US embassy stated that this amount was an interim payment and that final compensation would be determined once the investigation into the shooting was concluded. [cite web|url=http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/03/apkyr070312/|title=Family of man shot at Manas offered $2,000|author=|publisher=Air Force Times|date=2007-03-12|accessdate=2007-07-20]

ee also

* Karshi-Khanabad air base
* New Great Game
* Kant (air base)

External links

* http://www.manas.afnews.af.mil/ Official Air Force News Site
* http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/manas.htm
* http://community.webshots.com/album/74506196JdgBcH Webshots web images of Ganci
* http://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/SitoAM/Default.asp?idsez=25&idente=1398
* http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/aug2003/a081103j.html
* http://www.kyivpost.com/bn/24565/

References