Air Force
Minnesota National Guard airmen return home after deployment to Africa
Stars and Stripes
June 4, 2026
U.S. Air Force airmen and C-130H3 Hercules from the 133rd Airlift Wing return home to St. Paul, Minn., June 4, 2026, from a deployment to Africa. (Amy Lovgren/U.S. Air National Guard)
More than 100 airmen from the 133rd Airlift Wing of the Minnesota National Guard returned home after a four-month deployment to Africa.
In February, the airmen departed St. Paul, Minn., in support of Operation New Normal and other counterterrorism operations in Africa, according to a service news release.
Operation New Normal is a U.S. military initiative under U.S. Africa Command that functions as a rapid-response or quick-reaction force for unforeseen events in Africa.
“The dedication, professionalism, and skill of our squadron were on full display through multiple high‑visibility operations and no‑fail missions that demanded absolute precision,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Denny Paulsen, commander of the 133rd Operations Group.
The deployment also marked the conclusion of the C-130H aircraft, which is being replaced across the 133rd Airlift Wing by the newer C-130J model, the release said.
“All of Minnesota can be proud of what the airmen have accomplished,” Paulsen said. “Their performance has left a lasting mark on our state, and on the legacy of the C‑130H (aircraft).”
U.S. Air Force airmen and C-130H3 Hercules from the 133rd Airlift Wing return home to St. Paul, Minn., June 4, 2026, from a deployment to Africa. (Amy Lovgren/U.S. Air National Guard)
U.S. Air Force airmen and C-130H3 Hercules from the 133rd Airlift Wing return home to St. Paul, Minn., June 4, 2026, from a deployment to Africa. (Amy Lovgren/U.S. Air National Guard)
U.S. Air Force airmen and C-130H3 Hercules from the 133rd Airlift Wing return home to St. Paul, Minn., June 4, 2026, from a deployment to Africa. (Amy Lovgren/U.S. Air National Guard)
U.S. Air Force airmen and C-130H3 Hercules from the 133rd Airlift Wing return home to St. Paul, Minn., June 4, 2026, from a deployment to Africa. (Amy Lovgren/U.S. Air National Guard)
U.S. Air Force airmen and C-130H3 Hercules from the 133rd Airlift Wing return home to St. Paul, Minn., June 4, 2026, from a deployment to Africa. (Amy Lovgren/U.S. Air National Guard)
U.S. Air Force airmen and C-130H3 Hercules from the 133rd Airlift Wing return home to St. Paul, Minn., June 4, 2026, from a deployment to Africa. (Amy Lovgren/U.S. Air National Guard)