Petty Officer 3rd Class Wilfredo Cruz, 31, an aviation machinist’s mate from Arroyo, Puerto Rico, refuels an MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter on Friday at Capodichino in Naples, Italy. Cruz belongs to Heavy Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 4 from Sigonella, Sicily. (Kendra Helmer / S&S)
Petty Officer 3rd Class Wilfredo Cruz, 31, an aviation machinist’s mate from Arroyo, Puerto Rico, refuels an MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter on Friday at Capodichino in Naples, Italy. Cruz belongs to Heavy Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 4 from Sigonella, Sicily. (Kendra Helmer / S&S)
Airman Clinton Logan, 21, an aviation technician from Hot Springs, Ark., tests an antenna underneath one of the helicopters working with Navy SEALS at sea for special warfare demonstrations. (Kendra Helmer / S&S)
Petty Officer 3rd Class Sierra Dunn wipes down the inside of the helicopter. She belongs to Heavy Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 4 from Sigonella, Sicily. (Kendra Helmer / S&S)
Petty Officer 3rd Class Sierra Dunn, left, 22, an aviation electrician from Toulon, Ill., and Petty Officer 2nd Class John DeLong, 28, a parachute rigger from Miami, do maintenance work on an MH-53E Sea Dragon. (Kendra Helmer / S&S)
NAPLES, Italy — Naples folks have heard the whupping of rotor blades more frequently the past few days.
About 50 members of Heavy Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 4, nicknamed the “Black Stallions,” deployed from Sigonella, Sicily, to Capodichino for training and demonstrations with the 6th Fleet.
The MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters are working with Navy SEALS at sea for special warfare demonstrations such as fast roping, said Lt. Jacob Brynjelsen, squadron spokesman. Fast roping entails sliding down ropes from helicopters.
The “Black Stallions” also worked with the U.S. presidential helicopter squadron earlier this month in Geneva. Public affairs officers could not disclose the exact number of helicopters in Naples, citing security concerns.
About 275 sailors belong to the squadron, which celebrated the 20th anniversary of its commissioning last month.
