Sioux City, Iowa -- Students from the Le Mars Gehlen Catholic 4th Grade class toured the Iowa Air National Guard’s 185th Air Refueling Wing this week.
During their tour the group of around 40 students and teachers got an up-close look at a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Statotanker that is flown by the Iowa Air Guard unit.
Former Le Mars Gehlen 4th grader, now Staff Sgt. Jared Morris works as a jet engine mechanic at the 185th ARW. Morris helped guide the group through a tour of one of the unit’s KC-135 aircraft.
During the tour the students also went outside the unit’s main hangar and talked with airport firefighters who showed the group one of the unit’s large firefighting pumper trucks.
The Air Wing at the Sioux City airport often hosts groups who are interested in the unit’s mid-air refueling mission.
The Air Guard unit draws much of its unit membership from Sioux City, Iowa as well as nearby communities like Le Mars.