Sailors from Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana lent a helping hand Sept. 8 at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, Va., loading much-needed relief supplies onto a vintage Western Airlines DC-3. The supplies were bound for areas hit hardest by Hurricane Helene, as part of an ongoing effort to assist communities in need.

“Helping those in need is a core part of what we do as service members,” said Capt. Josh Appezzato, commanding officer of NAS Oceana. “I’m incredibly proud of our sailors for stepping up to this challenge and putting their energy into this important relief effort. This is more than a job for us. It’s a responsibility to lend a hand, no matter where the need is.”

Sailors loaded boxes of food, water, medical supplies, and other essentials onto the aircraft. The teamwork and sense of shared mission were palpable throughout the day.

“It’s easy to take for granted the stability we have. But seeing how a storm can affect families, and knowing these supplies will help—it’s incredibly rewarding,” Yeoman Second Class (YN2) Savannah Jackson said. “We were all there with the same goal-to make sure they get what they need.”

According to Keegan Chetwynd, Military Aviation Museum director and CEO, the initiative took flight after the museum announced a collection drive to help those affected by Hurricane Helene. The museum collaborated with partners in the aviation industry to utilize their working plans to help transport supplies.

One of the helping hands was vintage aviation museum, Vintage Flying Machines, whose pilots landed a 1940’s-era DC-3 at the museum to lend a hand. The DC-3 was the world’s first successful commercial airliner and was adapted for military use during World War II as the primary means to transport service members and cargo.

The plane holds already holds place in our nation’s historical past. Now, it is adding another page to its history over 80 years later.

“It was really something seeing this plane in action, doing what it was meant to do today, just as it was back then,” Chetwynd said. “We are so happy that the navy came out to help. Seeing these sailors come out to help is truly inspiring.

NAS Oceana Sailors were just a part of the support the museum received. Community members and museumgoers brought donations by the car-full providing the museum with 5,000 pounds of supplies.