BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California –
As the 940th Air Refueling Wing’s mission becomes fully operational, the tanker rolls again, with the wing’s second nose art dedication.
The “Let’s Roll!” nose art was unveiled May 7, 2017, at Beale Air Force Base, California, but this isn’t the first time it’s been painted on a KC-135 Stratotanker here.
Shortly after the attacks on 9/11, each flying unit in the Air Force displayed the “Let’s Roll!” artwork on one of their aircrafts for a minimum of one year.
“Let’s Roll!” was designed to capture the spirit of the country on 9/11. It depicts an eagle soaring in front of the U.S. flag, with the words “Spirit of 9-11” on the sword blade and “Let’s Roll!” on the bottom.
Todd Beamer, a passenger on Flight 93, was overheard saying the phrase “let’s roll,” as he and others on the flight took deliberate action against the terrorists.
The 940 ARW kept the nose art on one of their tankers until the wing was reassigned in 2008. The 940th, re-designated as an air refueling wing last year, decided to continue with both the tradition and spirit, and display the same nose art again.
“We are keeping in tradition,” said Chief Master Sgt. Stuart R. Bisland, 940th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron maintenance superintendent.
Bisland was with the 940 ARW when the artwork was displayed before. He remembers it as a memorial of the attacks on America and an honor to 9/11 victims.
Col. Craig C. Peters, 940 ARW commander, chose to honor their spirit and the hard decisions made that day, and to also recognize the 940 ARW for the challenges it has faced standing up a wing and resuming a previous mission.
“Let’s Roll!” encompassed that spirit.