500 National Guard Pilots, Others Return To Michigan Base

HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - About 500 National Guard pilots and support crew members have returned to their southeastern Michigan base from Middle East missions.

The largest group of 127th Wing Airmen returned this weekend to Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County's Harrison Township. Selfridge officials said in a news release Saturday it was the longest and largest mass deployment from the base since the Korean War.

Most of the personnel spent 6 months involved in missions in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State group. Officials say A-10 pilots were involved in roughly 1,600 sorties and logged more than 11,000 hours of combat flight time.

Republican U.S. Rep. Candice Miller issued a statement thanking the men and women who deployed for their "service and sacrifice." Her district includes the base.