U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Adam Smith and Airman 1st Class Calvin Myers remove branches from atop the Berkeley gate guard shack while Senior Airman Keny Brown looks on at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., Aug. 28. The majority of base services were closed Saturday in preparation for Hurricane Irene’s projected destructive path up the Carolina coast. Smith is from Cortland, N.Y., Myers is from Canton, N.C., and Brown is from Savannah, Ga. All are from 4th Civil Engineer Squadron Structures Shop. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Matt Schroff)

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U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Calvin Myers removes a large piece of siding from the Berkeley gate guard shack roof in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., Aug. 28. The base received nearly ten inches of rainfall and 60-knot winds Saturday which resulted in approximately 40 fallen trees and roof damage to a few base facilities. Myers is from the 4th Civil Engineer Squadron Structures Shop and hails from Canton, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Matt Schroff)

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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Adam Smith saws through a section of roof trim left hanging after an impact with a tree caused by the powerful winds of Hurricane Irene at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., Aug. 28. Smith and other members of the 4th CES worked to remove dangling debris from the roof over the Berkeley gate so it could reopen for vehicle and foot traffic. Smith is from the 4th Civil Engineer Squadron Structures Shop and hails from Cortland, N.Y. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Matt Schroff)

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4th Civil Engineer Squadron work crews remove debris and loose trim from the Berkeley gate guard shack at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., Aug. 28. A falling tree impacted the roof, forcing officials to close the gate until the tree could be removed. The Oak Forest gate handled the overflow until the debris could be cleared. 4th CES work crews were on site before dawn to begin cleanup that is expected to take several hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Matt Schroff)

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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgts. Emanuel Shiver and Tim Loyd work to remove a tree limb that was laying against the perimeter fence near the Oak Forest gate on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., Aug. 28, 2011. Two crews from the 4th Civil Engineer Squadron heavy equipment flight were charged to check for trees and limbs that were lying against the perimeter fence after Hurricane Irene hit the Carolina coast. Shiver is a native of Columbia, S.C., and Loyd hails from Clarksdale, Miss.; both are members of the 4th CES heavy equipment flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Rae Perry)

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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Emanuel Shiver prepares to pull a downed tree limb off the perimeter fence near the Oak Forest gate at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., Aug. 28, 2011. After completing an assessment of damages, members of the 4th Civil Engineer Squadron work to restore power and remove trees that pose a security problem to the base. Shiver, 4th CES heavy equipment operator, is a native of Columbia, S.C. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Rae Perry)

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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Emanuel Shiver uses a chainsaw to trim a tree limb down to a manageable size for removal by a front-end loader as part of the cleanup efforts from Hurricane Irene on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., Aug. 28, 2011. Airmen from the 4th Civil Engineer Squadron began working around the clock shortly after winds died down Saturday afternoon to restore power and remove more than 40 downed trees. Shiver, 4th CES heavy equipment operator, is a native of Columbia, S.C. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Rae Perry)

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U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jacob Russell saws through the trunk of a tree that fell near Heritage Hall in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., Aug. 28. The 4 Civil Engineer Squadron heavy equipment flight used chainsaws, bulldozers and backhoes to cut and remove dozens of fallen trees and branches to clean up the base. Russell, 4th CES heavy equipment operator, is from Malvern, Ark. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Matt Schroff)

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U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jacob Russell saws through the trunk of a tree that fell near Heritage Hall during high winds brought on by Hurricane Irene at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., Aug. 28. Civil Engineer work crews arrived before dawn to begin the monumental task of clearing nearly 40 fallen trees and limbs from areas across the base. Russell,4th Civil Engineer Squadron heavy equipment operator, hails from Malvern, Ark. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Matt Schroff)

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Photos: Team Seymour begins cleanup from Hurricane Irene

Published Aug. 28, 2011
By Senior Airman Rae Perry
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- After winds and rain died down enough for crews to venture out, the 4th Civil Engineer Squadron put its Airmen to work cleaning up after Hurricane Irene.

Airmen were out surveying damage left in the storm's wake August 27.

When the sun came up on August 28, the 4th CES heavy equipment operators or "Dirt Boys" were out in force with their chainsaws and front-end loaders to remove downed trees from the base perimeter fence.