889th cooled air show crowd

The Daily Inter Lake

The weekend Mountain Madness Air Show crowd had a taste of the same support services that the 889th Quartermaster Company were providing recently in Iraq.

Nine volunteer soldiers commanded by Chief Warrant Officer Ed Cope pumped out about 1,100 gallons of ice-cold drinking water from a "water buffalo" trailer.

According to Sgt. Jim Boyd, the water was compliments of the U.S. Army Reserve. But the ice-cold part came out of Cope's pocket.

The unit commander purchased 300 pounds of ice a day to chill the water handed out for free to long lines of people attending the show in 90 degree plus heat.

Boyd said the heat casualties would have climbed higher if not for the 889th's service and Cope's generosity.

The soldiers handed out 400 gallons on Saturday and 700 gallons on Sunday. Water was also available from vendors for $3 a bottle or more.