A Hawai'i-based C-17 cargo plane was expected to leave early this morning for Chengdu airport to deliver some of the first U.S. aid to China after Monday's magnitude 7.9 earthquake.

The aircraft "Spirit of Kamehameha," piloted and crewed by six Hawai'i Air National Guard members and one active-duty Air Force airman, is one of two C-17s dispatched to aid the quake-stricken region.

The second is from Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska. The Hickam C-17 yesterday afternoon was being loaded with 90,135 pounds of supplies.

The Air Force plans to deliver 15,000 meals, 1,700 blankets, fuel containers, lanterns, tarps, 320 tents, 3,800 water containers and hand tools.

"You've seen the photos in the Internet, they are heart-wrenching. This is a mission about people helping people. Simply that," said Col. Joe Kim, vice commander of the 154th Wing of the Hawai'i Air National Guard.

Eight C-17s at Hickam are jointly operated by the Air Guard and active-duty Air Force.

"This is what our airmen like to do," said Col. J.J. Torres, commander of the 15th Airlift Wing at Hickam, as crews loaded up the big cargo carrier with relief supplies.

Hickam also helped move supplies and personnel first to Guam and then Thailand for relief to Myanmar, hit hard by Cyclone Nargis.

The U.S. military is running about four C-130 aircraft relief missions into Myanmar from Thailand each day, officials said.

Pentagon Press Secretary

Geoff Morrell on Thursday said U.S. Pacific Command Com-mander Adm. Timothy J. Keating's Monday trip to Myanmar, also known as Burma, with the first relief flight was a success that "opened the door to at least limited numbers of aid flights into Burma."