THE TENSION: Combat Camera: US Airmen Clear Debris of War in Iraq

Airman 1st Class Thomas Burns is serving on his first deployment to Iraq, and is an airfield management operations coordinator assigned to the 447th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron at Sather Air Base, on the west side of Baghdad International Airport. He is responsible for discovering this Iraqi T-72 Main Battle Tank that was buried near the runway. The tank posed a threat to the safety of the airfield, and was removed by a combined Air Force and Army effort. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Brian Davidson.)

An old Iraqi T-72 main Battle Tank sits on a trailer and awaits final disposition after Airmen from the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron and Soldiers from the 503rd Maintenance Company worked together to remove it from the airfield at Sather Air Base, Iraq, where it was buried. The tank was an obstruction to safe airfield operations and had to be removed. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Brian Davidson.)

Airmen from the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron and Soldiers from the 503rd Maintenance Company work together with an M-88 tank recovery vehicle, a bulldozer and a crane to lift, pull and push an Iraqi T-72 Main Battle Tank from its grave and onto a trailer on the airfield at Sather Air Base, Iraq. The tank was an obstruction to safe airfield operations and had to be removed. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Brian Davidson.)

Airmen from the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron and Soldiers from the 503rd Maintenance Company work together with an M-88 tank recovery vehicle and a bulldozer pull and push an Iraqi T-72 Main Battle Tank from its grave on the airfield at Sather Air Base, Iraq. The tank was an obstruction to safe airfield operations and had to be removed. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Brian Davidson.)

Airmen from the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron and Soldiers from the 503rd Maintenance Company work together with an M-88 tank recovery vehicle and a bulldozer pull and push an old Iraqi T-72 Main Battle Tank from its grave on the airfield at Sather Air Base, Iraq. The tank was an obstruction to safe airfield operations and had to be removed. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Brian Davidson.)

Staff Sgt. Walter Kittle and Army Sgt. Daniel Torres work together to use an M-88 tank recovery vehicle to pull an old Iraqi T-72 Main Battle Tank from its grave on the airfield at Sather Air Base, Iraq. The tank was an obstruction to safe airfield operations and had to be removed. Sergeant Kittle is assigned to the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron. Sergeant Torres is assigned to the 503rd Maintenance Company. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Brian Davidson.)

Master Sgt. Daniel Torres double-checks for any hint of radiation hazards around an old Iraqi T-72 Main Battle Tank that was found buried on the airfield at Sather Air Base, Iraq. The tank was an obstruction to safe airfield operations and had to be removed. Sergeant Torres is assigned to the from the 447th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Emergency Management Flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Brian Davidson.)