On Friday afternoon, they opened it's big belly and stuffed it with all sorts of emergency items including 15,000 meals, 1,700 blankets, lanterns, tents, water and hand tools.

A crew of seven from the Air Force and the Hawaii Air National Guard will take off shortly before three this. They'll land in Chengdu China about 14.5 hours later.

"You've seen the photos on the internet. They are heart wrenching. This is a mission about people helping people, simply that. It's us reaching out to them in their greatest hour of need," said Hawaii Air National Guard Col. Joe Kim.

"This is exactly one of the multi roles that the C-17 and its fine air crew do in support of the Air Force mission every day. World wide missions in support of any crisis," said U.S. Airforce Col. John Torres.

This flight is one of two flights carrying supplies from the US to China. The other took off from Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska Friday.

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