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Desert One


Thud105
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Been awhile since I've been on here, but thought I would share in this thread. I just graduated BFE back in October and one of the guys in my class had an Uncle that was a Loadmaster with the Desert One mission. I will have to get back with you on a name, but he has some burn marks from the mishap. The guy was telling me that his Uncle practically ripped the troop door off its tracks to get out of the burning Herk. Now with this information some of you might know who he is??? I'll be back with a name none the less.

I will not forget the brave souls that truely had "The Guts To Try"!

Good book by the way.

Dave

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  • 3 months later...

There were three loadmasters on that aircraft, Ken Bancroft, Wesley Witherspoon, and Jim McClain. I think the one that you are referring to is Ken Bancroft, he was the big guy. They did one heck of a job, getting everyone in the cargo compartment out.

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There were three loadmasters on that aircraft, Ken Bancroft, Wesley Witherspoon, and Jim McClain. I think the one that you are referring to is Ken Bancroft, he was the big guy. They did one heck of a job, getting everyone in the cargo compartment out.

Ken makes two of Spoon and Banzai all great guys would fly with them Anytime Anyplace. Wait a minute I did already and would again Anytime Anyplace.

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  • 7 months later...

I found this site tonight on Google. I was looking up my Dad, Vincent A. Latona Sr. He was a radio operator with the 8th Special Operations Squadron. He was on Repuplic 5 EC 62-1857 for the Desert One mission. He's mentioned a couple of times in Jerry Thigpen's book and I'm his very proud son. I just wanted to say "Thank You" to you and everyone on this forum for remembering. Sincerely, Vincent A. Latona Jr.

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  • 1 month later...

Found a pic of 62-1857 along with this.

Lockheed C/EC-130E-LM Hercules Serial 62-1857 of the 7th ACCS at Korat, 10 May 1974. This aircraft survived the Vietnam War and was converted to C-130E-II, later to be redesignated EC-130E in 1976. Later, this aircraft served as an EC-130E Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC) aircraft at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona (1999)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7th_Airborne_Command_and_Control_Squadron

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  • 2 years later...

The first acft I was ever assigned to, EC-130E 62-1818, was one of the planes on the ground over there in Iran, and had a plaque on board dedicated to those men, and the airplane. I always thought that was the coolest thing to at least get to touch and care for a living piece of history every day while I was there at Keesler.

Also I lived on Kanuha Street in Commando Village, named after SSgt Damon Kanuha, the FE on Spirit 03! Shame people dont think about who the bases or streets are named after or why!

Nathan

I know this is a thread for Desert One, but Damon Kanuha was my next door neighbor while I was in the 16th SOS and I remember vividly the day we were recalled to the squadron and informed that we had a Gunship missing. Damon was a heck of an individual and a $h1t Hot FE. No, we truly never forget.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I had the job to prep 62-1809 on the avionics comm end prior to Eagle Claw and see her off from Wadi Qena to Desert One. That bird had some messed up comm bits, notably a mis-wired KY and HF issues probably resulting from the booth being yanked for the mission. Spent many days at Hurlburt combing through wire lists and canon plugs trying to figure out her issues. We were sitting in the spare Talon in Egypt listening to the BBC for any news of the mission when we heard Carter come on. Us maintenance folks are the last to hear anything, but we were devastated at the news. Having read Thigpen's excellent Talon book as well as The Guts To Try, There's still lots of pieces to the mission that never got told. Long-since retired, I occasionally think back to those days and wonder "what if."

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  • 8 months later...

Today marks the 34th Anniversary of the tragedy at Desert One. Please take a moment to remember those that had "the guts to try."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Lest we never forget.

They Had The Guts To Try

Frank Carberry

Honorary Member, 8th SOS

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  • 7 months later...

I was in the 42nd ACCS when they closed the unit. 1818 went to the boneyard; not sure where 1857 went.

62-1857 is on loan to Carolinas Aviation museum. I was the Maintenance Superintendent for 1818,1857 & 1809. I was part of the joint task force, my self my crew and the three ACFT were stationed at Keesler AFB and attached to Hulbert field.

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