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37 TAS Langley AFB 1966-1975


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Hello folks,

Was doing some VA stuff on the computer when I stumbled on this website. Fantastic! I was an Aircraft Electrician and worked on C130E's at Langley 1971-1974. While I was there, we had 3 squadrons of 130's ; 36th, 37th, and 38th. These were later consolidated into the 316th Field Maintenance Squadron. TDYs included Mildenhall, RAF Lynam, Viet Nam (what a trip!), Azores(1973 Yom Kippur war) as well as many stateside trips to fix aircraft. I have many fond memories of my time fixing and flying in "my" C130's. I would be very interested in attending a reunion of Langley folks in 2012. Looking forward to more interaction

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sparks, you better start packin' your bags, 'cause there is gonna be another reunion in Hampton, next year. Nothing has been set up yet, but Brother Rex Riley is gonna honcho it. If it is anything like the one at WP, you sure don't want to miss it..........If ya want, I'll fill ya in on anything that comes up

Giz

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Giz, Hey thanks. Yes, keep me posted on the reunion in Hampton. I met my future wife in Hampton my last year in service. We lived in an upstairs apartment just off base. She worked at Giant Open Air Market and we have been married now for 37 years. While we were dating, I took her to one of the Phase docks and gave her a personal tour of one of our C130's. Of course I did this on a weekend when very few others were around. I let her up through the hatch and onto the wings. She was very impressed, and I was never caught. Good memories.

Take care........

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Giz, Hey thanks. Yes, keep me posted on the reunion in Hampton. I met my future wife in Hampton my last year in service. We lived in an upstairs apartment just off base. She worked at Giant Open Air Market and we have been married now for 37 years. While we were dating, I took her to one of the Phase docks and gave her a personal tour of one of our C130's. Of course I did this on a weekend when very few others were around. I let her up through the hatch and onto the wings. She was very impressed, and I was never caught. Good memories.

Take care........

Oh I remember the open air market well. Used to go there to get steaks to barbecue. I hadn't thought of that place in years. I got married after the VN rote and still have her as well, after 39 years. We lived in an apartment up by the Chevy dealer on J. Clyde Morris Blvd. She worked at riverside Hospital, then we moved up to a house almost on the James river near Denby ( or however ya spell it) until i got out in '74. I don't think many of us realized how good the times were then, all things considered, especially the way thing are now. Rex was a hydraulics shop guy, if i remember right, and now has some kind of nautical engineering business down there, around surrey ithink. I'll keep up with ya

Giz

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I remember J Clide Morris Blvd. I think I lived closer to Mercury Blvd. off Kicotan (sp) road. I used to go down to the outer banks NC (Nags Head) for vacations. Fass Brothers fish house was one of my favoret places for all you could eat Flounder. My mother lived in Newport News and also worked at Riverside Hospital as a Nurse Anesthetist. If Rex worked Hydrolics, his shop was right down the hall from Electrics. Always great talking to you. I talked with the wife about a possible reunion next year and she is all on board.

Keith

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Oct 72 thru Aug 74 316th Avionics Maint. Sqdn. Lived in an apartment on Warwick Blvd, Newport News just around the corner from Riverside Hospital and about two blocks and across the street from the Mariner's Museum and small (then) Christopher Newport College. Our second child, David, was born at Riverside. One big recollection was managing gas fillups. We were under semi rationing. License plates ending with even numbers could gas up one day and odd numbers gased the alternate day. Many times had a line at the pumps to wait in. A few times stations just had a cardboard sign out "No Gas".

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Well we sure chewed up some of the same ground. I think it was 1973 when the gas shortage was in full swing. I was on my way back to Langley after having spent the weekend at my GF's house in W Va. During the wee hours of Monday morning I was on fumes. Pulled of at a closed gas station (nothing was open) and fell asleep in the car at the pump. I woke up after daylight when an attendent was tapping on my window. Needless to say, I was very late for work. Still smarting from the A-- Chewing I got.

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I lived at Jefferson and Main in Newport News from 69-73. Phillips Seafood had the best fish sandwiches and there was a crab factory down on the wharf in Hampton, for fresh crab and lobster. There was also great little Italian restaurant owned by a Greek guy down in Hampton, just remembered-Kosta's. We used to drive out to Poquoson to eat piles of crabs at an old shack, they called a restaurant. Not to mention, Ray's Place out the bridge gate, and the appropriately named West Gate Lounge.

Bob

Edited by bobdaley
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Remember the hot dog joint in that little strip mall on the beach end of mercury Blvd??? We called it Furry Titties, corruption of the real name and right beside it was a fabulous pizza joint owned by two brothers??????????AND did you know it was damn near impossible to get a bottle of Ripple at a 7-11, and get it drank before you got to the next 7-11?????? Now i only know this from rumor, mind you!!!!!!!!!!!!

Giz

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Whoooo. My first and only "bust" was at the 7-11 when a couple of maintainers and I stopped for a 16 oz can of PBR on the way to work. My buddy in the passanger seat had just popped the top when Hampton's finest pulled up behind me with lights and sirens. They put me in in the back of the squad car and the lead cop reamed me verbally while his buddy stifled a laugh. They finally let me go with a warning but I was never able to get the smell of beer out of the carpet where my friend had tried stash the open can.

I can remember downing a few bottles of Boones Farm on rare occasions.

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Oct 72 thru Aug 74 316th Avionics Maint. Sqdn. Lived in an apartment on Warwick Blvd, Newport News just around the corner from Riverside Hospital and about two blocks and across the street from the Mariner's Museum and small (then) Christopher Newport College. Our second child, David, was born at Riverside. One big recollection was managing gas fillups. We were under semi rationing. License plates ending with even numbers could gas up one day and odd numbers gased the alternate day. Many times had a line at the pumps to wait in. A few times stations just had a cardboard sign out "No Gas".

Hey man, there is a real possibility my wife was workin' at Riverside in post-partum I think it was when your son was born. She may have actually been around you all. And do any of you remember goin' out drillin' holes in the sky just to burn up the fuel they had already had in storage, while we were waitin' in line for gas?????? I got out just about the middle of that crap, and the movin' company had no fuel to deliver my stuff, and then the driver got shot at down in NC some place and wouldn't come up this way on account of it...................................

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Very small world. I remember she started contractions late afternoon and I notified the hospital that we were coming, but she got a great case of nerves and just wanted to lay down. It was like six hours later that I finally got her to let me take her over. The doctor and staff had been waiting all that time and weren't too happy to say the least. Your wife may recall the little asian woman who was late to her baby's birthing.lol

As we were driving off Langley our last day the first pair of factory fresh F-15s landed to begin the forming of the 1st TFW which would replaced the 316th TAW.

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Does anyone remember a TDY from Langley to the PI in either 1971 or 1972. I was abord one of our 130E's and I think there were six sent. The route was from Langley with stops in Calif.(Travis?), Hawaii, Wake Island, Guam, (B-52 were on the flightline) and Philippines. Once there, a shop chief asked for volunteer's for the electric shop at TSN. Myself and another guy from Langley (dont remember his name) went to TSN. He worked the day shift 12's and I worked the night 12's. I never took pictures and the only proof of boots on the ground (For Va) is a tattered card authorizing my use of an M-16. My dd214 has 40 days SEA and VSM but.....Any help would be appreciated.

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I went on a TDY like that in May 1972. Langley, Holloman to pick up the fighters equipment, McClellan AFB CA, Hickham, Wake Island, Guam, PI, Takhli, CCK. When we got to CCK, they took our airplane for the 36th TAS that was on its way to CCK and we flew home commercial on NWA. Kurt Schumacher was a copilot, George Simons, nav, Bad News Barnes was a LM. Forgot the rest.

Bob

Found it, we left Langley 10 May 1972 arrived CCK 1 June on 63-7783

Edited by bobdaley
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Bob, I was on that same gaggle..............we had a double crew. Sly Snyder was the other loady with me. I am so sorry i can't remember the rest. Spent something like three days at Hickham, Vice Pres Agnew came through there on Air Force 2. I still have my genuine Hawaiian shirt I got in Honolulu..............Somebody told me it may be worth some bucks now, since it is nearly 40 years old.

BTW, how about the 316th TAW pin and the Challenge coin Jerry had made???????? What a great job. That man just keeps on doin' good, doesn't he?????????

Giz

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Bob & Giz, Tail #7783 sounds VERY familiar. And the time frame is right. I turned 21 at TSN June 26, 1972. I've got a request in to the National Personnel Records Center requesting copies of Travel vouchers. Thanks for your information. I wish now I had kept copies of my orderes, vouchers, etc. Like you, I was sent back to the states on a civilian airline out of Tiapai Tiwan.

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  • 3 months later...

I arrived at Langley the day that the 316th received their 2nd C-130E in 1966 when the 36th squadron was created I was there then the 37th was created I was there and stayed in the 37th until I got out in Nov 1969. The last acft that I crewed was 7793 and Steve Fry was my assistant. I finished off my last 2 months at Langley as Grave shift support NCOIC.

I am horrable with remembering names but anybody out there remember me or Steve drop me a line at paul.giles@lmco.com

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