Mt.crewchief Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 (edited) While stationed at CCK my room-mates acft. 62-1854 was shot up real bad at Quan Loi RVN and was rebuilt and flown out later. It seemed like several months, but I am not sure. I found the pics in the gallery. More under (3818) His name was John Rosenfeld--From Denver Ken Carlson http://herkybirds.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=86&stc=1&d=1234929383 Edited February 18, 2009 by Mt.crewchief Add name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mt.crewchief Posted February 18, 2009 Author Share Posted February 18, 2009 While I am on a roll here are a couple more---I think! http://herkybirds.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=87&stc=1&d=1234929982 http://herkybirds.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=88&stc=1&d=1234930065 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCFH Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Nothing related but 1855 as far as I knew never had that much "fun". Totally off-subject I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronc Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 (edited) "Nothing related but 1855 as far as I knew never had that much "fun". Totally off-subject I know." Not sure if the crew that flew on the day #1 prop went to reverse in flight would agree with you or not! Edited February 24, 2009 by Ronc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 They were mortared on their way out of Quan Loi in ~Nov '69. The loadmaster Norm Thomas was killed (346th crew). They had just picked up an A model crew that had broke down. Norm and the A model loadmaster were standing in between the paratroop doors tieing down the chocks when Norm was hit with a piece of the mortar round. He had a daughter that wasn't a year old at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Wilson Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 "Nothing related but 1855 as far as I knew never had that much "fun". Totally off-subject I know." Not sure if the crew that flew on the day #1 prop went to reverse in flight would agree with you or not! Nor the crew that decided to fly 1855 INTO the thunderstorm, that plane had more bondo on it than any five cars I had in my younger days (and they were ALL bondo). Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Wasn't 1855 at Hulburt for a while? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Davenport Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Yes and a 16SOS crew on a nav overwater in clear skies down wind 10 miles from a thunder storm was badly damaged by golf and baseball size hail. I think all the front windows were cracked so bad the AC had to land looking out the lower window. The leading edges looked like someone took a sledge hammer to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Wilson Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 But I will say 1855 was a great flying plane:) (better that 7898 for sure). Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cobra935o Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 I never really liked 1855, as all gunship crew chiefs they would try to get us out there and do some kind of rig on it in the back, and none of us could ever figure out what went where, like a bunch of monkeys and a football, hehe. When I left Hurlburt, I never thought I would see 1855 ever again, but much to my dismay there it say on the ramp at Kadena when I arrived. We finally got rid rid of it about 3 years into my tour at Kadena. We offered that thing up to anyone who wanted it, and had no takers, so we brought it to the boneyard, wasnt there too long before Little Rock came and got it. Yes dan, 7898, was a piece o crap! I think that had more to do with 16 SOS crew chiefs maintaining 1855, and the 8th SOS crew chiefs maintaining 7898, they were never that good over there! Hehe, JK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhari Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 I was the pilot on 62-1854 the day it took a hit by a 122MM rocket at Quan Loi, 17 November 1969. I helped carry Norm Thomas out of the burning aircraft; a day I shall never forget. Our squadron commander told me his survivors would want to know exactly what happened from someone who was there. Writing those letters to his parents and his wife were probably the most difficult letters I ever wrote. I was aware Norm had a daughter not yet a year old and in fact my daughter was born four days later. Norm was only 21 at the time. Living within an hour of the Vietnam War Memorial, I never miss an opportunity to vist the wall and look at Norm's name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCFH Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 Amazing, I would have never guessed 55 had that much history. Yup I remember trying to rig the back for CP-1 or whatever always wondered who was the football and who was the monkey? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCFH Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 I was the pilot on 62-1854 the day it took a hit by a 122MM rocket at Quan Loi, 17 November 1969. I helped carry Norm Thomas out of the burning aircraft; a day I shall never forget. Our squadron commander told me his survivors would want to know exactly what happened from someone who was there. Writing those letters to his parents and his wife were probably the most difficult letters I ever wrote. I was aware Norm had a daughter not yet a year old and in fact my daughter was born four days later. Norm was only 21 at the time. Living within an hour of the Vietnam War Memorial, I never miss an opportunity to vist the wall and look at Norm's name.[/QUOT Wow, I can't even explain or put into words what admiration I have for you and all the vietnam vets out thier. That day had to be hell on earth as I am sure there were many days that would seem to linger forever. Thank you for everything you have done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topboltsto400 Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 +1 .....and, I remember you crew chiefs trying to get the specialists (engines) to help rig those seats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamMcGowan Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 That airplane was called the Quan Loi Queen and was supposed to go to the Air Force Museum when it left active service, but it was hit again by rockets in 1972 and written off and left in South Vietnam. I was at Cam Rhan the day that airplane was hit and will never forget seeing Norm Thompson's best friend moping around the barracks that afternoon and evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamMcGowan Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 The loadmaster on the A-model crew was Bob Gable. He pulled Norm Thomas out of the burning airplane and hurt his back in the process, and was given a Silver Star for it. There was an article about Bob in PEOPLE magazine back in the 1980s. He lives in Florida, or did at the time of the article. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budd Johnson Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 I just joined this group and was chatting with Sam about this Herk. I was stationed at CCK and worked on "Patches" as an AR Specialist along with a sheetmetal guy for about a week trying to patch the over 300 holes and seal them well enough for the return flight to depot. If I remember correctly, a C-130 pressurizes until the safety valve pops at 14.1 inches of mercury, but the most we could get was something like 3.5. Those were the days........ working a minimum of 12 hour shifts, 6 days a week if we were lucky and the only sleep we got was riding on the "Smoker". I was stationed there right out of tech school in late 1969 to 71 and then again 74 until closing in 75 (total of 27 months) all in the AR Shop / Crash Recovery / Transient Alert. I was the crew chief on "Big Sam" & "Big Bertha" (the 50 ton LeTourneau - Westinghouse crane. The Taiwanese guards never messed with me when I would take it for a spin around their side of the base and runway. I have pictures to dig through and will post when I find them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6575chief Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 (edited) 1855 flew its ass off Edited October 31, 2009 by 6575chief Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamMcGowan Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 They were mortared on their way out of Quan Loi in ~Nov '69. The loadmaster Norm Thomas was killed (346th crew). They had just picked up an A model crew that had broke down. Norm and the A model loadmaster were standing in between the paratroop doors tieing down the chocks when Norm was hit with a piece of the mortar round. He had a daughter that wasn't a year old at the time. That airplane was caught in another rocket attack at Kontum in 1972 and this time it didn't survive. In fact, it was the last C-130 lost to ground attack during the American role in Vietnam. (Yeah, I know, an airplane was lost at Saigon at the end of the war but the US had long since pulled all military units out of the country.) I saw a picture one time that identifed a C-130 as the Quan Loi Queen and claimed it was with E Flight. But if it was, it had been repainted in camouflaged by the time it was lost. I do have some pictures of it after it was flown out of Quan Loi and before it had been repainted. Al Steed, who was the senior loadmaster in the 346th, told me that it had been identified to go to the USAFM as the most heavily damaged airplane to ever be returned to service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC10FE Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 I do have some pictures of it after it was flown out of Quan Loi and before it had been repainted. Check out msn 3818 in the gallery -- lots of pics with all the patches. Also pics of the second rocket attack. Don R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Army Aviator Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 On 6/29/2009 at 3:38 PM, lhari said: I was the pilot on 62-1854 the day it took a hit by a 122MM rocket at Quan Loi, 17 November 1969. I helped carry Norm Thomas out of the burning aircraft; a day I shall never forget. Our squadron commander told me his survivors would want to know exactly what happened from someone who was there. Writing those letters to his parents and his wife were probably the most difficult letters I ever wrote. I was aware Norm had a daughter not yet a year old and in fact my daughter was born four days later. Norm was only 21 at the time. Living within an hour of the Vietnam War Memorial, I never miss an opportunity to vist the wall and look at Norm's name. I was one of the two army OH-6A crew chiefs wounded at the same time by the 122 rocket that hit your C-130. We had just finished closing up our birds and walking away, waving at the load master (whom I now know as Norm Thomas) when the whole world turned upside down. I was blown over the revetments where the Lochs were sitting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMPTestFE Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 On 3/14/2009 at 8:14 PM, Guest cobra935o said: I never really liked 1855, as all gunship crew chiefs they would try to get us out there and do some kind of rig on it in the back, and none of us could ever figure out what went where, like a bunch of monkeys and a football, hehe. When I left Hurlburt, I never thought I would see 1855 ever again, but much to my dismay there it say on the ramp at Kadena when I arrived. We finally got rid rid of it about 3 years into my tour at Kadena. We offered that thing up to anyone who wanted it, and had no takers, so we brought it to the boneyard, wasnt there too long before Little Rock came and got it. Yes dan, 7898, was a piece o crap! I think that had more to do with 16 SOS crew chiefs maintaining 1855, and the 8th SOS crew chiefs maintaining 7898, they were never that good over there! Hehe, JK! I was the FE that picked it up at DM, did a full-on FCF preflight & engine run....perfect! All while mx was struggling to get 2 or 3 active birds to pass an FCF back at LRF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rc johnson Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Here is the "Queen" getting buddy start on #3 prior to departure from Quan loi. "J" troops should note absence of hose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rc johnson Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 "Queen" enroute from Quan Loi to TSN. Gear chained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graywolf88 Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Kontum 72 ...... not sure what the tail number was. I am sure we left it at Kontum when the base was over run. 865 was also damaged there, but it was repaired and flown back to TSN. Also see; The links are not working right. You will have to paste the URL into the browser. This links to an old copy of the Det 1 Report that I saved. http://www.tanwater.com/834/det1-pg1.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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