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Burning Herk


Dan Wilson
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I have seen film of this incident . If I remember correctly, (and thats a big if) it took fire in the right wing approching Khe San which resulted in a massive fuel leak friom the right wing. They landed and during the ground evac. it caught fire buring to the ground. I think this was during the siege and C-130's were no longer allowed to land there after that. Again thats if I remember correctly.

Edited by fenmonster
gross spelling errror
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  • 3 months later...

My note say this is at Khe Sahn, is that right? What tail number is it?

HerkburningatKheSahn.jpg

This photo is undoubtedly from the film footage that was taken after the crash. It was the only Marine C-130 lost in Vietnam in combat. Another was lost in a midair with a fighter during a refueling mission over or close to North Vietnam. This footage was shown over and over on the 6 O'Clock news during the siege.

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  • 2 weeks later...

149813 USMC KC130F 2/10/68

I

Bob

Was going to say Marine Corps or Navy, by the prop stripes.

met the pilot last year CWO Wildfang. A great guy.

A CWO???? Navy/Marine Corps Warrants don't fly... Don't think was a Vietnam thing(maybe wrong) either, just read an article on an Army Warrant, in 1969, left the Marines after 12 years of service, and went into the Army Warrant Officer program. The reason? He wanted to be a pilot.

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There were warrant officer Navy/Marine C130 pilots during Vietnam: '66 to '70 anyways...I don't know how many? no where near the number of Army warrants flying helos...

Ok, wasn't sure... Army still has crap load of flying Warrants...Know a few Navy Enlisted that crossed over to fly helo's (or should I say Choppers, since they are Army aircraft? LOL) Navy actually will have again, maybe... They selected 4 for the Pilot program and 3 for the NFO program back a few years ago, to see if it was possible to have a flying Warrant program. They will only be in the big boys though, P-3C, EP-3E, E-6B's, and the Helo's... No tailhooks.

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  • 4 weeks later...

The USMC had WO pilots through the Korean war and a bit later. I was told CWO Wildfang had a Presidential waver to stay past 30 years. I know a couple of prior USMC load masters that flew with him and both said he was a great stick. One commented the best on instruments he had flown with.

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