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December 12, 1970. Long flight to a grass field


alanwbaker
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Hey Alan, sounded like a fun trip. Just another day at the office. I would like to know what the missed meal part of story was about. As a Crew chief I worked many nights without a meal. Spent 3 days on my bird #64-0505 at Danang. We had either a prop or engine issue they couldn't resolve. Prop shop said engine. Engine shop said Prop. It weems I ran engines every 2 or 3 hours for the better part of 3 days. I had about $15.00 on me so I sent my assistant to the BX with a 10 dollar bill to get us something to eat. He came back with 3 boxes of Ritz Crackers, 2 jars of Peanut Butter and 2 jars of Tang. Can't drink Tang to this day. Looks like the Air Force owes me a lot of money for missed meals.

Wil

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Wil,

While I was at CCK from 1970-1971, missed meal reimbursement disappeared for flight crews. But we only missed meals for half a day at a time while crew chiefs like yourself missed many consecutive meals. I don't know what the missed meal policies were in the maintenance squadrons, but I always believed that extra effort deserves recognition, and a missed meal was what I could do for this one crew chief at the time.

Everyone in SEA made contributions that went unrecognized. The Air Force may not recognize those missed meals, but I salute you for your contribution, your extra effort, and your sacrifice. Welcome home, Wil.

Alan

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Alan,

Your mention of Sattahip brought back some memories. Back in the 1960's when I was stationed at Clark on the B-models, we had a trip to take a couple of forklifts to a grass strip at Sattahip -- they were building an air base called U-Tapao there. The locals were amazed at our C-130, but you should've seen their faces when a C-124 landed a few minutes later & opened the clamshell doors!

Don R.

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Alan,

Your mention of Sattahip brought back some memories. Back in the 1960's when I was stationed at Clark on the B-models, we had a trip to take a couple of forklifts to a grass strip at Sattahip -- they were building an air base called U-Tapao there. The locals were amazed at our C-130, but you should've seen their faces when a C-124 landed a few minutes later & opened the clamshell doors!

Don R.

Wow--I didn't even know C-124's could land on grass. It sure was the original aluminum overcast.

What a change from a grass strip in the sixties to the biggest base in Thailand in the seventies!

Alan

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The marines ran a prison for the navy and marines at Sattahip. Flying the Klong Shuttle we always stopped at Nam Phong and picked up once or twice a week a half dozen marines handcuffed on their way to Sattahip. We off loaded them at U-Tapao. Most of them, being marines, thought prison at Sattahip was better than being stationed at Nam Phong.

Bob

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The marines ran a prison for the navy and marines at Sattahip. Flying the Klong Shuttle we always stopped at Nam Phong and picked up once or twice a week a half dozen marines handcuffed on their way to Sattahip. We off loaded them at U-Tapao. Most of them, being marines, thought prison at Sattahip was better than being stationed at Nam Phong.

Bob

Bob,

I'd never heard of Nam Phong--it was opened after my SEA tour--and I was curious about it. After reading its history at https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Royal_Thai_Air_Base_Nam_Phong, I can believe that prison at Sattahip was better!

Alan

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Nam Phong was a garbage dump situated on a first class airfield. Flew several missions relocating the Marines out to MCAS Futenma. On one particular sortie we went missed approach from a GCA at Futenma. It was during the heaviest rain storm I have ever experienced. At 100 feet decision height nothing was visible. The GCA controller was inexcusably incompetent and Bud Stokes the AC submitted a Hazard Report with the details.

Muff, I believe you were the FE on that sortie.

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Wu, you have good memory...yes I do remember that heavy rain and the hairy approach to Futenma...not to worry as that Marine base will soon be closed and moved out to Bolo point or Guam.

Those were the fun days flying....Is Bud Stokes still around...haven't heard his name in years. And how come you have not posted your profile on this board? Maybe more of us know you...who the hell is "Wukong" ? Welcome home and stay in touch.

Muff

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Nam Phong was one of those long concrete runways in the middle of no where built in the 50's and 60's to land B-52's low on fuel after bombing Russia. It was not used until the Easter Offensive of 1972. PACOM wanted the AF to use it to bomb NVN. The AF said it would take months to get it ready to use, no O Club, no Golf Course, no barracks no hangars. The Marines said we can be there tomorrow and live in tents and that is what they did. The local Thai Province Chief would not allow the Marines off the base, It was a real hole, that is why the Marines were glad to leave, but I can't imagine a Marine jail being much better.

Bob

They did land a damaged B-52 there after bombing NVN. They must have sent 3 herk loads of parts and mechanics from U Tapao to get it out of there so no one would see it when we brought in the Bob Hope Show a few days later,

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Hi Glenn

It was all concrete over 10000 ft when I was there in 72-73. I never went there in 70 when I was Thailand. I just googled it and it showed a 10000 Ft concrete runway and a 10000 ft concrete paralel taxi way

Bob

I think the ramp area was PSP. The only hangar they had looked like a carport.

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Back in the 1960's heard a story that back during the cold war SAC built big runways in out of the way places to land the BUFFs after the big one. Could this place be one of those? I remember flying over a runway out in the middle of no-where Thailand back in 67-68.

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Hi Glenn

It was all concrete over 10000 ft when I was there in 72-73. I never went there in 70 when I was Thailand. I just googled it and it showed a 10000 Ft concrete runway and a 10000 ft concrete paralel taxi way

Bob

I think the ramp area was PSP. The only hangar they had looked like a carport.

Bob,

Your memory matches mine. The Marines unofficial name for the place was "The Rose Garden." For those who are not geriatrics google Lynn Anderson.

http://www.thaiflyingclub.com/linkairportnamphong.html

This picture is the right layout and location but is listed as an asphalt runway and taxiways. Maybe it was asphalt. I would have sworn the runway and taxiways were concrete.

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