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Herky Hill Question


Mt.crewchief
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Hey Ken another Naha Sparkchaser here. I do remember in late 69 early 70 we Naha and the "A"s moved from TSN to CRB right after Christmas when the CCK "E"s moved from CRB to TSN. I remember spendin many a night drinking beers at the Hooch I left CRB in March for Naha then DEROS'd to states in June. Was back over in 71-72 at Ubon chasing sparks on the F-4 and B-57G.during end of Linebacker I and going into Linebacker II.

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Jeff, I remember that big move well. I was at CRB with my plane and the big swap was going to take place in typical military order with a little class. All  of our E's were getting ready to start up and leave in a controlled order. It might have been a cool thing, but I missed it! We were ready to go and I was on the ground cord and we were going through the checklist and when it came to checking the props neither my #2 or #3 would feather!  Anyway, 62-1804, along with me and my assistant, John Chase got left behind. While we were waiting for new E-Model props, the A's had returned. It was like a home -coming in a way, because both John and I had gotten consecutive overseas tours from Naha to CCK. The guy running the dispatch truck took care of us was a former dispatch truck driver we both knew well at Naha.  We had checked out of Herky Hill and basically were no longer attached to anybody!  I think it was a little more than a week before new props came in from CCK. I think it was my last trip to Viet Nam due to my DEROS date and I never got to go to check out Saigon!

 I think the time was in maybe April or May 70.  Oh, the dispatch driver was a good friend from Naha . Tsgt Ruffin ! He made sure John and I were well taken care of since technically we weren't there!  I think there are pictures of 1804 missing two props in my gallery!

  Thanks for bringing up a good(?) memory.  

Ken

 

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Nice pictures Ken. When you guys and your E's CRB we came in with the B's from Clark. I see you don't have any external tanks  but see where they were. What's with that? Also I remember you from Dover when we bone yarded the C-133's. That was a hoot. I went to Hill AFB Ut. when the 133's left. Did you stay at Dover or get out? Bill

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You know, I hadn't thought of or even paid any attention to the missing external tanks on 62-1804. Now, I am confused! All of the pics I have in my gallery show external tanks on my plane. Also they are on the plane later on in the pics of it at Little Rock. I think I remember the external tanks being removed from the A models at Naha due to bullet holes!  I am going to have to check with Steve Mudge or Dennis Guinane  who were good friends (and still are) while at CCK. I think they would know. 62-1804 was the only plane at CCK I ever flew with (lived on it), & you would think I would remember why it didn't have external tanks!  That's going to drive me nuts until I can figure it out!   I got out of the AF on Jan 4th, 1971 at Dover and went back to Montana. I made E-5 in Dec. and was planning on re-enlisting but when they wouldn't promise me a reprieve from another trip to South Viet Nam, I decided 33 months over there was enough. Bill were you at Hill with Larry Hinch? There were several guys from Dover that ended up there. 

Thanks for the reply,

Ken   

PS  I had a lot of fun at Dover----in spite of having to work on those C-133's!

 

 

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Ken if he went to Hill in the spring of 1971 he was with us but I don't remember him. He may have been in the phase dock in Hgr. 1. I do remember the dock chief shot and killed himself. A really nice guy(RIP). Hill was the most fun base I was ever stationed at, hunting, skiing, fishing, Jeeping and camping...you know since you live in Montana ha ha. Were you in the hanger at Dover when we hoisted one of the guys up on the overhead crane and the sq. commander came in and stood there talking to us and never looked up to see the guy on the hook above us. Man we thought we were toast! Lots of goof off time there as we were junking out the 133's.

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I kind of think the three bladed props were faster on the probably lighter A Model . But noisier for sure!  I did quite a few Assault Landings & Take Offs on the A-model and 40 approx. 8 hr. Blind Bat missions, so I could tell the difference when cruising around in the Cadillac (E Model).  I only was on my E Model for a few Assault landings etc. and they were just as fun as my A-model. I remember while at Naha, you could always tell when an E Model was on the ground being quieter and especially with Low Speed Ground Idle. 

  You know, I have forgotten all of the not so fun times over there, but I don't think I have forgotten a minute of the good times.  I wonder if it is the same these days?

Ken

Left to right ---Me . Paul, & Chris  somewhere over Laos-------1968

 

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To add to this story we at Willow Grove 913th A/W had 10 C-130Es -63-7776-7779 -7832-7833 -7834 -7848-7867-7892-  and 2 (62)models 62-1804 and the other CRS has hit me but Vince A. would know Ken . Anyway after the "A" models wings folded fighting fires in California, the whole  USAF started doing NDI inspections starting at wing boxes external tank pylons and enging pylons. We were lucky because all of the 63's just finished having wing boxes replaced in the 80's . the 62 models were flown to Sheppard to be used as trainers in the Tech Schools. Unfortunately for us at the Grove Dyess, Pope, and Little Rock came up and took our 63's. As I remember it Pope alone had 17 Hercs that were in such bad shape they had to be trucked to D.M. and the boneyard. If i am wrong i am sure Vince will fact check me and make corrections.

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Ken, Vinny corrected me on the C-130Es we had at the Grove. I missed 2 63 model E's 63-7823 and 63-7853 along with 62-1806 and 62-1852. Both 62;s went to Sheppard.  7853 was taken by Pope or Dyess and suffered a catastrophic left MLG  fire  on landing at Talil in Iraq and was stripped and sits there still today. 

 

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