Vietnam C-130 write offs

[Robert Podboy]

At the end of the Vietnam War, did the US leave behind any C-130’s or enough cannibalized parts to make operational planes? If so is the status of the planes known?

[bobdaley]

There were no USAF C-130's in Viet nam other than a few exploded wrecks.

We gave 32 A's to the SVAF as part of Project Enhance Plus in 1972. There were 3 Roman nose A's in the 32 that the SVAF swapped with the US for three newer A's.

Best I can tell Of those 32, 15 were returned to the USAF 9 were write offs either due to accidents or destroyed on the ground. The 8 remaining were renumbered by the North and stored at Tan Son Nhut. Of those 8, 4 are still there. One is in a Museum at Khe Sanh, and i have not heard anything about the other 3. The ones at TSN are severely corroded and partially stripped.

I got a recent report on the four at TSN, I'll try to attach it as a word file. I think I got it to work.

I will also attach an Excel file of what i think happened to the A's. any updates to that would be appreciated.

bob

SVAF.xls

 

[SEFEGeorge]

Project Enhance Plus in 1972

I actually participated in that project but not in the C-130 world. I was at Kelly as part of a RAM team (2954th CLSS if I remember correctly). A group of us were told to pack a bag and be at the terminal at such-n-such time. No other info given. Loaded us on a C-5 and off we went. The wives seemed to know where we were going but not us. Operational security - just ask a military wife, they know all the skinny.

Anyway we landed in Spain for gas. Plane broke so we spent 12 hours on the ground. Hit the town for some rum and coke at a local club.

Next thing we knew we had landed in Iran on some IAF base. Spent 9 days there tearing down the Shaw's F-5A's and crating them up to be sent to VN. US was giving him new F-5E's to replace them. We could only go to work, the barracks, and the O Club which we all went to for food and drinks. We all ended up with constipation and/or diarrhea. Pills to start crapping, then pills to stop. Flew a C-141 home. Those porta potties got a good workout.