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C-130 Crew and Maitenance TDY to Vietnam


BRlang
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I'm trying to help a retired C-130 Crew Chief prove boots on the ground. He was based at CCK and did rotations to TSN with his plane, I have reached out to my Congressman, Steve Womack, to see if we can get a short cut to getting credit for Vietnam service. I was able to supply the Air Force documentation and photos that proved my service. I was lucky to have all my old travel vouchers. They sent me a letter acknowledging my Vietnam service. Most people are not as lucky. I am trying to quantify the number of C-130 squadrons that were based off shore. I was at CCK and we had three. I can't remember where the "A" and "B" models were PCS or where they based in Vietnam. Also for the line MX and Crew Chiefs how often they rotated in and out of country. I am doing a write up to include in my letter the nuts and bolts of how we ran our trash hauler operations. I am trying to get his support and a short cut we can use to streamline this process. I realize the gunships had similar a similar set up. 

Any input would be appreciated as I think we lost around 55 C-130s and for the most part none of them were PCS Vietnam....Steve Womack is a retired Army Col. He has jumped a C-130 so he will have a good knowledge of what we did.

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Bob, Thanks. This will help my case in my letter. I hope some MX folks will chime in as to their rotation schedules. Also if anyone can remind me of the TDY locations in country for the "A" and "B" models. By the way, I was in 2APS at Sewart before rotating to the 345th at CCK in spring of 1970. I didn't fly much at Sewart but did rig all of your airdrop loads...Hope I didn't give you any malfunctions..  

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Thanks, am I correct to say that the Crew Chiefs rotated in country with their aircraft. Also were all the MX line maintenance folks in 374th FMS TDY or were any PCS to TSN or CRB...I don't want to understate the numbers of TDY Crews and Line folks that "had no boots on the ground" based on their DD214s.  

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I was TDY to CRB from Naha for most of my 18 month tour at Naha. I have no Viet Nam time on my DD214. I do have travel voucher copies, if I ever need them. I always rotated with my plane. Sometimes I flew in country with it, but most of the time that is when I got some sleep, while it was gone. We were working a minimum 12 hour days. I would be back at Naha for a week or two, then go back to CRB for three month tours.

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3 hours ago, BRlang said:

Thanks, am I correct to say that the Crew Chiefs rotated in country with their aircraft. Also were all the MX line maintenance folks in 374th FMS TDY or were any PCS to TSN or CRB...I don't want to understate the numbers of TDY Crews and Line folks that "had no boots on the ground" based on their DD214s.  

The FMS folks were all TDY to the best of my recollection. I distinctly remember the Squadron commander and maintenance chief taking their end of month trips to claim their income tax exemptions.  I did not serve in the 374OMS but my hat goes off to everyone who did--their schedule was relentess. the enlisted barracks had no air conditioning and were overcrowded.

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2 hours ago, nascarpop said:

I was TDY to CRB from Naha for most of my 18 month tour at Naha. I have no Viet Nam time on my DD214. I do have travel voucher copies, if I ever need them. I always rotated with my plane. Sometimes I flew in country with it, but most of the time that is when I got some sleep, while it was gone. We were working a minimum 12 hour days. I would be back at Naha for a week or two, then go back to CRB for three month tours.

You need to contact your county's veteran service office (VSO) and see what they can do to help get the DD214 corrected.  Also if ypou ever need to apply for VA benefits because of Agent Orange, the TDY orders/DD214 are key items to prove you qualify.

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22 hours ago, BRlang said:

Thanks, am I correct to say that the Crew Chiefs rotated in country with their aircraft. Also were all the MX line maintenance folks in 374th FMS TDY or were any PCS to TSN or CRB...I don't want to understate the numbers of TDY Crews and Line folks that "had no boots on the ground" based on their DD214s.  

Some Crew Chief's did and some didn't. I always went with mine but I know some who did not.  I think that almost every maintenance person was sent to Nam TDY when they first arrived at Naha for 89 days and worked out of the maintenance truck or the 780 section.

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36/nascar/Sonny thanks for the input. The travel vouchers are the best proof of where you went TDY and how many days spent there. We did not get individual travel orders. We had blanket orders that covered our entire squadron. We went back and fourth on a regular basis. Leave CCK on the rotator to TSN. Be there 16 days and fly 14 with one day off and one day stand by crew. Then back to CCK for a few days and then back in again. I submitted my packet to the Air Force and they gave me a letter acknowledging my time in Vietnam but said no corrections to my 214 as TDYs regardless of how often were not noted on the 214. The problem was that the VSM used to be the only thing they looked for on the 214 but in recent years they say that does not prove you ever had Boots on the ground in Vietnam. My project is to find a way to streamline this process. Many folks have no vouchers or orders as is the case for the Crew Chief I am trying to get BOG proof. 

I am putting together a problem statement for Congressman Womack. I am hoping he can help me establish some guidelines and a way to get some Crew and MX a way to be more likely than not to have been in Country.

I think I have a better understanding of the scope of this issue. I will draft my letter next week and get it in Congressman Womack's hands.

I know this does not cover all the situations but at least maybe the ones of us that Crewed and the MX folks can get the credit for the time they spent. On Veterans day eve let me be the first to say Happy Veteran's Day..  

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I was stationed at CCK assigned to 374FMS engines, all my time in Vietnam was on TDY orders. I didn't rotate to Vietnam much but spent a lot of time in Thailand working on them. UTAPAO and anywhere they broke along the Klong route. Did spend some time at Danang , and off the coast on an island I believe was called Antoy? They kept VC prisoners there. When they were repatriating them up north we flew up there to fix a broke 130, it was still South Vietnam but was so far North they felt very comfortable flying the flag of North Vietnam.

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16 hours ago, BRlang said:

Thanks, I have gathered lots of information. Were any C-130 MX folks pcs to Vietnam...I plan to state that ALL MX was TDY to Vietnam but I want to make a true statement.

I may be wrong but I thought there were some MX troops that were PCS to Nam.

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Sonny, thanks. Hopefully someone that was pcs will chime in. Unless I can get verification I will state that ALL MX were TDY. Most MX that I have gotten info from did 89 days which was the magic number to keep from being listed as tour in Nam. Not sure if it was a political reason or what. At this point it really doesn't matter. 

Larry, you were lucky to have that document. As a flight crew I never had orders it was a rotation. 16 days at TSN then back to CCK. Give B-4 bag to the House Boy to wash my flight suits then  head down to run the dirty dozen. Catch up on a little sleep, repack and head back to TSN. 138 combat missions later and 45 years behind me. Go to the VA to get on Agent Orange register and they tell me I was never in Vietnam. Luck for me my records had all my travel vouchers showing all my rotations in country. I am trying to get the process of proof of BOG in Nam streamlined for the Crews and MX support that did not have the level of Documentation. I have the ear of my Congressman, Steve Womack. Thanks for the replies and giving us good airplanes to Crew.  

img013.jpg

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Hello Billy Lang. The only C-130's stationed PCS in VN were the Rescue C-130's. I worked at Hill AFB in the 70's with a CC type who was stationed in Tuy Hoa 39th ARRS and received the Bronze or Silver Star for cranking and taxiing a 130 from between 2 other 130's that were burning from a sappers attack. He didn't have time to pull the intake plugs and so 4 eng. changes but saved the airframe. They had 11 HC-130's at Tuy Hoa. This outfit moved to CRB in 1970.These are the only 130 guys I have ever heard were PCS in VN. The birds that were lost in that attack were 62-1861, 66-0214 and 66-0218 in July 1968. Hope this helps. Also the reason we 130 trash haulers weren't PCS in VN is that Pres. Johnson didn't want us to be included in the troop count in VN as he was catching heat from congress for so many troops in VN. As a Crew Chief at Clark our routine was 16 day rote to CRB, burn up allocated flying time plus 10% over, return to Clark for 21 days for Phase Insp. of my bird then back to CRB then repeat, repeat, repeat. We also had specialist and APG maint. troops who went to CRB on 55 day rotes. Bill

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 I have to agree with Sonny on this one. When we moved the "A"s from TSN down to Cam Ranh Bay in 70 I think it was, we had a PCS Tech Sergeant in charge of us TDY electricians from Naha and Clark. At the top of Herky Hill by the basketball courts and club, were air conditioned trailers where the permanent party people stayed. I spent many nites drinking San Migel and Orion beers after launching and recovering "Herc Birds"

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 Jcapsarkchaser I remember when you guys from Naha landed with your A models and the E's left. Didn't make any sense to me as the only thing in common was the old single disk brakes and the ice tires. Oh I guess the fuel,oil and hyd. fluid was the same, ha ha. Much more commonality between the B's and E's. You do remember the ice tires right?  With all the wires in the rubber to tear your hands to shreds. But being a spark chaser you may not have changed any tires...lucky you.:) Those were the days. Attached is a pic of me enjoying CRB... yea right. Bill

Bill in Vietnam.jpg

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Spectre623,

I remember when I got to Naha from McGuire and was told that I shouldn't worry as there was very little difference between the "E"'s I was used to and the "A"'s I would be working on. LIARS!!!!!

I remember all to well the ice tires. Still have a few small scars to remind me.  :)

Would not trade one moment of it!!

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Bob, when I got to CCK in spring of 1970 no Blackbirds were at CCK. Thanks to several folks here I have enough facts to give Congressman Womack details of our problems getting VA benifits because our 214s didn't reflect service in country. I started this as I was helping Deanna get her husband credit for his Vietnam service and Agent Orange benefits. I am taking her through the process and at the same time trying to get a streamlined process with the VA and USAF to get all of us TDY Crew and MX folks acknowledged as Vietnam Vets. Short final on Bladder Mission... I loved this view 

img061.jpg

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Cool photo--brought nack memories!!  I was a 374 FMS maint officer tdy to TSN in 1969 and somehow wrangled a flight with a A model crew that had went south of TSN to drop off 55 gallon drums of fuel to  an Army location--did assault landing , backed up and got the fuel off and did an assault takeoff--to me the takeoff was more a  thrill than the landing. 

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For what it's worth, I was a Loadmaster stationed at CCK from Jan 1968 to Feb 1969 and I NEVER pulled a shuttle at TSN!  I did lots at Tuy Hoa, one at CRB and a couple of Bangkok shuttles...  but I don't remember anybody going to TSN, at least nobody from the 776th.  But, it's been 48 years, so my memory could be faulty.  I do have my personal log I kept and it shows all the TuyHoa, CRB and Bangkok shuttles, but nothing to TSN..  As I remember, the A's and B's went to TSN and the E's went to TuyHoa and CRB..  Maybe some of the other squadrons and/or maintenance troops went to TSN...

 

Spectre623:  Here are a couple of pics of the Rescue birds at TuyHoa before and after the July attack.

TuyHoa68_1 (2).jpg

TuyHoa68_2.jpg

TuyHoa68_3.jpg

TuyHoa68_4.jpg

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