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Blind Bat aircraft 1969-70 from John Allen


Sonny
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Sonny, got back from Eglin cant sleep thought I'd get back to you about the Ubon Reunion. Only ran into 1 Blind Bat person just as we were assembling for outside picture by the SR-71. We talked a bit he saw my7 BB pin told him i would see him and give him 1 on return from Hurlburt, this was Wednesday did not see him rest of reunion did not get his name. I will post and see if he responds. A lot of Spectre people in fack the local newspaper did an interview with Spectre guys who crewed  First Lady which sits outside munitions museum by Eglin. Hurlburt was pretty cool. We walked around MC - 130 and were let insiude AC-130U with sensor operators to answer questions later we were given brief on the new AC-130J. I think I surprised the Flight Engineer with the Questions I asked but I finally found out what the bubble or protrusion is just forward of the right wing root up top. I dont think I can talk about it on thgis website for its classified. Hey Ken you still look young in the photos!

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  • 3 months later...

My name is Steven Leventen..my father was in Vietnam flew blind bat mission over how chi min h trail he passed away in may of 2018 retired col from airforce. He was Major George leventen when he was flying. My mother and I lived in Okinawa Japan at nahal. 1967 to 1970 at the time.

I was wondering if anyone flew with him and had pics to share. 

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  • 4 months later...

Sonny do you remember an instrument techat Naha by the name of Jim Ovary? He was at Willow Grove when I got there in 85. Then he moved on to General Electric last time I saw him was 2 years ago at our annual luncheon but sadly he passed away from A.O. related illness I gave him the Blind Bat hat I sent to you and he displayed it with his beret.

 

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On 1/17/2020 at 8:18 PM, Jcapsparkchaser said:

Sonny do you remember an instrument techat Naha by the name of Jim Ovary? He was at Willow Grove when I got there in 85. Then he moved on to General Electric last time I saw him was 2 years ago at our annual luncheon but sadly he passed away from A.O. related illness I gave him the Blind Bat hat I sent to you and he displayed it with his beret.

 

The name is very familiar. Sorry to hear of his passing.

I also have the hat you sent to me on display with all my other hats, including my beret.

IMG_0075.JPG

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  • 3 months later...

I remember we had "BAT" planes at TSN, this would be spring 1970 timeframe they also had Red lettering if I remember right. The "BB" mission had just ended so we used them down country assigned to 834th Air /Det. then moved us "A"s down to be with the "B" guys from Clatk and moved the "CCK" "E" guys to the newer buildings they just finished for us at TSN. I myself enjoyed CRB and "Herky Hill" better'

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  • 3 months later...
16 hours ago, Mrbaresh said:

Hello,

My father was a staff sgt. out of naha, he was on a plane that was downed over the Loas boarder late 69 early 70. He made it back, I am looking for information on his plane and crew, anyone help me out.  His name is Danny Baresh,  I am his son Mark

16 hours ago, Mrbaresh said:

Hello,

My father was a staff sgt. out of naha, he was on a plane that was downed over the Loas boarder late 69 early 70. He made it back, I am looking for information on his plane and crew, anyone help me out.  His name is Danny Baresh,  I am his son Mark

Your father survived the crash? 

I am looking but only seeing two Blind Bat crashes.  On in 68 and one in November of 1969 (56-0533) and all members died.

 

 

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On 9/10/2020 at 5:35 PM, hehe said:

Your father survived the crash? 

I am looking but only seeing two Blind Bat crashes.  On in 68 and one in November of 1969 (56-0533) and all members died.

 

 

Since this is a Blind Bat post, It is not inconceivable to infer that he meant that it was a Blind Bat aircraft. However, he did not say it was a Blind Bat aircraft. 

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5 hours ago, casey said:

Since this is a Blind Bat post, It is not inconceivable to infer that he meant that it was a Blind Bat aircraft. However, he did not say it was a Blind Bat aircraft. 

True I wondered that afterward as well.

I should he able to find his father's crash just need a general idea of what happened.  

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 9/14/2019 at 5:09 PM, Steven Leventen said:

My name is Steven Leventen..my father was in Vietnam flew blind bat mission over how chi min h trail he passed away in may of 2018 retired col from airforce. He was Major George leventen when he was flying. My mother and I lived in Okinawa Japan at nahal. 1967 to 1970 at the time.

I was wondering if anyone flew with him and had pics to share. 

I was also at naha, lived off base, 68 69 while my father flew blind bat missions. I would love to show Dad pictures as well if there are any out there! I know he was pretty upset when he was first assigned as an observer and traded planes with a c130 that went down with a friend of his. He told me they could not go in for any recovery as very likely nothing to recover and over undisclosed area. He talks about being pretty good at getting flares out over targeted areas accurately. Then sounds like mission changed a bit and it was no longer flares. Any way could listen to him talk for hours of what he will talk about.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The website from above 005 or rather "BALLS 5" as we called her at Naha back in 68 to 70 before she joined the Vietnamese Air Force. Spent a lot of hours changing generators paralleling generators all kinds of electrical stuff. Im sure Sonny, Bill Goodall and Dennis Byrne and Ed Hubrich also have a lot of found memories of all the "BALLS" tail numbers we had 002-004-005-006 CRS stops me from remembering if I forgot any I do believe they were all 55 series "A" models but could have been 56, I know CRS- Great memories of Brothers from a place and a war so long ago and so far far away!

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