Muff Millen

Two big ugly multy colored elephants standing guard beside my fireplace. Picked up in Saigon 1967 while tdy from Mactan. Wish I had a dollor for every time I shipped them from one place to another. Clap in Angles? No....you must be kidding.... Also have two silver fancy swords from Burma cost me about ten bucks...blades about a foot long and ingraved but rusty. I think I'll take to them that pawn shop on the history channel. I still have a few of the temple rubbings from Phnom Penh from 1971 or 1972 Muff

Denis Makuta...Pilot Tom Lauppe....Co-pilot (BGen USAF Ret) Daryl Wiley .....Nav Frank "Muff" Millen...FE (CMSgt USAF RET) John Farrell....Load (CMSgt USAF RET)

After many months and 41 years, yesterday 25 Jan 2011 we were finally able to contact all 5 crew members of our crew that went on ROTE to Rhien Main Germany during the Spring of 1970. After the rote and return to Pope we all went seperate ways and sought out veried careers. The Pilot and Nav left the service. The Co-Pilot went on making he AF a career and retired as a BGeneral. The FE and Load both stayed in and retired several years ago both as Chief Master Sergeants. We plan to get together this summer for a brew or two and talk old times. Ain't this internet thing great. Muff Millen

I remember one time at CCK when a Wing winnie Maj Nav came out to fly with our crew to get his monthly requirements completed. He set his crew bag on the ramp in front of the plane and expected one of the enlisted crew to bring it on board for him....well you know those sneaky untrustworthy enlisted...they are always up to something...as we taxied out there was a bump and the plane seemed to jump...that is when the nav came up on intercom an asked if anyone had seen his bag...almost split a gut from keeping from laughing out loud. We stopped, load opened the ramp and called that there was a bag laying on the ramp behind the plane...nav ran out and retrieved it.....I'll bet he took good care of his bags after that....I'm still laughing. OBTW Did not cause much resistance to the wheel movement. Muff

I copied this off the Air Force Magazine today Muff Thursday December 09, 2010 Little Rock's C-130E Ops Winding Down: The 314th Airlift Wing at Little Rock AFB, Ark., has only 15 C-130E transports remaining after retiring tail number 62-1788 to the boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. This airframe, built in 1962, participated in the Tet Offensive and other major operations from 1967 to 1973 during the Vietnam War. Overall, the airlift workhorse flew 31,565.5 hours in its nearly 50-year career. Arriving at Davis-Monthan on Nov. 29, airmen will now use it for spare parts. Little Rock's remaining C-130Es are scheduled for phaseout by September 2011, as the Air Force makes way for C-130Js and C-130Hs with upgraded avionics. "These E-models have served us so very well," said Col. Mark Czelusta, 314th AW commander. He continued, "Prior to our beginning specialized training in the J-model, every C-130 crewmember … began their mission-qualifying training in the E-model." (Davis-Monthan report by Capt. Joe Knable)

You're a combat infantry/armor soldier, a grunt, a dogface, a footslogger. While some say you're common, you're a really a disciplined person who realizes the importantce of working in a team, and in reality you and your comrades get most of the work done. In any situation or problem you can be found in think of the action. You are brave, motivated, self-less. We need more people like you. And I salute you. FORWARD!!! Combat Infantry/Armor 100% Officer 94% Artillery/Aircraft 94% Support Gunner 88% Special Ops 75% Medic 75% Engineer 63% Civilian 0% Never mess with an old man...you will always loose! Muff

Bobby, thanks a million for the shots of 1788....I have stolen them off this site and will enshrine them in my "war data file". Hope you have a great happy thanksgiving. Muff

loadsmith...would it be possible to get a couple of photos of 62-1788 just prior to its final flight to the great graveyard in Arizona? Email me at frankmillen@charter and I'll send you my address. Thanks Muff Millen

Sucks, that 1788 is going to the bone yard....she served her time in HELL...and always brought the crews home. If her skin could talk it would take a big book to file all the heroic stories that could be told about that airframe. I am truely hornored to have been one of many who was on a crew that flew her. I sure would have liked to see her placed at the entrance of some base for all to admire and think about the pages of history that she performed. Muff Millen, CMSgt, USAF (RET) Former C-130E Instructor Flight Engineer

Yes, I understand, it just pisses me off to see that the troops today just do not have the equipment or the people to do the job....everything is so spred out and with 20% of maning missing at all times and having to do more and more with less just is not right! I say stop foriegn aid and build our military back to the position where no one dared to poke a stick at us...Peace through POWER. Muff

Seems like we did a whole lot more sorties than this every day at CCK, Clark, Naha, Kadena, and Mactan. What is so great about a 7 ship surge? Has the service gone soft? I can not imagine how easy of a day it would be to only have to generate only 7 missions in a day. I wonder how much preplan notice they had. Just my thoughts...I do not belittle the troops at all but what are they thinking in the head shed!!! Muff YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) -- Seven C-130 Hercules aircraft took off as part of a Samurai Surge exercise here Nov. 4. Launching the fleet is an operation that occurs when Airmen launch as many aircraft available on the ramp simultaneously, known locally as Samurai Surge. "The C-130s here at Yokota Air Base are the only tactical airlift fleet for the Pacific Air Forces, so we provide the tactical airlift to be able to move humanitarian supplies, medical evacuation missions and any cargo-carrying capability that units need here within the Pacific," said Capt. Michael Makaryk, the 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron officer in charge. "We launch here from Japan and we go to places like Thailand, Australia, anywhere in the Pacific Command area of responsibility to deliver whatever needs to be delivered." The Samurai Surge is a joint effort between the 374th Maintenance Group and the 374th Operations Group. For the groups, the exercise was a way for aircrew and maintainers to test their ability to generate all available aircraft. "We need to be able to demonstrate our maximum capability at a moment's notice in order to support any type of higher-headquarters tasking, whether it be humanitarian or combat support at a moment's notice," said Chief Master Sgt. Albert Novelli, the 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron superintendent. "We need to be able to launch our aircraft and get out of town in support of that mission," "The normal flying and training schedule is normally one, two or three aircraft a day, so in order to put up seven or eight aircraft, it takes a lot of effort from our maintainers and our operators," Captain Makaryak said

Yesterday, 21 October 2010 I had the honor of having a guided and well narrated tour of the facility at Dobbins where the mighty Herk is born and fully finished for service to the world operators of this great airplane. The factory is spotless, very quiet and the folks (Lockheed employees) were professional, understanding and fully knowledgable of the areas we were being briefed on. A great bunch of people. I will always be thankful for the tour and the info provided. After being associated with the Herk for over 47 years it was fulfulling to see where it all starts. That J is a huge step forward from my experance on the A's, B's and E's. Can you imagine no before before engine shut down check list, just turn a switch one click to the left and the computer does everything. Also a feature that impressed me is that if a system is not needed for the mission that system is full off line and the computer opens the CB and no power is applied to the system until it is needed for the mission....wow what a great idea. Another item I noticed missing on the center console....no condition levers....computer eliminated the need. I could go on and on but too much to mention. Man, I sure wish I was about 50 years younger and flying them again...oh I forgot...no Engineer...Oh well I retain the great memories. Thanks to all the folks at Lockheed for the tour and great memories. Muff Millen

Wait til Bubba gets ahold of him in Jail....he'll be in heaven!

Big John K sent this link to me via e-mail thought you all might like to see how it was in the good old days. When on youtube also click on part 2. Muff http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h93QA0V6yho

No I will not be attending the conference but I have an invite to go on the factory tour Thursday morning...You can bet I'll be one of the first in line. Muff

This is another stupid idea from Berry Obama!. I was the maint super at Kadena 1980-84. The Japanese govmt bought 6 F-15s from the US...also bought the plans and my AMU at Kadena trained the Japanese JSDAF troops how to maintain and service the planes. The Japanese company IHI then started to manifacture the air frames and Mitisbutsi manifactured the engines. That my friends caused billions of dollars to be circulated within Japan and nothing coming to the US. Figure the tire, tubes, aluminum and all the other parts that are now being made over there instead of here in the US....how many jobs have we lost! Now if the same thing happens in China how soon will it be before they start to manifacture their own C-130s....and cause us to loose more revinew and jobs.... VOTE IN November!!! Muff

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/09/27/347836/picture-hc-130j-delivery-marks-treble-milestone-for-lockheed.html Muff

Trev, I have jacked dozens of C-130s and C-141s and never did I ever find or use a plumb bob. I would tie a string on the overhead location and at the bottom a heavy washer, nut or something else slim and heavy enough to hold the string tight without touching the gage by the rail and have one guy watch it and if it got out of plumb he would holler out to the outside jacking crew.....I'm sure there is no Home Depot near you but they have a good selection. Muff

In the 60s a crew chief took off by himself from a base in England. He managed to get it airborne and out over the channel but due to flying toward Russia his mission was interupted and he never returned....so I guess for a successful mission you would need a full crew of five unless you have a new J model than the minimum crew would be three.... One last question why in hell would you want to write a book that you have no knowledge of the subject matter? I bet it will not make the NY best seller list. Muff

Hey, Bob, I just looked at the photos of 0-33131 what's the story about that plane? I notice the Roman nose (erly A model) but how come no external tanks, also looks like the forward cargo door is/was operational. Who owned/flew this piece of history? Brings back memories of my time in the 60's at Naha. If I remember correctly we had one or two there with the roman nose. Muff It spent it's entire time as a test aircraft Mostly as Edwards, went to Sheppard as a maintenance trainer and finally put into the Aeromed training area over by the civilian terminal at Sheppard . I don't know what they are going to do with it since the Aeromed training is going to Camp Bullis. Bob

Sam said "Since I haven't applied for a disability for hearing yet, I can't say what the VA will accept, but I do know that the VA rep. I heard last week stipulated that a percieved disability has to have been diagnosed prior to applying. That means it has to have been diagnosed by a doctor and has to be in a person's medical records somewhere. The FIRST thing the VA asks for are medical records showing the diagnosis. One of the conditions for service-connected is that the condition has to show up within a specified time after the veteran leaves service (I believe it's seven years.) They make special exceptions for some diseases that are "presumptive" in relation to exposure to certain chemicals." Sam I do not want to get into a pissing contest but some of the info you state is so wrong! Like above...and your disinterest in retiree issues and lack of knowledge of such....I am 71 years old retired from the USAF in 1985 I recently was awarded a 50% service connected disability for sleep apena and COPD from smoke and fume ingestion for working on flight lines for 26+ years...as you can see I did not get the diagnosis BEFORE applying for the disability and I worked with a DAV rep. My other 30% was for injuries that I received in a plane crash in 1962. I went to register on the AO register in 1991 6 years after I retired and the VA called me in to evaluate my injuries from 1962 and then awarded me the 30%SC without me even applying for it. So as you can see the VA can be and is very helpful to worthy vets.The DAV reps are on the DAV pay roll and have to complete a vigerous academy prior to being a certified benefits counsler. These folks are real professional and are able to cut red tape and jump through the proper hoops to get the best shot at veteran getting what he/she has earned. I have worked closely with both the VA and DAV and State Reps for over 15 years on a weekly basis and I can assure you and the other vets on this site that the earned benifits are there but need to be applied for. Muff

Jansen, thanks much for posting the link to the Herk Conference. Lots of great info there. http://www.lockheedmartin.com/ams/2010HerculesOperatorsConference.html I will not be able to go but the info there is valuable and the other Herk folks on this site should visit the site. Also good info from past conferences. Muff

Pat, I afraid that Sam gave you some wrong info...I hve been a volunteer at the main VA hospital info desk for the past 13 years. (ten at Tampa the biggest VA hosp in the system and for the past 3 years hare in Atlanta). The VA medical system is for ALL military veterans who have served over 180 days and have an honorable type discharge or be a military retiree. Any service from WWII up to including OIF an OEF. No requirement to be in the combat area...just be a veteran. I would suggest that you go to the nearest VA Medical Center take your DD214 or Discharge and go to the eligibility office. Fill out the paperwork and ask to be assigned to a Primary Care doctor and request an appointment asap. You should be scheduled within a couple weeks for an evaluation that you caim for (in your case hearing loss). You will then be scheduled by most likely an outside the VA specialist for the evaluation. They will send the eval to the VA for final review. Complete process should take from 4 to 8 months but the good part is that if approved for the disability the disability pay will be back dated to the day you filed the claim..so those several months are really not wasted. Also the VA disability pay is tax free. If you go to www.va.gov everything you ever wanted or needed to know can be found at that site. For more vet friendly info drop me an e-mail at frankmillen#charter.net Muff At the appointment tell the doctor about ALL yor aches, pains, hearing loss, etc...everything including anything that might have happened during your time in service, hard landings, parachute jumpa, airplane crashes and make sure you tell them about your time in Vietnam if you did time there. You will get a full check up including Flu, numonia and shingles shots if YOIU request them(shingles shot on the out side is $200). As soon an you get enrolled and still at the VAMC ask to see either a State Service Rep or a DAV service rep. Both are equally qualified to submit your request for disability. Once your claim paperwork is processed in about 1 to 2 months you will be scheduled

Bob, you are right. Also 62-1788 is at LR. It had a 4 engine roll back just after take off about a year ago. Due to the skill and superior knowledge of the crew they were able to follow procedures and landed the plane back at LR safely...Big salute to that crew. 62-1788 is also one of the heavly wounded planes from the SEA games. It received over four hundred dings and holes from being motored the last day of the war. The crew was awarded the Silver Star. I would like to see that one put on display somewhere. Muff

Ralph, I'm in Florida for this week...pass my thoughs and a prayer ti Jim and his family. Oh yea, pass on a big salute from me. Muff