tinwhistle

OK, lets say, what with the price of everything going up every day, that it would cost, say, $17,500.00 to hire a Herk for an hour. Now an hour isn't a long time, but it's better than nothin'; and if we could come up with 20 guy's (and a gal or two) we get the cost down under a grand each, and each addition brings the cost down again. Some one said earlier that there may be a base public relations officer somewhere that might consider a "bucket" flight for old C-130 vets as a PR ops. As I mentionerd awhile ago, I'm busier than a tom cat in a dog pound for the next few days, but I'm going to do a little research when my project is complete. That is, if it's worth my time. I'm serious about this and I'd like to get a feel as to how many of you out there are too........tinwhistle (Chris)

Hi guys I've been away for awhile, but just took a minute to see if anything new has popped up. I'll be gone again, for awhile, but I really want to see if this "bucket ride" idea can get legs. Without consulting with my financial adviser, I'm willing to put up $500, and if it got to the point where we were are all set, but a little short financially I'd take another look at it. I should be finished with this monster of a job I took on in about a week, then I hope to put a little time in on this project. Giz, I hate to admit to senility, but refresh me memory: how many guys can we seat in the ol' Herk??? Gotta go.....................tinwhistle (Chris)

This is the first time I've heard the term "4 fan trash can", and I sure do like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chris

Hee, Hee, Hee, I figgered that wud get a rise outta ya, Giz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chris

I think you're right Giz, it usually ends up that way, even at reunions, all loads, no maint. However, seeing as there doesn't seem to be any other crew chiefs talking about this, I'll not only pull the pre flight, I'll suck it up and also do the post flight!!!!!!!!!! But, I give notice: no s**t from the loads, and you'll clean up your mess!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! tinwhistle (Chris)

O.K. guys, Here's the deal: we all say that we'd give anything (within reason) for another flight in our beloved Herk. What would it take to do just that??? Wouldn't you think that there would be an ANG Unit or maybe a civilian outfit that would grant a bucket wish to a bunch of old Herk crewmen for one last flight? Even if we had to pay for it. I'd pay my fair share. Anyone out there have any ideas as to how to go about looking into this??? I'm serious!!!!!!!! tinwhistle (Chris)

I'll pull the pre flight.....Chris

Dullness, does not stand a chance around here!!! Actually, I agree with DC10FE and Giz. The whole idea of one of our Herks sitting there like that sent me reeling. However, I'm begining to think it ain't so bad. They did a nice job of the display, that's for sure!! Just for the record, if someone were to offer me a trip to "South" Vietnam, I'd take it. It would do me good to see that pretty country at peace (I think)...... tinwhistle (Chris)

Me thinks there is a difference in the aircraft we display in our museums etc. That being, "we defeated" Facism, Nazism, and the Empire of the Rising Sun. Mussolini was killed while trying to escape, Hitler committed suicide, and Hirohito was reduced to a figure head under house arrest, and thier respective governments dismantled. The United States extradited itself from South Vietnam and returned home of it's own volition; a program called "Vietnamization". Now, history still has not sorted out this mess, but our government still stands, our line of presidents is still intact. There is one constant here: 37 years after the fact, debate still rages within the United States over the Vietnam War. Truely amazing!!!!! tinwhistle (Chris)

There hasn't been a lot of comments made on these pictures, so I'm wondering if I'm the only one that finds this a bit disconcerting. There sits a perfectly fine C -130 on display by the communist government of Vietnam. OK, so maybe it's not "perfectly fine", but they tried thier darndest to destroy every one of them that they could, along with the crews that manned them, and here one sits. Are they rubbing our noses in it? I find this disturbing..... tinwhistle

If you click on the little blue #18 below my avatar you will go to "my pictures". I've just uploaded another 7 pics. A couple of them will interest you ,Sam!!!! Thanks for looking....tinwhistle (Chris)

Hey Ken, Looks like they used your plane as the inspiration for the patch!!!!!!!!!!!! Chris

You did fine Ken!!!!!! that is for a raggedy ol' crew chief!!!!!!!

I'm going to stick my oar in hetre and muddy the water some more. I have in front of me, my "Permanant Change of Station Orders", 776 TCS, CCK Air Base to 316 Troop Carrier Wing Langley, dated 20 Jan. 1967. Next page is my travel voucher for that change of station CCK Taiwan, to 38th TCS Langley, dated 27 Feb. 1967. So, apparently, as of the 27th of Feb. 1967 Langley still was TCS. Just for the record, I was still refered to as A1C, the Air Force still hadn't gone over the Sergent designation at that time. Chris

Sam, I can't recall if Pope was OMS in 1964-1965 or not. I do recall that I was assistant crew chief assigned to 877 when I went TDY to Mactan. Then later (at Tachi) I think that we were operating as OMS. CCK was set up as OMS and of course anything in country was OMS. However, the last few weeks at CCK we started on what must have been some sort of hybred maint. program, as guys such as me, Plantz and Ohmart started flying with asigned aircraft on a daily basis. Thats why I was so bent while at Langley. The USAF in it's infinate wisdom took all of us off the flight line and put us in the phase docks. All that experience, all those hours, and most of us had more than a year "in grade" when brand new E-4s were assigned thier own aircraft. Upon reflection, the piss poor morale may have been confined to the phase dock!!!! Chris

Every once in awhile this squadron, the 37th TAS, at Langley is mentioned and always presented in a good light. In Jan. of 1967 I rotated back to Langley for the last 7 months of my enlistment (I hated it there), and for some reason I assumed that it was the 37th that I was assigned to. However after recieving a packet of personel files I requested from the USAF I see I was assigned to the 38th TCS, Langley. Could some one shed a little light on this matter? Was there two different C-130 squadrons at Langley in that time frame? If there was two, or more C-130 squadrons at Langley in 1967 was there a huge difference in the leadership, moral, etc.? Without going into a lot of details, that was a thorough miserable 7 months, and I've never been able to make the connection between my experience and the good things I've heard from others, about Langley, on this forum. Thanks for any insite... Chris

Greetings to all, Here's wishing you all a safe and enjoyable day. For those of you on active duty: Thank you for your service! To the veterans: Thank you, welcome home!

Hi Ken, I'm reasonably sure that there is a pile of documents out there somewhere on each of us. The U.S.A.F. was and is, I'll bet, paranoid when it comes to record keeping. There is two big "however's" though; one is finding the correct depository for said records, the other is that fire out in Kansas City several years ago. For many years now I've gotten conflicting story's as to whether or not there was A.F. records stored there and if so there is variations to the story as to the time frame covered in those records. Depends on who you talk to on any given day! I agree with you Ken , I'd dearly love to get my hands on things like flight records, maintanance records, incident reports, etc. The more I dig into it the more I find that there are many, many places where records are kept and I need to get lucky , find the correct place and then get even more lucky and have the right person fill my request! Good hunting my friend!! Chris

For what it's worth: There is a lot of conversation concerning individual military records and I just recieved some very interesting records. A few months ago I sent a request to the National Personnal Records Center, Military Personnel Records, 9700 Page Ave., St. Louis MO., 63132-5100, asking for all records they had on me; in fact the words I used were, any piece of paper or document that had my name on it. An amazing amount of paper just arrived. It certainly isn't everything generated by the A.F., but there are a number of documents that are absolutely facinating! My original enlistment papers, several performance evaluations, etc. There is even the personal letter from Major Edward J. Sullivan stating that he knows me personally, recommending me for early promotion to E-5, ahead of my contemporaries! Anyway, you guys keep on looking, I can't help but think that your records are out there somewhere!! Chris

Oh, that one of my sons would have followed in my footsteps...thanks Vulcan Chris

It's no secret that my memory is suspect, at best. However, I seem to remember loading/hauling those big aluminum pallets when there were no rails installed in the cargo compartment. Seems that the fork lift driver set them on the ramp floor and the load master and I used "J" bars to move them foreward. A wretched way to move anything!! Again, if I remember correctly we used nylon(?) straps to tie them down. Don't recall any coming loose. Chris

I also find that most "thank you's" ring hollow, especially those that come twice or so per year, (Memorial Day or Veterans Day) like from a newspaper or public radio; nothing but politically correct lip service. One thing that I've noticed recently, though, is the willingness of the Vietnam Vet to acknowledge his service, in public. I have see many, many hats, vests, jackets, lapel pins, etc. with something like "Vietnam Vet" or "Vietnam Vet and Proud of It" worn proudly: FINALLY! When ever I see one of us with that I like to ask him where he served and give him a "Welcome Home", and I never fail to mention that I served on a C-130!! Some of you out there may think that that is simply lip service also, but I don't think so; I think it's necessary for us to acknowledge each others service in order to be recognized by the public. If I'm correct there is something like only 1% of us who have made the sacrifice of military service and because of that everything that comes our way is because we fought for it!! One way or another. Geez, guy's, I didn't mean to go off on a rant like that!!!! Anyway, Giz, keep on keeping on and you'll come out OK in the end....Chris

I tend to be over emotional any way, but that video is almost more than I could handle. Dutch, you said it..."God Bless 'em all" One more thing comes to mind (I told you I am over emotional): Geez, I love that airplane...........Chris

Bob, Wouldn't that (grey) disqualify the plane in the picture as an Eflt plane? It's factory sheet metal silver. The reason I question this is because this picture is earily similar to an incident that involved a 776th plane about mid 1966 when all of our aircraft were still in their factory clothing. My 46 year old memories are suspect, but this picture is setting off many, many old thoughts and memories!!! Chris

Hey guys, I don't know a thing about Eflight so I'm putting my ignorance on display here, however I do have a question regarding the photo shown above. My impression of Eflight is that it took place later in the 60s and into the 1970s, or even later. Now, if that is correct the aircraft used in Eflight would have been painted; is that correct? This aircraft is still in original silver, which would date the photograph 1966 or earlier. I think.....Chris