tinwhistle

gizz (Paul), thank you for the warm wishes. I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing you and yours a Blessed New Year. I'm sure that you are up to the challenges of the next few months. Keep us informed and I'll keep you in my thoughts. Your words about this C-130 community are so true. Over the last (very)

few years I've tried hanging out in a couple different web sites, but this is the only site I frequent now. It's comfortable here and I've become fast friends with a couple of the guys. The C-130 is an amazing airplane and the comradrie around the Herky is special. Chris

Thanks Ken, I found it. Interesting, fun story. I have one similar to it from Oct. 1966 when one of the 776th aircraft blew both main tires one one side blocking the runway. Another OMS guy, Norm Plantz and I volunteered to make the repairs and the AC, a Capt. Willard Phillips was awarded the DFC for taking us in there. Some time ago I asked around this forum as to how to get some information on that particular mission and was ripped by another guy saying it was my job and to quit whinning about not getting an award. I just dropped it then. But the thing is, we maint weenies worked out butts off in some pretty dangerous situations and it would be nice to pass along a little something to one of my sons or grandson. There, thats my whinning rant for the day!!!! Chris

Ken, went looking for your adventure on page 16, but no such page. I only got to 15 and there seemed to be no threads starting with "flight records". Chris

Somewhere along the line, many, many years ago we called our Herks, Herky Pigs. Every once in awhile that term slips into my vocabulary....Chris P.S. I like the new domain name

Why no mention of the Korean War Yes War not police action. It is still on no peace treaty has been signed. Just a thought.

Thought it was a fine report except for this omission.

Lost a brother there.

Dutch, certainly no disrespect meant in the omission of the Korean War. That was a calculated risk I took. The VFW and Legion halls are full of Korean War vets who deserve better than what they received. The other day I saw a bumper sticker on an old rusted pickup: "Never again will one generation of veteran forget another generation of veteran". A wake up call. Chris

Good morning guys, thanks for the generous words. The text book was indeed Karnows book. I had it on my book shelf having read it some time ago. As it turned out there was a Marine Vietnam vet in the class also, the instructor is our age with two sons in the military. Between the two of us vets and his sons the instructor kept things pretty staight, despite the fact that he played his student deferment during Vietnam. Grades come out on the 19th. I'll let you know.....Chris

Hey guys, I'm not real sure if this is the place for this thread, but I'll give it a try. I just finished a history course at the local community college, titled: Vietnam; a History 1945 to Present. Attached is my final exam paper. There are a lot of Vietnam vets on this site and thought you may find this interesting. Blessed Christmas to all of you....Chris

I don't under stand why the folks on this site that has 6 pages on it only three of us has contacted military records and got our travel voucher. showing we had boots on the ground in Vietam. Please try to do that first. If we did it there is no reason youall can't

I agree completely with cfisher. If you served you should be with VA care, if you served in Vietnam the most important thing you can and should be doing right now is proving you were there. It can be done. It's important. As far as the Agent Orange Registery is concerned, I can only pass on what I was told at the VA hospital at Madison WI. "It's a wast of time". I did not register and there has never been any blowback at all. I must caution you about the various disability ratings. First of all, despite what you may read, even on the national VA web site, all ratings are subjective, in the end it is the individual rater who makes that determination. Then there is VA math: for instance, 20 plus 20 does not nessarily add up to 40. As I mentionet in a previous reply; there are variables in any rating decision. Every one is different, every rater is different. But it behoves all of you to get started on this process. You may be healthy as a horse today and and have a heart attack tomorrow. I had absolutely no indication that I was about to have a heart attack, in fact was only 6 months out from a stress test; bang, flat on my back, med flighted to the coronary unit. You simply don't know.

MTCrewchief just forewarded me a link to a video that a lot of you guys will relate to. http://youtu.be/L-HeETwJSUc I expected that link to be highlighted when I typed it in, so I don't know if it will work or not. If you can get to it, it will bring back a lot of memories.....Chris

It did highlight after I posted, so it should be a good link

The irony drips of off these two pictures. Just think of all the years between and there she still is, in all her glory: The mighty Herk!

Chris

Picture was taken sometime in 1965. 776th out of Pope. We were TDY to MacTan. Awhile back I posted a question concerning a picture I posted. One of the correct answers would have been; No camo paint. I was assistant crew chief on the 3rd Pope plane to touch down at Mactan in 1965 and immediately we started to fly TDY in country. I never did see those wonderful beaches that were suposed to be at MacTan. Something like 100 days later, rotated back to Pope then almost immediately TDY to Okinawa, and the same thing, rotated in and out of Vietnam and Thialand. Rumors started flying around about a permenant move to "Formosa" and I begged to be sent back to Pope so I could be assigned to the Tiawan tour. I did actually did have to beg to be assigned to the bunch going to what turned out to be CCK. Keep in mind that all these planes were brand new 1963 and 1964 models. I rotated back to the States in January of 1967 and the planes were still silver at that time, and if I remember correctly they still had the TAC emblem on the tail. In fact we used to talk about how ugly those camo painted 130s were that we would see on occasion. A couple of years ago I aquired the micro film of the maint. records of the 776 and 50th and cannot believe how many hours we put on those planes with no support. No parts,no nuthin, just our tool box. Now look what you guys got me started on!!!!! chris

I don't know if there is a lot to add to this discussion, except to urge each and every one out there to get into the VA health care system as soon as possible. You do not need to be a combat veteran or have even been over seas, a veteran is a veteran. However, if you have served in Vietnam, or any other combat zone, you have benefits due you. You've all read about the difficulties some of us have had in prooving that we served in Vietnam. My dd214 states that I was awarded the Vietnam service medal. For the Milwaukee Regional Office that was enough proof that I was boots. Each Regional Office has it's own deffinition it seems. A little story here: while in the "couples PTSD" group I mentioned that I was a little embarrased that I was receiving a rather generous (seems to me) benefit check each month. One of the guys came unglued over that sentiment. When we held up our hand and took that oath we signed a blank check, payable to the United States of America, with our life if cashed in. OK, thats my rant. By the way, geting a rating for hearing loss is virtually impossible. You may get a 10% for tinnitus. The rating for IHC is 0%, 30% 50%, 70%, 100%. However, there are many factors that go into a VA rating; P&T, and I.U. for instance. I've been through all of this stuff for about 5 years now, it's a slow process, but one we can win. I did. As I mentioned before, there is an awful lot that goes into a VA rating, and I'd be more than willing to discuss it with anyone , just send me a personal message and I'll get right back to you personally without taking up any more time on this forum.....Chris

Speaking of old...Snowyday made reference to a 30-40 rifle. I wonder how many folks out there have ever seen a 30-40? My Dad had one and killed a lot of white tails with it, passed it along to my brother who also killed a lot of deer with it, passing it on to his son, and it now resides in far northern Wisconsin, still sees action each season although 30-40 ammunition is getting really hard to find. By the way, the 30-40 dates back to WWII. One hell of an accurate weapon if you were big enough and strong enough to carry it around all day!! Chris

If I can figure out how to upload a picture the attached picture is the "Big Red One" we loaded at Nha Trang. We loaded one of those columns per aircraft, through the ramp. All thier gear was strapped to the ramp. Did the same for all passengers. Never invited anyone through the crew door. Don't recall ever loading passengers through the paratroop doors. I do remember one load master throwing a couple "natives" out from the paratroop door.

straygoose, give your returning son a hearty "Welcome home, and job well done" from this old grey haired Vietnam vet. Best wishes and God speed to your next son to serve our country.....Chris (tinwhistle)

I'm not a "retiree", however, my disability qualified me for the DOD card, which I got only about 18 months ago. It's a puky brown color, has my picture but not much else. Do I need to get another?

Hey guys, just got back from a short trip and checking in found this thread going. I'm in for $250.00!!!!but I get to stand at the left shoulder of the AC!!! Chris

While TDY to France (I can't remember how to spell that French name-Exevereu??) I got wind of one of our planes going to Mildenhall, England for a 3 day static display. Three of my buddies and I asked if we could ride along and do the tourist thing in England. CO said go ahead. We arrived in Mildenhall right on time , the AC told us when to be back at the plane, and the four of us caught the train for London. 2 1/2 days later the 4 of us show up at Mildenhall and the 776th plane is gone. Seems the air show (or whatever) was canceled and our plane departed back to France without us. Well, there we are, 4 GIs in civilian clothes, no passports, no paper work at all. We got locked into a small room at the airfield for several hours while forces beyond our limited resourses tracked down all the weird details of what went wrong and just exactly who we were. Believe it or not, upon return to France not one word was said. the only thing I heard over the grape vine is that the CO was pissed 'cause he had to send a squadron plane to Mildenhall to pickup 4 1 stripers. Love London!! Chris

Darn you Giz, you did it again!!! If you don't show up at that Reunion (convention) next October I'll personally hunt you down and pull your Herky permit......Chris

P.S. I mean it, somehow, somewhere, sometime I have to meet you, Mtcrewchief, and a few others.

Hard to tell, if after a week of no new posts if this will get picked up again or not, but here goes. I got started on VA health Care back on about 1995 at the urging of the VFW. Glad I did. MTcrew chief, you're just getting started so be patient. Sounds as if you are in pretty good health, I'll email you soon. For you other guys out there DO NOT DELAY!!! Make that application now, especially you Vietnam guys, it's important. You have benefits coming and you earned them and and you should received them. We all made that pledge, and when we did we signed a blank check to the United States of America, payable on demand with our life if nessary. You (we all) upheld our end of the bargain and The Country (VA) needs to uphold thier end of the deal. I live in Wisconsin and we have a pretty decent Regional Office in Milwaukee, and by all standards they did me a good job, and I cannot fault at any point the care that I have received at the Vets hospital in Madison. A couple more points, remember that every sylable you say at ant point in any VA facility will be written down. Get everything in writing, and when you send anything to them keep a copy and send thiers "certified mail", you need that signature. If you have any symptoms of what you think is PTSD see a VA mental health provider, civilian shrinks don't rate very high with VA, and me either for that matter, for example, civilians have no clue what it's like to load up 10 or 12 litters of dead GI's and haul them to the morgue. The biggest problem that we maintanance types have is proving boots on the ground, but it can be done. I've taken up enough of your time for now, but I'm willing to lend a hand to anyone out there......Chris

Don't know if this fits in with this thread or not, but I wonder about something. When I left the Air Force in 1967 I left bitter (no need to explain), and tried not to think of it for the next 40 years. However, that C-130 and two tours in SEA were never far away. Now that I'm retired and have time for research and time for web sites like this one I find that those years and especially that C-130 are, have always been, part of me. I love that airplane, and I think of all those hours I devoted to it, sometimes so tired I could barely stand up, and today I'd trade just about anything for a half hour flight in a Herk. Like Giz said awhile back; now I know how those WWII guys felt about thier B-17, B -24, etc. Just feeling a little maudalin tonight I guess....Chris

I have a few pictures that I took while in SEA, and as soon as I find them I will post them. Only one of me, and I think it is up already. I was the guy with the camera so none of me. But what has haunted me for 45 years is the fact that upon rotating back to the States I left my camera and a good dozen rolls of pictures in the hotel room in Taipia. What is done is done, but that has hurt for all these years......chris

I have here in front of me 3 DVDs that I aquired after the 776th reunion 2 years ago; #1 contains the following clips, Four Horsemen, Lockheed, Spectre, USAF training film 2, and Wings. Disc 2 contains the following clips, "Anything, Anywhere, anytime", Herky Cannonball, The KheSanh Story, The Way it is, and USAF training film 2. Disc 3 contains the following: Story of the Herk, and The Way It Is (John Wayne). These DVDs are in MPG format and will not play on my TV, but play very nicely on my computer useing Windows Media Player. The quality is as expected, but if you have C-130 burned into your heart and soul you need to see these movies. I believe that I have the software to copy them. If you want copies of these movies let me know and I'll get them to you. The fourth disc is from a gentleman by the name of RC Johnson and contains almost 1000 images he took while in SEA. He sent them to me, so I don't think he would object if they were seen by others, however, I must find him and clarify that. my email is [email protected] hope to hear from some of you,,,Chris

Just a quick note of personal history regarding paint, nose art, etc. Way back when (it was a long time ago) when I was yet a two striper and on a TDY out of Pope, I came across one of those stick on tiger tails from the old Chevron "Tiger in Your Tank" gasoline promotions. Thinking I was the smartest guy on the flight line I promptly stuck it to the fuel panel access door. Bad mistake. My crew chief, the CO, and several other notably higher ranking individuals did not approve. Me thinks, times have changed....Chris

Funny what triggers a memory. Back in 1964 when I had been recently assigned to Pope, just out of tech school at Amarillo, and still a 1 striper, the first real work I did on a C-130 was to help tie down a couple Herks that couldn't be flown out. I imagine it was 'cause of a hurricane, but still it seems to me that it was early in '64, not hurricane season. Anyway, being very young and still wet behind the ears I thought it was quite exciting to be there doing that!....Chris