tinwhistle

I have my doubts. I wonder who wrote the commentary? Pretty easy to type up something like that, and pass it along as fact. But what really strikes me is; upon enlarging the image I believe the vertical line drawn through the aircraft is not exactly plumb. That skews the whole thing. Just thinking out loud.... Ya, I know (Ken and Paul): I should refrain from thinking......!

Just want to add my two cents: I had the same experience that nascarpop had. Late at night, over water. As for the stolen Herk; I guess that it actually happened, but that C.C. must have had a lot more time in the 130 than I did. To be perfectly honest about it, I doubt that I could get one off the ground and if I did it wouldn't stay there very long.

Ordered mine in paperback last night and at that time Amazon had it in Kindle. I was able to preview a few pages on the Amazon web site and that little glance tells me he was probably a crew chief. What I'm especially waiting for the book is to find out if I know the guy and if he mentions any names I'll recognize, as he was at Pope the same time I was.

I'll be there!!!!!!!!!

I've been following the thread concerning the "screenplay", finding it very interesting, but another thought came to mind a bit ago. The amount of aircraft knowledge, especially the C-130!, is stunning!!!!!! The number of years of experience here on this forum is equally impressive!!!!!! My personal experience here on the C-130 site is, that, I didn't know that I knew as much as I did about the Herk!!!!!. I didn't know it at the time but NCO's such as Sgt. Ragland, Sgt. Middleton, and Sgt. Geyer did a superior job of "on the job training" for this silly farm kid !!!!! They're no longer here, but if they were I owe them a hearty Thank You!!!!!!!

I sure hope we all get to see this film!!!!!!!!!

Hey Tiny, Nice to hear from ya!!!! How ya been?!?!

This is an interesting thread! I agree with GACGuy: who's flying the plane? Also agree with Podboy: there are a ton of ways to keep from being shot down, but along about here my wife would tell me: "It's just a movie"! One thing did come to mind. Back in the real old days of 1963, 1964 and 1965 E models there was a flare "port" built into the apparatus the navigator used for his sextant readings. The flare gun and flares were an item on the pre flight check list. One of the things I noticed when I visited with my old bird (#877) a couple years ago is that that complete assembly had been removed and plain flat panel installed. If Captain Howdy were to use something like a flare signal we all could assume that the airplane is an old "E" !

Well, I certainly cannot speak with any authority, however, I find it hard to believe that every C-130 that rolled off the assembly line was equipped exactly as those before!

Ya know guy's, I've been wracking my brain (no big deal!!!!) since this thread started and I cannot remember a stretcher being on any of the 464th/776th 1963 and 1964 E models from Pope. The only time I recall actually using one was when I helped with the KIA's we picked up for transport to the morgue. I'm reasonably sure that if there had been one as standard equipment I'd have known about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy, happy, birthday to a truly "good guy"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Kenny!!!!!!!! This is a total of 69 of these things. That means that next year is the big seven oohh! I'm not at all sure how I'll handle that one. One thing I do know: the weather here is about the same as Sochi, however I'll treat everyone (who comes to my party) better than those commies!!!!! Opening birthday at 0-dark thirty, block at 0730, nose up 0740, return late enough to make my wife mad!!!!!!

Don't know anything about STEP, but I do know that when I rotated to Langley from CCK/Vietnam I had at least one performance report recommending me for early promotion. Not only did I not get the promotion, but I was removed from the flight line. That ended what I thought would be an Air Force career. It wasn't 'til very recently that I put the pieces together. It would seem that some commander at Langley (don't know if it was Squadron Commander, Base Commander, or what) at that time was of the opinion that no first term enlistee should be Crew Chief and that no first term enlistee should be ranked above E-4. Short sighted? I've attached one of those performance reports I mentioned.

Those two DD215s that I posted are available on the "old, old loady stuff" thread if you would like to take a look. I just went back there myself and a question was raised in my mind. Do these two DD215s mean that I was awarded the VNSM twice????? I hardly think so, but is fun to contemplate!!!!!!!!!!!!

At the time of discharge my DD214 showed three or four awards but not the VNSM, and I never thought about it. Several years later while applying for a VA loan my CVSO took note of the fact that my DD214 did not show the VNSM and he did what ever it was he did to get it awarded, thus the first DD215 that I posted, just the medal (and ribbon). In the intervening years and more dealings with the VA they must have discovered more paperwork, 'cause the second DD215, with the accompanying Bronze Service Star attached showed up in my mail box. They did not send the actual hardware, I sent for that. Looking over the information that giz posted, I should have one more star, but what the heck. Ain't this fun!!!!!!!!!!!

Sparks Been having some problems with PM from here, but I did get one message, the one with the information I was looking for, thanks. Congratulations on (finally) becoming a Vietnam War Veteran!!!!!! One more battle won! I hope that the successful outcomes that you and giz have recently achieved act as the catalyst for all the rest of the guys to keep on fighting!! I used to feel somewhat embarrassed over my on going dispute with the VA, but no longer. It is the insistence of each individual for recognition that paves the way for those coming up. Good work!!!!!!!! Welcome Home Brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Ya know...there are folks that are plain and simple "good people"!!!

Couldn't find one of these forms last night, so I'll send them out now

Hey guys You will recall awhile back that one of our own (Sparks) is struggling with a very ill son. I've never met Sparks, but we've struck up an "on line" friendship. Sparks son is still gravely ill and still in the hospital. Lets all of us let Keith and his family know that we care and wish the family well. Thanks guy's....

Odd that I should stumble across this thread tonight. Watched a TV program earlier this evening that revolved around military service, WWI up through Afghanistan, and it hit a nerve with me. My dad was a WWII vet (South Pacific), but he and I never mentioned a thing about either of our wars. Much to my regret, it was after he died that I made a records check for his Army records. Not much left after "the fire", but they did send me the record of his commendations and his medals. I wonder if he knew he had those commendations and medals awarded? Concerning my records: I was very pleasantly surprised, recently, to receive mt DD215 (amended DD214), but of even more surprise was an amended DD215, that actually states one of the missions I participated in in Vietnam (Nha Trang shuttle). I do not know who it was, way back in 1966, that filled out that paper work, but I am grateful!!!! If I can figure out how to do it I'll attach a copy.

In the words of Winston Churchill "Never, ever give up..." Good job giz!!!!!

The name "Toluene" is familiar. Does anyone out there remember the name of the solvent we used to strip the paint off the internal wing braces (or what ever the hell they are called) back in 1965? Toluene sounds like the stuff we used. Darn near killed more than one maintainer. Back then no one knew what a carcinogenic was, nor did they care. Just curious as to if it is the same chemical we used..... tinwhistle

I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Geez, Bill Ya really know how to hurt a guy!!!!!!!!! Seein' how I've been out for 46 years!!!!!!!!!!

10-4 !!!!!!!!!!!