Mt.crewchief

Again another year and another year older , Lee and Chris, I think your birthdays are yesterday, and today and just in case I screwed this up we all know what the reason is. At least you guys for sure ,which means you guys are older than me for a few more hours or maybe a year in Chris's case. 😁. I hope you both have /had a nice day and hopefully you both will be here for your next birthdays. I know I plan on it! Again, happy birthdays to both of you, Ken

Lovely Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam aka The Sandpile, among other things😎

Sonny, I wish you and all of you others a happy New Year also.---I plan on being around then!! I see that we were probably both sitting on the parking area at CRB at the same time on Christmas of 1967 and New Year 1968. That was my first trip to Vietnam on 56-0475 . I used to ask, on this forum, every year if anybody remembers my acft getting shot up fairly extensively on Jan 1st 1968 at Katum VN. I was on that flight and boy was it exciting. We got shot (small arms) 13 times and had fuel spewing out of the left wing between the engines. Of course we had to land, and get the (105mm w/fuses) offloaded and figure out a way to stop the fuel leak. Dan Lafferty , the assistant crew-chief on 475 & I took the ladder off the bulkhead and pounded some fuel cell dowells into the holes with JP-4 soaking us in the process. When we got the leak stopped (kind of) then the FE started the GTC---blowing hot exhaust on the large fuel pool while I transferred the fuel at the fuel panel to balance the wings for take-off. Anyway, we made it back to CRB and I spent the night over in Fuel Cell ---no power--in the dark-- in VC country (or so it seemed) until daylight waiting to get out of there. Over the years on this forum I used to tell this same story hoping to find somebody who remembered it! No luck, so I finally quit trying. Now that quite a few years have gone by, I am asking again. I may have gotten the dates mixed up, but I doubt it. I do remember that everywhere we went that day, we were hauling and off loading ammo while the bases were under attack. Most of the time pushing it out onto the cement while taxiing . I know that TET started that month, but towards the end of Jan. If any of you guys remember something happening like that during the same time over there, I would appreciate hearing from you. at [email protected] One more memory is that I remember a change of command --or something like that, that I got stuck marching in at Naha, the flight crew got medals for that mission. Which of course is par for the course, but ---how would you feel watching that knowing that you and your partner did all of the work? I have no idea where the flight crew was when all of that was happening. So, thanks for listening, and helping me get that off my chest all of you have a good 2022. Ken Carlson

Thanks Sonny, I hope you are doing well for another Christmas. I want to wish the rest of you old timers (you know who you are) 😃 , a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year also. Things are good hear in Montana, and I hope they are the same where you are. I am planning on being here next year at this time and would be happy to hear from any of you until then. e-mail add. [email protected] Hopefullyl this download will work---Pics of a Montana Rail Link Veterans appreciation.

Good one, nascarpop! It brightened up a dreary day. Ken

Hi, I knew two guys that came to Naha when I was there from 1967 to Mar 69 that both came from Sewart. I think at the same time. t least in 1968 sometime. One was Gary Levesque from Washington & the other was John Eggers. I am not sure where he was from. John had re-enlisted and was on his second tour. Gary was my roommate and if you knew him, you wouldn't forget him. He was very outspoken and funny, and also sometimes annoying🥴. He was engine run qualified, and also knew more about the C-130 than anybody I have ever known (he was under 4)! If you knew them, let me know. I may have some stories. 😃 Ken

I almost forgot how old you and Chris are tomorrow. Have a good birthday. Your younger friend, Ken

Chris, Have happy birthday tomorrow. I will be thinking of you and remembering your visits to Montana. Maybe Pam and I can reciprocate one of these days! Again, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Ken DSC_0010.NEF

Hey Chris, it's good to see you back on the forum. I kind of slowed down, but I am starting to miss you guys so am on here more often. I realize I am way behind on our "picture war", and I will be getting back in touch soon via e-mail or phone call. So, be expecting an e-mail soon loaded with pictures! By the way, I wished everybody a happy new year on the 31st of Dec. Anyway, old buddy good to see you here, Ken PS Up by Woodbine

If I was at Naha right now, I would invite all of you down to Naminoue for a beer or two! If I was at CCK right now, I would invite all of you down to the Dirty Dozen for a beer or two! If I was at Ubon right now I would invite all of you down to the --the bar with no roof and the tree growing up in the middle for a beer or two. If we were at CRB I would either invite all of you to the Herky Hootch or steal somebodies beer out of the refrigerator in the barracks for a toast. Nothing but the classiest joints in SEA for me and my friends. I missed the Saigon tour in 1970 but I know you guys from Naha and CCK both would know the best places. Anyway I hope all of you guys can remember all of the good times and forget the bad ones. At least for the night, Ken

A late Merry Christmas to all of you and hope you have a happy New Year also. Sonny, where do you get your pictures etc. using the Hercules? Thanks for remembering on time -----you too Jeff! Ken

The mystery of the missing external fuel tank has been solved. My fellow CCK buddies both informed me that the tanks were removed due to cracks in either the mount, or the wing caused by too many hard landings in RVN. I kind of remember that now. Ken

I kind of think the three bladed props were faster on the probably lighter A Model . But noisier for sure! I did quite a few Assault Landings & Take Offs on the A-model and 40 approx. 8 hr. Blind Bat missions, so I could tell the difference when cruising around in the Cadillac (E Model). I only was on my E Model for a few Assault landings etc. and they were just as fun as my A-model. I remember while at Naha, you could always tell when an E Model was on the ground being quieter and especially with Low Speed Ground Idle. You know, I have forgotten all of the not so fun times over there, but I don't think I have forgotten a minute of the good times. I wonder if it is the same these days? Ken Left to right ---Me . Paul, & Chris somewhere over Laos-------1968

You know, I hadn't thought of or even paid any attention to the missing external tanks on 62-1804. Now, I am confused! All of the pics I have in my gallery show external tanks on my plane. Also they are on the plane later on in the pics of it at Little Rock. I think I remember the external tanks being removed from the A models at Naha due to bullet holes! I am going to have to check with Steve Mudge or Dennis Guinane who were good friends (and still are) while at CCK. I think they would know. 62-1804 was the only plane at CCK I ever flew with (lived on it), & you would think I would remember why it didn't have external tanks! That's going to drive me nuts until I can figure it out! I got out of the AF on Jan 4th, 1971 at Dover and went back to Montana. I made E-5 in Dec. and was planning on re-enlisting but when they wouldn't promise me a reprieve from another trip to South Viet Nam, I decided 33 months over there was enough. Bill were you at Hill with Larry Hinch? There were several guys from Dover that ended up there. Thanks for the reply, Ken PS I had a lot of fun at Dover----in spite of having to work on those C-133's!