Mt.crewchief

Was halon the ingredients in those little brass fire extinguisher bottles that were on my planes in the late 60's and early 70's? I remember on Jan 1st. 1968 in Katum I stood by with one of those little farts while we started the GTC right on top of a lake of JP-4. I was thinking "yeh right" . No fire got started and I didn't have to use the extinguisher. Would it have done any good? I know I was planning on doing what NATOPS1 said!!!!

I'll never forget the good old days,

Ken

Thanks for sharing that with us Giz, Sparks, I am keeping your son and your family in my thoughts and hoping that every thing comes out okay!

Like Giz said, "you ain't alone"

Ken

I was in Brindisi a couple of times and know the gunships and talons participated, here is a link with some good information and photos about the H model gunships.

http://www.spectre-association.org/bosnia.htm

Thanks 696574CC, That is just the stuff I was looking for! I just knew the C-130 would have seen action in that war!!! Did any of you guys ever spend any time on the ground in Bosnia? It's kind of funny, but I just finished reading a book about a guy that bicycled from London to Brindisi. Now I get an idea what it looks like there!

Thanks,

Ken

This Really Exists: Giant Concrete Arrows That Point a Way Across America.

Cement Arrows, Transcontinental

Air Mail Route

Courtesy of Aviation Archaeological Investigation & Research

Every so often, usually in the vast deserts of the American Southwest, a hiker or a backpacker will run across something puzzling: a concrete arrow, as much as seventy feet in length, just sitting in the middle of scrub-covered nowhere. What are these giant arrows? Some kind of surveying mark? Landing beacons for flying saucers? Earth's turn signals? No, it's.

The Transcontinental Air Mail Route

http://www.cntraveler.com/dam/daily-traveler/2013/06/transconti

A re-creation of a 1920s map showing the route of airmail planes; the dots are intermediate stops along the course.

On August 20, 1920, the United States opened its first coast-to-coast airmail delivery route, just 60 years after the Pony Express closed up shop. There were no good aviation charts in those days, so pilots had to eyeball their way across the country using landmarks. This meant that flying in bad weather was difficult, and night flying was just about impossible.

The Postal Service solved the problem with the worlds first ground-based civilian navigation system: a series of lit beacons that would extend from New York to San Francisco. Every ten miles, pilots would pass a bright yellow concrete arrow. Each arrow would be surmounted by a 51-foot steel tower and lit by a million-candlepower rotating beacon. (A generator shed at the tail of each arrow powered the beacon). Now mail could get from the Atlantic to the Pacific not in a matter of weeks, but in just 30 hours or so.

Even the dumbest of air mail pilots, it seems, could follow a series of bright yellow arrows straight out of a Tex Avery cartoon. By 1924, just a year after Congress funded it, the line of giant concrete markers stretched from Rock Springs, Wyoming to Cleveland, Ohio. The next summer, it reached all the way to New York, and by 1929 it spanned the continent uninterrupted, the envy of postal systems worldwide.

Radio and radar are, of course, infinitely less cool than a concrete Yellow Brick Road from sea to shining sea, but I think we all know how this story ends. New advances in communication and navigation technology made the big arrows obsolete, and the Commerce Department decommissioned the beacons in the 1940s. The steel towers were torn down and went to the war effort. But the hundreds of arrows remain. Their yellow paint is gone, their concrete cracks a little more with every winter frost, and no one crosses their path much, except for coyotes and tumbleweeds. But they âre still out there.

When Chris (tinwhistle) and I and our wives went to Yellowstone recently Chris showed a DAV card and we got in free. Also the ranger lady thanked Chris for his service!

Posted this just in case you didn't know about this service of the US Govt.

By the way Chris, thanks!! You saved me 1000 NT (I think) Wasn't 40 NT= $1 US dollar??-----I re-figured this and I think it would have been 625 NT

Now, after editing this twice I am still not sure what I am talking about-- Help, I think am having a Math attack!! Along with a bout of CRS

Ken

One time at Naha, one of our A-Models was grounded due to the flight crew seeing a rat on the plane. So, out came the rat extermination crew. An old papa san went inside and sprayed the whole thing with some kind of poison and the doors were closed and taped shut. Th plane sat there for several days and one day I saw the tape removed and the crew door open so I went in and saw the write-up had been cleared and signed off. It said "saw rat leaving the aircraft" .

I guess "papa san wasn't needed after all!!!

Never saw a birds nest, but saw and smelled plenty of feathers and guts in the intakes!!!!

Ken

‘I Forgot My Glasses’

Yesterday my daughter again asked why I didn't do something useful with my time in retirement. Talking about my "doing something useful" seemed to be her favorite topic of conversation in many of our conversations. She was "only thinking of me" and suggested I go down to the senior center and hang out with the guys.

I did this and when I got home last night I decided to teach her a lesson about staying out of my business. I told her that I had joined a parachute club. She said, "Are you nuts? You’re 75 years old and you're going to start jumping out of airplanes?"

I proudly showed her that I even got a membership card. She said to me, "Good grief, where are your glasses! This is a membership to a Prostitute Club, not a Parachute Club."

"I'm in trouble again, and I don't know what to do... I signed up for five jumps a week," I told her.

She fainted.

Life as a senior citizen is not getting any easier, but sometimes it really can be fun...

l Just Love It…

No virus found in this message.Checked

No virus found in this message.

Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com/

Version: 2013.0.3349 / Virus Database: 3204/6483 - Release Date: 07/11/13 ____________________________________________________________

As an old crew chief, how hard is the system to keep clean? You know, human feces etc.

In Viet Nam, the rail system, at the end of a day "in-country" could contain anything from grenades to people poop and who knows what else!!!

just asking,

Ken

Thanks Ken!!!!

I also would enjoy a get-together for the guys and gals on this here forum! Not sure what we'd call it though!?! If I were to put a little thought into this, I'd really have to work with Casey on some issues. One of those issues: Casey would HAVE to attend!!!!!!! Ya know, I'll kick it around a bit. One thing I do know for sure, right now; if Ken still can't travel we'll hold it in Billings MT. !!!!!!!

Oops I think I may have stuck my foot in my mouth!!! Don't you think our Super 8 here in Sheep Dip (I mean Columbus) is big enough to handle all of the attendees??

There was a little old lady who was nearly blind.

She had three sons and they wanted to prove which one was the best son to her.

So son #1 bought her a 15-room mansion thinking this would surely be the best any of them could offer her.

Son #2 bought her a beautiful Mercedes with a chauffeur included thinking he would surely win her approval.

Son #3 had to do something even better than these so he bought her a trained parrot.

This parrot had been trained for 15 years to memorize the entire Bible.

You could mention any verse in the Bible and the parrot could quote it word for word.

How useful his nearly blind mother would find that!

Well, the old lady went to the first son and said, "Son, the house is just gorgeous but it's really much too big for me.

I only live in one room, and it's much too large for me to clean and take care of. I really don't need the house, but thank you anyway."

Then she explained to her second son,

"Son, the car is beautiful, it has everything you could ever want on it, but I don't drive and I really don't like that driver, so please return the car."

Next, she went to son number three and said,

"Son, I just want to thank you for that thoughtful gift.

The chicken was small, but delicious."

Good one Sonny!!!!

I assume the reunion you guys were planning on attending a few weeks ago was a good one!!! Am I right?

Did any of you fine young gentlemen (you too Giz) happen to take your camera along? If so did any of you take any pictures that the rest of us would enjoy?

I am sure a lot (most) of us would like to see them---especially the ones that are here on the forum!

It would be like seeing some of you guys in "real life" !!!

Thanks,

Ken

I still think it would be cool to have a C-130 Hercules Forum reunion in the near future! I will go out on a limb and volunteer Chris(tinwhistle) as the host!!!!! :D

As long as I have been a member of this forum, I don't remember any mention of the war in Bosnia. My question is, did any C-130's take part in the conflict?

If so, I think it would be very interesting to hear some of your stories about what part you guys played. Also, if any of you have any pictures of your trips in and out and especially any base or off-base pictures would be great!!

Also, was there any medal or commendation made for your participation?

I would find it hard to believe that the mighty Herk wasn't involved! I remember watching the news when it looked like the first plane into Baghdad was a C-130!!!

Thanks in advance for your input and pictures,

Ken

Chris,

I just got word that I am eligible. But, I have bad news for you!!! It seems you are almost exactly a year too old!!!

Better luck next time!!

Giz, I also checked if they could use you. You make the correct age bracket, but you live too far away!! They are a little short on "travel pay" money!!

Sorry guys,

Ken

Check with the Montana ANG unit...they are looking to hire folks.

Do you suppose they would hire "old farts" ????

Going wireless?

After having dug to a depth of 10 feet last year outside of New York City ,

New York scientists found traces of copper cable dating back 100 years.

They

came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network

more than 100 years ago.

Not to be outdone by the New Yorkers, in the weeks that followed, a Los

Angeles ,California archaeologist dug to a depth of 20 feet somewhere just

outside Oceanside. Shortly after, a story in the LA Times read:

" California archaeologists report a finding of 200 year old copper cable,

have concluded that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech

communications network a hundred years earlier than the New Yorkers."

One week later, a local newspaper in Dillon, Montana reported the

following:

"After digging down about 30 feet deep in his pasture near the

community of Twin Bridges, Montana, Jacob, a self-taught archaeologist and cattleman,

reported that he found absolutely nothing. Jacob has therefore concluded

that 300 years ago, Montana had already gone wireless".

Just makes a person proud to be from Montana doesn't it?

Herky Lurker, a reunion to beat all reunions!!! Would have to be at least a week long event. I have enough of my own (most true) to last most of a week. Of course the best part of these stories would be waiting for someone to call a "bullshit" on one or two of them!!!!

I'm sure Gizz could supply some of his "early American tongue lube"!!

Now I have to figure out how I can beat some of my travel phobia. Chris knows what I mean!!

I wouldn't be surprised to see faces I know but have no name for!!

Ken

Yep, that about sums it up!! :)

Last week one of the guys that I met on this forum came to Montana for his second visit!

Chris and his wife Mary have become good friends with my wife and I and we look forward to seeing them every year!! (I may have to go to Wisconsin to see them next year)! I'm going to try Chris!!!

These two pictures are taken near the summit of Beartooth Pass. I think the elevation there is around 10,281 ft. This is on the way from my home in Columbus to the North East entrance to Yellowstone Park. Silver Gate MT.

We had a good time and Chris told me some more "war stories" of course I had none to offer!!!!

I think it would be great to be able to meet all of you guys & gal on the forum. I'll bet we would all get along like Chris and I do!!!

Ken

Barry, It's a pretty sure bet that I knew you, or knew who you were while we were both in the 35th. I was assigned to 56-475 while there, but had to do all of the "jeep" things like tow/refuel/de-fuel crew, wash-rack, flight line taxi (specialist dispatch) etc. etc.! Of course you remember Msgt. Andy Haskell my flight chief. 56-475's crew chief was Sgt. Willard. The assistant CC was Sgt. Dan Lafferty and I and a guy named Smitty were 3rd and 4th wipers! Of course, I remember Jesse James, I liked him and he was fun to be around. At the time I was at Naha I was 22 and 23 yrs old and I thought Jesse was at least in his 60's. There was a Cmsgt. there that was around all of the time but I can't remember his name. He drove a little red Honda convertible. That of course was before any Honda cars in the US! Do you remember him?

I also spent 90 days at Ubon as a Blind Bat loadmaster/flare-kicker in 1968. Chris Carter and I saw a note on the bulletin board about volunteers needed for the Blind Bat mission, so, we did, and the rest is history!!

I have some other questions I need to ask you that are quite lengthy so I will PM or e-mail you with them.

By the way, welcome to the forum,

Ken Carlson

Skip, nice to see you around again!!

I, for one, missed your very interesting and entertaining posts and replies!!

Ken

Hey, just looked at your new pics in your gallery!! Nice additions to an already nice gallery!!!

I can't help but like the Gray Haired Vet patch the best!!!!

Ken

Just a little to add to this thread---A friend of mine, a retired Army Bird Colonel, told me that he recently purchased a riding lawn mower at Home Depot and presented his retired military card for his 10 % discount. He told me that he has been doing that for years--successfully, but not on that large of amount. They gave him what they said was their maximum discount which was $150.00 off. He was okay with that, but he also said Lowes will give a veteran the full 10% on any purchase no matter what the amount!! The above purchases have been in Billings MT so maybe not all of the stores are up to date on all policies.

I, myself, have never tried getting a discount from either place, but that's mostly because I forget it until later! Imagine that!!!!

Ken

Just got a phone call from Bob Flowers, a retired 123 and C5 loadie. Bob is about 70 and has many ailments associated with AO. I took him to the VA in Sept. of 2011 to get him signed up. He just got word that he's 100%, and it's retroactive to Sept. 2011. He's floored!

It's a good day.

Pat

You did good Pat!! It's good you could help a fellow Airman

Man, I wished I wouldn't have signed on today!! I feel like I knew Dan personally and whenever he was off the forum for awhile I was afraid something had happened to him.

I feel like I have lost a buddy,

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family,

Ken

When our planes were doing the Bangkok Shuttle from CCK in 69 & 70, us crew chiefs stayed at the Trocadero Hotel downtown. Don't remember what it looked like or exactly where it was at, but I do remember having a very good time!!!!

Ken