Mt.crewchief

John, I live in Columbus just 35 minutes away from Billings. Do you ever have any of the A Models in Billings? Is there ever a chance an old crew chief like me could someday get a chance to come down there and fondle one of them???? The last C-130 I ever saw on the ground was a Marine C-130 that was at an airshow in Billings quite a few years ago! If that is possible, let me know, Thanks, Ken Carlson

I was thinking about old times again the other day, and started wondering why I don't see any posts by guys from Tachikawa!! I used to hang around with some of them when we would meet up at CRB. This is when I was on A Models from Naha 1967-1969. At the time the C-130 inputs were A Models from Tachi and Naha, and B Models from PI. I don't remember if the Tachi birds left CRB before I left Naha or not! I do know that they and the Naha A Models were not at CRB when I started going back to there from CCK in April 69. I guess I am probably confusing people with my dumb questions, but I guess the real question is ---are there any Tachi troops here??? Thanks, Ken

Dan, first of all welcome to the forum--you will like it here!! I met John through his best friend who was my room mate in the 35th. He and Gary Levesque (frog), came from the same base in the states. For some reason I think it was Lockborne (sp) . It could have been Sewart also!! Anyway, nice having you here, Ken Carlson

Sonny, that is a real find!! Just looking at it now brings back memories! That is a truly old document that makes me think that there are more similar ones out there somewhere! Just think of how neat it would be to find one with your name on it. It makes me think there is something similar for Acft 56-475 or 62-1804 out there also. It just shows that Steen Lunde , having saved that 781 all of these years, has made somebody's day! Yours for sure and mine also!! Since I was still stationed at Naha during that time, makes it seem more real!! Thanks for posting this, Ken

I would guess that is similar to the way our daily maint. forms were handled. (the 781A's anyway). I remember when we got back to home station we went to debriefing and all the open write-up's were scheduled for the various shops and back-ordered items went to the 781K. I guess it would be too much to expect to have all of the maint. forms saved and I didn't really expect them to be. But it would be fun to see how you reacted to situations when you were in charge of a multi-million dollar acft. and only in your early 20's!! (or younger)!! Ken

Like about 4 years-----retroactive???????? Just kidding of course!! I just hope they don't find a way to screw up what you actual retired guys have!!!! Ken

Thanks for all of the good and interesting replies to my question. At CRB Viet Nam, all or almost all of the C-130's were either parked nose to nose in revetments or earlier, nose to nose without revetments. I do think some of the situations I am talking about were excessive loads and also as Steve said, they were parked too close to allow the fwd then reverse maneuver. I only saw it a few times considering I watched the planes back out without troubles for almost three years!! Now I am going to think up another question to satisfy my CRS relapse!!!!!!! Thanks, Ken

Thanks for the reply. If the 781K is still on 62-1804, I'll bet it has some of the things I back-ordered that I know I would never get like new seat-covers and the plastic Lockheed cover that went on the yoke hub or whatever it is called. I always was looking for an extra one that I intended to keep for myself!! (never did find one)!! Ken

I think this is a technical question!! More than once at CRB my plane couldn't back out of the revetment with a full load. After many tries, Ariel Port would show up and take some of the load off and then it would make it out like usual and then it would have the removed cargo reloaded and all was good. I always wondered what caused that to happen. I guess I never asked or never received the answer I was looking for. I saw this happen to other planes also, so I assumed it was kind of normal! Was it just a weight issue or did it have something to do with temperatures or air density etc.? If I remember right, tow vehicle would fit through the opening in the revetment and possibly I saw a plane or two backed out that way. Does it still happen or was that just a Viet Nam era thing? I know it may seem like a dumb question, but I have never been where I could ask that question before I found this forum!! Thanks for your answers, Ken

I know I have never seen a C-130 that looked like that but there are a lot of them I still haven't seen! I do know one thing, it looks like somebody's imagination went somewhat wild!!! Also, in my opinion, it's UGLY!! Just my $.02 worth, Ken

Sonny, thanks for clarifying what the form numbers were! The 781's I was most concerned with were the daily ones that I think were pretty plain and white in color. They had a place for the Julian Date, the discrepancy, of course the status or severity of the discrepancy, (the diagonal such as the BPO and Preflight and non-grounding things. and of course the Red X which was a grounding discrepancy such as brakes,tires etc. etc.) Then the bottom half of the action taken or something like that and then of course who signed it off! I do remember that an ongoing discrepancy that required a part or whatever was carried fwd. to the 781K when we got back to home base--usually during de-briefing. The 781K was a cardboard sheet in the back of the forms and was yellow. Does that sound right to you?? I do remember giving the completed forms to the expediter truck driver (bread truck driver). Now wouldn't it be fun to go back in time and read the forms that you filled out 40 plus years ago!! I do remember the forms were usually dirty because of the dirt, grease, & blood you left on them while signing them off etc. Now, I don't ever remember filling out any forms showing time. Either mine or the specialists time. That's not saying there weren't, I just don't remember doing that. I remember running the GTC for hours for power because of the lack of MD3's! Of course you had to run it also to turn the rotating beacon on to get the expediter truck driver to come to your plane at night. Man, what memories!!! Of course, at CRB you wanted to get your plane O.R. as soon as possible so you could get it launched on another mission and get about 7 hours off!! Then, the same thing all over again!! I do know I couldn't keep that kind of schedule up now, Ken By the way Sonny, the 781 A that you enclosed is a little more elaborate than the old ones, but most of the blanks and info needed look familiar!

I was reading the posts on the different levels of training and the diagonals and red x's, and got to thinking about all of the time that we crew chiefs spent on them!! What was their official name/number? I remember the 781K's in the back that always had to be gone through at every de-briefing upon returning home from CRB etc. etc., but were all of the maint. forms numbered 781's also? Anyway, what happens to the acft. forms over the years? Do ALL of them stay with the acft. in one way or another? I don't remember what we did with them when they were all signed off etc. I know, it always made me feel good to have my forms (write-ups etc.) kept to minimum! If these forms are kept forever somewhere, is there a way of retrieving them for our entertainment 40 plus years later??? What do you fellow crew chiefs think, wouldn't it be fun to go through them again??? Probably a dumb question, but I'll bet some of you guys know the answers to my question! Thanks in advance, Ken Carlson Acft. 62-1804 CCK 1969-70 Acft. 56-475 Naha 1967-1969 (3rd. wiper)

Jim, Do you happen to have any pics of a Med Evac configuration and also one of Max Pax? I took pics of almost everything while I was there, but usually didn't bring my camera when I was recovering my plane!! Thanks, Ken

Jim, That first pic is exactly what I was referring to!! Of course the loads with American troops on board didn't look anything like that!!! There were probably about half as many men, and were sitting in an orderly fashion facing to the back!! Of course they weren't prisoners. Although some of them may have thought that!!! I never did see that large a group of prisoners. Usually several walk on's chained and heavily guarded. I am glad I didn't have to clean up after a group like that!!!! Ken

Giz, That's what I call "replacement pax" I would help the loadmaster secure the straps across the cargo compartment and the fully armed and ready troops would sit like you describe facing towards the rear. The loadmaster would sit on the back with the ramp open while I was marshaling the plane as it backed out of the revetment. I think the mission the Army troops were about to embark on was not a fun one as two different times one of them ran right out the back and jumped off the ramp and ran over to me or the expediter truck! Of course the loadmaster would stop the process until things got sorted out! Both times, the troop left his weapon on the acft. and I think he got in big trouble!!! I felt sorry for the individuals as I think by the time an Army jeep showed up, they wished they had stayed on!! A question I still have, is about how many troops could we accommodate? By the way, whenever my plane got back from one of those missions I could usually count on a tire change or two. Then, of course is the fuel bladder missions!!!!! Thanks for the responses so far, Ken

I agree!! Ken

I was having flashbacks the other day of my times in Viet Nam as a crew-chief and was thinking of all of the different configurations our planes went through during the course of our stays at CRB. For instance, I remember my plane leaving in the early AM loaded with food etc. aka "milk run", and coming back approx 7 hrs. later configured for a medivac mission! Which of course I had to completely take down and stow in the upper racks etc. and get it ready for whatever the next day's mission involved! I know how hard it was for me (sometimes alone) to do all of this but have always wondered how you load-masters managed to get the job done enroute!! Also, I remember the configuration we called "replacement pax" which of course wasn't any problem for the crew chief etc.. The question I have about it was how many troops were carried during this configuration? I do remember the passengers weren't too excited to be on the plane for one of these missions!!!! I went on a few missions in-country, and I helped the load-master all day and was damned tired when I got back to base!! I guess it all can be summed up in one statement---you guys worked your butts off!!! I guess I will thank you guys for your service as not many people realize how hard you worked while flying missions in Viet Nam!!!! I know you guys have some good stories to tell. Maybe some of you can let some of the younger guys hear some of your stories!! Thanks in advance for your stories, Ken Acft. 56-475 Naha Acft. 62-1804 CCK

Bill, good research!! I think!! I guess it doesn't surprise me!! Ken

Thanks for the kind words giz,, I have a letter in my gallery that means as much to me as any medals could!! I too can relate to you guys (Tinwhistle & DC10FE)! I once watched a crew receive medals for a flight I was on at Katum(Jan. 1st. 1968)!! I am pretty sure the acft. 56-475, would have had to be left that day if it wasn't for Laffety and me!! By the way, this is nothing against the flight crew, they had to land that sucker!!! And also, most of us maint. guys didn't realize we had an Awards and Decorations officer or what ever they were called. I do know I wouldn't have put myself in for an award!!! Thanks again giz, Ken PS, anybody remember Dan Lafferty??? 35th TAS Naha Okinawa tinwhistle, I tried to find out about my day at Katum through the official archives at the suggestion of Sam McGowan and Bob Daley and I had good service and honest tries and follow ups, but that day in the 374th TAW just must not have happened according to the records at Maxwell!! Also, I am satisfied that person I dealt with did find what he could.

Charles, I did that, and you're right there are some good videos. Especially the one taken from the water tower on Herky Hill. That water tower is in one of my pics in my gallery here on the forum. Bill, did you watch it? Also on one of the other ones there are a lot of B-Models pictured from Clark. Is that water tower (now rusty) in the place on Google Earth where you have identified Herky Hill? I also remember the walk to the beach! I remember trying to do it barefooted once, and couldn't!! Also, I had forgotten about the officers quarters on the Hill! Now for a good pic of the Herky Hootch!!! Anyone??? Now for some markers---I will try that eventually!! By the way, I do see where I think the chow-hall was!!! Ken PS I don't see the Roach Coach that showed up by the basketball court every day with warm pop and terrible food!! Also don't see the van/vehicle that picked up the Vietnamese civilian workers every afternoon. You know the ones that spit Betel Nut juice all over the ground!!!!!!!

Bill, I think I see Herky Hill and what looks like foundations. I'm starting to put the pieces together. How far was the walk to the beach? In my mind the distance was a couple hundred yards. Also, was the 22nd. Replace Batt. along the beach somewhat closer? I remember a sapper attack was going on there one night so all of us on Herky Hill went to the 2nd. floor of the barracks to see if we could see anything!!! I guess we were doing the wrong thing because as soon as somebody saw us there, they ordered us to the lower bays where the sandbags were. I don't think we could see anything anyway!!! As far as CRB inputs went, ours were also early morning "block times". I was just dinking around when I said 1300 hrs. Did you know Ron Tennyson there? he was my roomate at Sheppard and I ran into him at the Herky Hootch while he was on input or TDY from Clark. There were several others in my class at Sheppard that went to Clark also. Their pics are in my gallery! I will keep studying Herky Hill on Google Earth and see if I can get it straight in my mind. How do you put tags on it by the way??? Lets keep this thing going, Ken

Hey Giz, and the rest of you that attended the reunion, it sounds like you had a good time! I would probably go to something like that if there was ever one for the guys I was stationed with at Naha and CCK!!! I would just like to see and touch one of those beautiful birds again!! Ken

Bill, tagging places on Herky Hill sounds like fun! Unfortunately, I have not messed around with Google Earth much so I will have to give it a try again!! If I am successful at locating everything you have spotted I will report back with my progress! Some of my Herky Hill and CRB pics are in my gallery. If you can copy them and put them on a tag , feel free to do so!! Now,I have a 1300 block time for a CRB Input!!!!! My tool-box is on the plane and I have my Sanyo Deluxe 3 speed fan and my B-4 bag ready to go!!!!! Bring back any old memories??? Ken

Well, just keep posting the wrong ones---that one is good!!! Ken

Thanks for keeping this thread alive donwon and Sonny. Now I wish some of the 35th guys on this forum would speak up!! I know High Tide would know some of the guys but I haven't seen him around on the forum for awhile! I think I have asked you both, but do either of you guys remember John Eggers? He was in the 21st. when I was at Naha. He was a crew chief on a silver bird and had his wife over there. Later I renewed friendships with him at Dover!! He was a Ssgt. Anyway, I will keep trying! Ken PS I do remember Msgt Tanner---he was a good guy!!