Mt.crewchief

Hey Muff, I was hoping you would see this!!!! As far as PSA etc. the place that I work gives us a free wellness check every year in November and sends it to the doctor that I will be seeing! The Billings Clinic has a clinic here in my home town of Columbus. Our wellness check is complete with all of the blood work etc. and my PSA is a 1 and all of my other stuff is good. My doctor complimented me on that! Also, I have a hearing check once a year where I work and I have the baseline since 1972. I have saved the most current test so maybe they won't want to do another but I will ask for one anyway! This same doctor also has prescribed an anti-depressant for what I think is PTSD due to the fact that I can't fly on anything anymore, and had to quit back packing because of darkness and claustrophobia etc. I kind of think this is due to 40 (sometimes hair-raising) Blind Bat missions. I still have all of the symptoms as before but with the Paxill, I can cope!! I really appreciate your interest in my case, and I will follow your instructions explicitly. I will also let you know of my progress so in case you see somebody else with my symptoms etc. you might be able to help them!! Now, do you think I should try to keep my 6 months at Dover quiet!! Now that's funny!! Thanks again, Ken

As the title says, I went and did it-----I applied for VA Health Benefits just to see if I qualified and just received notification that I am eligible for care as a Priority 6 veteran!! This process only took about a week from start to finish!! I am supposed to schedule an appointment with the Billings Clinic whenever I am ready. Now, my questions are, is this a physical?. I could go to the VA clinic in Billings (only 40 miles) to ask these questions but would rather ask some of you "experienced" guys first. We speak the same language!! Muff, I hope you are reading this as I think from what I have seen on this forum, you are directly involved in answering questions that I have. Some of the questions I have are about things like hearing loss and of course the Agent Orange stuff. My records from Naha, show where I was put on "noise-free duty" due to a hearing loss etc. When I physically go to the VA clinic do I bring that up, or do I let things slide for awhile until I know what I am doing? Also, is the purpose of the appointment at the Billings Clinic a physical or screening of some sort to check to see if I have any Agent Orange issues? As you see, I am a "jeep" all over again!!! (45 yrs. later). One other question, does the VA and Medicare work together? I am still working, so am using company health insurance at the time. I do want to hear from you guys, as I respect your opinions more than the people that haven't been there and done that!! Thanks a lot, Ken

I don't have the best memory, but when I got to Naha in Sept 67 I was assigned to the 35th TAS which was part of the 374th TAW. That is what is on all of my paperwork and that is the way I remember it. The tail code on my acft. was YJ (56-0475) When I arrived at CCK in Mar. 1969, I was assigned to the 50th TAS and was in the 314th OMS which was then part of the 314th TAW . The tail code on my acft. was DH (62-1804) Somewhere along the line, my buddies still at Naha were re-designated as the 374th OMS! Hope this helps--at least for those dates!! Ken The numbers in parenthesis are the numbers of the airplanes I was assigned to!!

Here are a couple more from the same party. Maybe there is somebody in here you might recognize! Remember this party was in 1968 (Nov) Ken

Gary, your dad was probably at CRB earlier than when Herky Hill was built! The first time I went to CRB was in Dec. 1967 and I lived in a barracks down on the main base. I don't remember much about the exact location, but it was probably within walking distance from the flight line. The next time I went to CRB later (while stationed at Naha), I lived at Herky Hill. We had to take buses from the flight line to Herky Hill and back after Herky Hill was built. When it was built, I have no idea, but I do know that it was there from early 69 and on!! I also didn't ever see any trees there except across some water where Cam Rahn Village was! Hope that helps refresh some of your Dad's memory, I know your post has refreshed some of mine!! Ken

The last picture has Msgt. Haskell the 35th flight chief, and the guys behind him are Ssgt. Bromley and Sgt. Dan Lafferty. Bromley on the left! I do know one of the guys playing/singing the music was named Tommy Toepple (sp), but I can't remember which one for sure. I think he was the one with the orange shirt and singing!! I have some more pics of the same party with some more faces that I will post tomorrow. Maybe I can jog some memories with these pics. Thanks for looking, Ken

I have posted these before, but they have long since disappeared and now that there are a lot of new members on the forum, especially old Naha guys, I thought I would post them again with hopes you will find yourself or somebody you recognize in them!! These pics were taken in November 1968 ( I'm pretty sure!!). If you were in the 35th during that time you should recognize Msgt. Andy Haskell and Msgt. Galloway. (Flight Chief & 1st. Sgt.) !! I do know a lot of the names and there are some I can't remember--maybe we can help each other out and identify them all. Thanks for your help, Ken Carlson I have some more but will quit while I am ahead.

Where ever Luther is now, I'll bet he is still running the movies with reels out of order!!!!! You know, he was there running the movies from at least 68 through 70 that I know of!!!!! I guess I will have to go to Google Earth and see what is still there. Maybe the chow hall is still there as it was made out of metal unlike the hootches we stayed in! Good idea Bill, Ken

Yes, I was at Naha on A Models until March of 69 and after getting my orders, I ended up at CCK on E Models until June 70! It was at that time called a consecutive overseas tour!! I was told I was the first to receive one! That I do not know for sure as there were quite a few of my friends at Naha that followed shortly!! No leave was granted and I was back in CRB in less than a week as a crew chief on an E-model!! Since I didn't know anybody at CCK yet, I moved in with my buddies that were still on inputs from Naha on A-Models. Somewhere along the line, the Naha A-Models did move to Tan Son Nhut and in March of 70, while I was at CRB on an input, all of the E-Models from CCK were moving to Tan Son Nhut. There was a big move taking place and on that day, my plane puked (2 prop changes), and everybody left without me. I ended being the only E-Model on the base. I do remember, we must have traded places with the A-Models at TSN, because the guy driving the expediter truck was a guy I knew from my Naha days and he was with Naha still. His name was Ruffin!! So, that is why I remember so much from Herky Hill! I went there almost every month for 26 months of my 33 months overseas. The only attack I remember at Herky Hill was the one mentioned above and also there was a sapper attack at the Army 22nd. Replacement Battalion just up the beach!! I hope I haven't bored anybody, Ken

If it is any help, all of the C-123 Ranch Hands that I ever saw in Viet Nam, were silver!! That doesn't mean the camo ones didn't have the spray booms, but I never saw any! Like the other guys said, and what I read in the newspapers, all the VA wants to know is that you were there!! Now, I am wondering what my 214 says!!! Ken

I remember that day well. I don't remember it well enough as far as the exact date though! If we are talking about the same attack, I had just launched my airplane and was heading back to Herky Hill when it started. One of the rockets hit in the sand up by the terminal and we all bailed out of the bus and headed for bunkers. Then when we got to Herky Hill, we noticed the commotion at the chow-hall after the rocket hit it! I had heard that somebody got killed, but never heard any more about it!! I do remember the damage to the chow hall and the shrapnel holes in the wall. It was a metal building!! I will look at my little notebook I carried to see if I have a date for the rocket attack. I was there during several attacks so I may be getting some of my details mixed up!! CRS you know!!! Ken I just checked my spiral notebook and I was at CRB on a 462 input. I arrived at CRB at 1730 hrs on the 26th of Dec.(1969) and left at 0615 the 10th of Jan. (1970). So, that narrows down the date of the rocket attack to somewhere between the 1st and 10th of Jan. 1970! Does that sound right to you?? How I managed to save that notebook, I'll never know!! Ken

There were C-123 Ranch Hands parked up near the in-flight kitchen near the terminal! I was at CRB almost every month from 67-70 so I am not quite sure when I saw them!! I sat on the ramp of one and ate my lunch one time!! (I know, not too bright) They smelled like the spray the farmers used on their fields at home!!! Ken

Dan may already have one of those!!! Speaking of Dan, has anybody heard from him lately??? Hope his house remodeling hasn't gotten him down!!! Ken

C-133's at Dover---Couldn't stand the damn things!! Like working in a barn!!

Now, this fun!! This is my Tech School class at Sheppard in 1967. A bunch of good guys and we were all friends. A couple of us ended up at Naha, two of the guys went to Clark, and I think maybe one or two went to Tachikawa. I did meet up with the guys from Clark at CRB SVN. once or twice!! Of course the meeting place was at the Herky Hootch up on Herky Hill!! It would be great to know what they are doing today! I have all of their names(autographs) on the back of the pic in case one of you guys see somebody that looks familiar!! Ken

I HAVE NAMES: The guys that I do know, are--myself, Pete McPheters, Dave Glanville, Dennis(Red) Guinane, & Wes Eckert!! Now, are any of these gentlemen familiar?? Ken

Hey, I didn't make this up!! Somebody please bail me out on this one!!! Dave Glanville, Dennis Guinane, please help me! I know you two are registered on this forum!!! Ken

Giz, Those are some "sharp troops" you all appear to have been to the base tailor!! Did you have zippers on your boots also??? How long was Loadmaster School?? Did any of you guys know where you were going next?? Just think of all that has happened since then!!! Thanks for sharing, Ken

Yeh, I guess I over-reacted!! I do that sometimes!! Sorry about my out-burst!!!! I guess I remember too well how we had to have a good time when we could!! And we did!!!!! Ken

Looks are deceiving, all of these guys are Crew Chiefs or regular flight line maint. guys! Most of the time they were working 12 hrs. a day with no days off!! They all spent approx. half of their time in Viet Nam where the tans came from!! Just thought I needed to say something, Ken PS I guess I shouldn't take offense, but I do!!!

I was going through some pics of CCK and thought these needed to be seen and commented on! I know some of the guys pictured but not all!! I happen to be in one of them so maybe you will recognize me or yourself!! These were taken behind barracks 336 sometime between Mar. 69 and July 70! Ken

No, not a girls name at the Dozen!! While I was at CCK (69-70), there was a dog that hung out by my barracks! (#336). She was a black and white dog not too big with kind of long hair!! Anyway, she got pregnant and had a fairly large litter of puppies! The story goes that she made a trip to CRB once and got knocked up there!! I never saw any dogs there, but who knows?? After the puppies were getting close to being weaned, they started disappearing one or two at a time until they were almost all gone!! Nobody could figure out what was happening with the pups but I think we all had our suspicions! Well, one day as I was returning from downtown, I was let off at the bus stop by the barracks where the Chinese help waited for their bus and I saw "Shit" one of our house boys standing there with a long GI coat on!! Next thing I saw was a puppy wiggling around and stuck it's head out of the coat!!! My suspicions were confirmed!! Do you suppose Shit had it for dinner or sold it to the Mongolian Barbecue? My good friend Steve Mudge doesn't remember Gloria, but I was wondering if any of you guys do!! Sorry about the long post, but my memory comes and goes!!!!! Ken

tomt, I sent you a PM regarding the 35th photos!! Ken

Well said Muff

I do know that when I got to Naha in Sept. 67 all of the planes had tail codes on them and like Sonny says, the silver birds (E-Flight) didn't although they were in the 21st. Ken