Mt.crewchief

Casey, It looks great!! You have spent a lot of time upgrading this forum since "day-1" We really appreciate it!! Thanks for all of your work, Ken

"Hump" I kept thinking that I knew a big black guy from Naha named Humphrey, and as soon as I looked at the link C130Hcc posted, I realized I had the right guy in mind. He was a good guy and fun to be around. I played basketball on a team for awhile and he was kind of our coach!! I think he was a MSGT. at the time but am not sure about that!! Thanks for refreshing my poor memory, Ken

Just wondering if you are alright! How are you wintering?? Ken

Bob, I would like a pic of 1804! I will PM you in just a minute with my address! Thanks, Ken

Thanks, Casey, This site and it's members have become a second home to me! I very seldom miss a day here!! Again, Thanks, Ken

ronsram, I also worked on 62-1804 at CCK , but from 69-70! It is now in the bone-yard!!!! I was recently looking at my old records, and in one of my performance reports Sgt. Brower said 1804 was # 7 in reliability out of a total of 57 acft. ( I guess that was due to my good care. ) Actually doesn't 57 airplanes at CCK seem like quite a few?? That report was written in 69 or 70!! Ken

I had the humping water buffaloes, the wood finger, and several other things from Thailand,but somehow they disappeared before I left Naha and CCK. I still have one of those nice buffalo Hide wallets I picked up in Bankgok! I am going to take some pics of it and some of my other treasures. Ken I took some pics of a plate I picked up in Ubon, and the wallet I am sure I bought in Bangkok.

Ray, according to the blanket orders in my "members gallery" his name was William!! I think we are talking about the same guy. He used to play the guitar and he was very easy going. I think the reason he wouldn't go to the dispensary after he rocket attack is that he didn't want to get a purple heart for getting shot in the ass! Ken

Being a "jeep", I knew better than to ask what IRAN meant. You waited until some other new guy asked first!!! Speaking of grease boards, one of the expediter trucks at Cam Rahn Bay had a nice crease across it from schrapnel from a 122mm rocket attack! The board was mounted on the engine cover by the driver. Of course the doors were always open. The expediter, a Tsgt. named Tyner got hit in the rear end with some of the hot schrapnel but wouldn't go to the dispensary. He was TDY from CCK. I'm still hoping somebody has a pic. of the inside of one of the trucks. Thanks for the replies, Ken

Do any of you old crew chiefs happen to have a picture of the inside of one of the old blue expediter trucks. Especially a picture of the grease board with the planes assigned to it and their status? Remember all of the abbreviations that were used such as NORS- G, ETIC, ETA, or IRAN? One of my best friends from CCK just reminded me of them tonight . Especially the abbreviation IRAN . I remember wondering why one of our planes was in Iran!! Remember how many hours we spent in the vans going from place to place getting out of the rain or just goofing off?? You guys from the shops spent your share of time in them also!! The guy responsible for reminding me of this part of our time on the flight line is Steve Mudge. Remember him?? Thanks for your time, Ken

tomt, Nice to hear from somebody from our Naha era! Of course I remember Msgt. Haskell--how could I not!! I have some pics of a 35th party posted in one of my earlier posts. Haskell is in at least one of them! If you haven't seen them yet, let me know! I can send them to you. There are quite a few people in them that you would probably recognize! Keep in touch, either via this forum or e-mail! Ken Carlson

Scooter, If being a C-130 crew chief today is anything like when I was one(67-71), then be prepared to operate without any days off for long periods of time, no sleep, no food, and no silence(GTC's & MD-3's)! If you are ready for that, you will love it!!! I did!!!! Best job in the Air Force----I guess it was the only job I ever had!!! Would do it all over, Ken

The only weapons that I was ever issued was when I was flying Blindbat! The gun boxes that were installed on some of the A Models at Naha were supposed to house some M-16's. but all I ever saw in them was junk or Beanie Weenies and V8 juice.

I remember seeing them at Naha on the A's and possibly on some of the E's at CCK. They were located permanently on the wall near/fwd. of the left paratroop door. Right behind the landing gear section. (forgot what station it was). As if I ever knew!!!!! I saw them in use a very few times, and they didn't work. Out came the slide-rules!! They were about as handy as the gun-boxes that some of the A's had on them. Remember them???? Ken

Hey, I remember that song!!!! And yeh, it does bring back memories. I could sing some it for you if that would be possible!! Don't even suggest that I do that!!!!! Ken

I would like to wish all of you a Happy New Year! Just think, all of us old farts will be a year older this year!! Ken

JG, Thanks for the reply. For the life of me, I can't remember the AC's name--or any of the rest of the crew. The FE and I transferred fuel before we took off and the fuel had stopped running on the ground, and I should remember him! Also the loadmaster!! A few months later, and a "change of command" ceremony I watched the flight crew receive medals for that mission! I felt slighted to say the least, but I don't remember even being put on the manifest that day!! I was warned that it would be a tough mission that day---and it was!!! Sometimes, I think I have the date wrong, but I distinctly remember the fireworks at midnight at CRB the night before. Unauthorized I'm sure!! I keep thinking that somebody at one of the shops at Naha will see this and remember 475 being in Fuel Cell or AR shop repairing holes!! Also I had help replacing the life-raft. Maybe one of the guys will remember doing that!!! Thanks again, Ken

Another year has gone by since I posted this and we now have over 3500 members on the forum! Since that post, I have found that Maxwell has no records of that day on 56-475 at Katum. The guy at Maxwell was very helpful, but couldn't come up with anything. I do notice there is getting to be quite a few guys on here that were stationed at Naha when this happened. Does this incident jog any memories?? Thanks for your help, Ken Carlson 35th TAS, 374th TAW Naha AB Sept. 67 to Mar. 69

I would like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas!! Ken Carlson

I have managed to post some of my pics of the Bob Hope show I attended in Okinawa (1968), in my gallery! Of course the ones of Anne Margaret are the best!!! Ken

I was at CCK when I first saw anything official about the 5BX crap, but never knew anybody that actually had to perform!! We were always "in country", or somewhere around the Far East when somebody would start trying to implement the program. By the way, what were the 5 "Basic Exercises"?? I can't remember, but I don't think lifting beers or running the local lovelies were part of them!!!!! Ken

Once when we were trying to leave CRB to go back home to CCK, we were trying to leave without a starter. It seemed like we were there for hours trying to get started. I don't think anybody knew how to do a buddy start then either as we tried. Finally, after several attempts at windmill taxi starts we finally made it and went home!! I remember doing that later several times, with much better success!! Ken

I remember the beach well. I, like Wil, never water skied there, but did a lot of body surfing!! For a guy from Montana, that was "big time stuff"!! I also remember the choppers would go out to shoot sharks, and sometimes the guards in the posts would tell us to get out of the water because of sharks. They would then proceed to shoot the hell out of the water!! Never saw any dead sharks or pieces of them.!!! I do remember getting stung by those little jelly-fish though. By the way, the only time we made it to the beach was when our bird was in the air. That was the only time off we got!! Wouldn't it be good to have even half of the stamina and energy we had then? I would do it all over again, Ken

Bobby, Nice to see that you are still around. I am looking forward to seeing the pics of 1804 in her final resting place. But before worrying about pics of my plane etc., take care of your wife and your family. They always come first. Ken

Bobby, do you remember me? I was the guy that you sent all of the pics of 1804 to! Has 1804 gone to the boneyard yet?? Now let's get back to 88 Ken