PACAF

If the #1 is in the aft and #3 is the center hatch, that would put #2 between them about where the honey bucket is......good place for #2 I would say....... LOL

Sounded to me like somebody was doing a personal favor for someone for brownie points. Hence the reason for not getting air support, no reporting actual events, and the crew being told no flights had gone out. A simple fly in to pick up a VIP hubby so he could be with the wife. Also noticed this guy wasn't even there when they got there and had been gone five days! Yep, somebody got caught doing a favor and their buddies had to CYA everybody at the cost of these poor guys. What about the SRA that physically held the crew entrance door closed? How hard would it have been to catch a round through that thin 18 ga sheet metal? Sounds as though the whole crew should have gotten Bronze Stars. But, like in Nam, it was usually the zeros that got the medals, some didn't even go on the missions! Really sad what happened to this whole crew and the people responsible got away scott free. Although they were disappointed in the down grades, you can rest assured it didn't affect their love for our country. A salute to the whole crew.

Future info if your problem reoccurs. Don't use the same torque wrench to tighten the wheel bearings as you did the last time. We had a nose wheel shimmy problem and found it to be the torque wrench calibration was way off and the bearings were not torqued and caused the shimmy at high speeds. Just a thought.

My prayers and cololences to you and your family. My MIA-POW flag will fly half mast for your uncle's homecoming. God bless you, your family, and a honorable salute to your uncle for his unselfishly brave ultimate sacrifice for all of us.

Thank you Pgernon, I stand corrected, the acft was 63-7771. After going back and checking some records, I crewed that acft at two different times too. Old age setting in, I guess. I was there when it transferred out and remember day after day of trying to launch it until the "ceremony" was completed and it flew just fine. Very strange bird and hard to get people out on it to work alone. Basicly avery good acft though, and loved crewing it. Funny story, I was expediting and one of my troops had a halloween mask that the eyes would light up red and flash. He got out at 7771, went up in the flt deck and got in the upper bunk. I went over and picked up another troop and told him to get me the forms off the nav table on 7771. After much protesting he took his six cell mag light and went up to get the forms. The first troops leaned out on the upper bunk and yelled with the eyes flashing. He was rewarded with a six cell mag light to the forhead, and the other troop came running to the truck telling me I could put the forms back. haha

At CCK there was an acft 63-7773 that had more than its share of ominous stories and occurances. It went to Little Rock AFB and still had strange things happen on it. There were stories even written up in the base paper as well as the Little Rock newspapers about this acft and the hauntings that went on. It was transferred to the Guard and I remember the crew said it was rediculous to go through the "launch ceremony" to get it off the ground. After a week, they did the ceremony.

An old crew chief trick, if one of the crew made him angry was to wait until all four engines were started then run up in the flight deck, tap on the fuel totalizer, break wind, and leave to marshall the acft out. I was assisting a fellow crew chief in launching his plane, at McClellan AFB, when he did this. Much to his dismay, the crew T-handled all four engines and egressed the acft. Wrote up "noctious fumes in flt deck". Took them to the Alert bird and Maint. took a late take off for it. Guess you could say that "back fired". no pun intended. LOL

My real name is Billy Fason. I hope I filled mine out correctly. This is a great site and not afraid to be checked for Poser status. Looking for some with similar backgrounds with our beloved Herky Bird. Love the pics of CCK especially. Thank you for this site and look forward to getting to know you guys. OH yes, BTW, old crew chief here.

As Patriots go, we are but a small percentage in the world today. Most everyone is caught up in day to day, me, me, me living. Most can't fathom working 90 hrs straight to make a successful mission. Watch the next Fourth of July at how few will stand, or even shut up as our flag passes or the National Anthem is played. I was told recently that military people actually of a serial killling mentality and that war served them well. I couldn't believe my ears.......yep, I had quite a few words to say to that. None I could repeat here, regretfully.

Loved it when a few years ago at the Awards ceremony, Bridget Fonda, daughter of Hanoi Jane, complained that she wasn't getting recongnition she deserved because of her mother!

Just a few more: Proudly displayed your collection of "Flt caps" with insignias from LT bar to Three Star Had a near complete bench stock on the acft in numerous locations Kept a hammock in your bag for rigging up on the ramp to sleep in Ever riveted the urinal lids to get back at a flt crew Hid in the MLG wheel well with two pieces of safety wire for the FE when he stuck his hands in to lift the door and make him think he just got snake bit. Ever stood in front of the GTC exhaust to warm up Or ever laid on your back and leg lifted the nose of an OV-10 to slide the nose jacks in Called home on HF radios instead of going to the MARS station and wait in line for three min. call Used Lox to get rid of a wart Walked out the top of an engine to take a SOAP sample on a BPO Opened an oil cooler flap while someone was in the intake Waited until after midnight to do a three man tow Referred to the ground man as "monkey on a string" Crawled in a light cart to warm up Walked to the "ropes" for a smoke break Gone to sleep on top of a Defuel truck

Hi Sparky, really sorry for your loss. However, if I were you, I would start with high school, such as Classmates.com. Someone might have info that will lead you to further years about him. I have found people using this method, and found out information about deceased individuals also. Good luck, my friend.

I,too, was stationed there and worked Dual Rail Shop for a little while then came out to the flightline and worked the Backline and Pre crew with Tsgt Jerry ????, later worked flightline as second wiper to "The Swede". There are several people here that were there about that time. An engine troop by the name of Berger, a crew chief Harry Robertson, myself Billy Fason, and a few I can't think of right now. I ran with Mark Bell a lot, (he died in 1982). Also ran with Mike Lowe and John Miller. All worked flightline and you must have been our expeditor at CCK and Ton Son Nhut. Wish I could remember the name though. I remember a CMSG Houghton, (called him Bulldog), used to nail us for haircuts in Delta Zero. haha We lived in the barracks accross from the NCO Club. Those were great days. Wish I could help you find the folks you're looking for but they don't ring a bell with me.

I remembering being at CCK from 1971-1972 and had a blast. Married a girl from there for about a year and a half, but that is another story. haha I remember Bar Town, The Stardust Hotel, and the Half Dozen on the way to Taichung. In the dozen, there were: PCS Snackbar, Wagon Wheel and Blue Angel stayed open after the other bars closed, The Hawaii club, Club 11, Formosa, Camel Club, (remember BB?), Top Hat, Sheraton Hotel, Kennedy Hotel, Hoover Theater, The Far Eastern with the bowling alley, My Snack Bar, The Mongolian BBQ on the corner next to Wagon Wheel alley, ($!.00 all you could eat!) There were so many bars, steam baths, hotels, places to eat, that it is hard to remember all of them.. Lived down the street behind the Blue Angel, on third floor next to the steam bath and then moved to Thunder Tiger Villa close to Bar Town. Rode "The Smoker" so many times. Of course you have to remember the big 5 cent donuts at Delta Zero on the flightline? I fell in love every night I was there.... hahaha The best kept secret assignment in the military, wouldn't you say?