ABNRGR80

Thought i would let you C130 lovers know that on the 18th of this month (Oct) 26xC130 droped a BDE of jumpers into Ft Polk for their JRTC trng

Total number droped was 1 heavy by a C17 followed by 16xC130H (all troops) then 10xC130J (all troops) total troop droped was around 1600

This was the largest paradrop in Ft Polk history and prob the largest in a long time, they didnt drop a Battalion it was a whole BDE with equipment and ARTY (which fired soon after setting up)

Diff a great site to watch in the moonlight

if i come across any news art ill post them for you

The camo pattern was based off a photo of the plane that Mr Hunter had when he was in Vietnam. The 509th patch is from the current unit that uses the plane for their pre-jump trng. the gray plane in the back ground is the other c130 we use for airborne trng also

On 1 OCT Mr Hunter came to see his old plane (58-0755) he was the crew chief on her back in vietnam

I also gave him, his wife and brother a tour of the trng area that the soliders use for the pre deployment trng, along with watching one of the units conduct a paradrop of 226 jumpers (out of 4xC130s)

I have attached photos and put photos of the planes in my gallery

Sorry for the long delay since the last post, The Army has been keeping me busy, I finally got one plane re painted gray and i am starting on the 2nd one this coming weekend

Once i get them done i am going to invite some of the old crews as well as anyone else interested to come see them

1 C130 will be painted as close to the orginal camo colors to include all markings, and the 2nd will have the more current gray color will all markings

Ill post some photos in a few days, kind of want to wait so not to give up the surprise

Can you post a pic of the other one 57-0528?

Thanks

Bob

Not sure if that the number on her, but both planes are in my album

I will be putting some more on in the future, while they are being re-painted

Ill check the others number, i cant remember off the top of my head for sure

Sounds great when the Rangers are saying nice things about an old airframe. I always thought you folks have probably jumped out of so many different birds that one tail number wasn't any different than any other. Not only do you guys serve well beyond the call of duty but you make us old Air Force types proud of you too ! Big salute to you sir.

Larry

Thanks

Part of my job is getting the jumpers on the post aircraft, so i deal a lot with all the diff AF wings, I saw that old hulk along with another just siting at Alex airport being used as a storage bld for their dam lawn equipment

after talking with a few people up there i got them and moved down to the post so we could use them for training

I have alwasy learned its better to pratice on something as close to the real thing before executing the mission, So i got them old planes to use as training aides, Helps them execute a better jump

Wanted to throw this out to some of you AF gents that might have been involed in the mission or know someone that was

they are planning a Aniversary this April in a couple diff places, i have attched a link for each

as a young Army PVT, at the time i spent a lot of time in the C130s then, for the real mission i was assigned to the CSAR a/c to cover any one that got in trouble

to bad it happened the way it did, I still wonder what it would be like now if we did the mission

thanks

RLTW

http://www.specialops.org/events/event_details.asp?id=70365

http://www.specialops.org/events/event_details.asp?id=39988

The hulk was recently moved fgrom England AFB to Ft Polk and it is being used as a ground trainer by the Army.

Bob

This old girl is in my hands down here at Ft Polk

she is has been placed in a fenced area for the airborne soldiers to use as a pre airborne platform

she is going to be re-painted back to her orginal camo pattern, and display along with some of her histroy as well

some time later this spring i will be inviting some of her old crew back to see her and she what she is doing, still supporting the troops

ill keep you all up dated as time goes by, i do have some photos of her as well as her partner in my photos

Been working with the "J" model for a while, Its a great plane we really like it for doing para drops, its got lots of leg room...LOL

The first one i had land here, i swear when the ramp opened up you can smell the "new plane smell"

The Combat INF badge (CIB) is not the 2nd highest award so to speak, its only given to you if you were in a combat MOS while being in a combat area over 30 days

They came out with the Combat badge for the non combat MOS personnel to show they also spent time in a combat zone just a few years back, it has the bayonet on it

but yes awards are awards and badges are badges, the EIB Expert Inf Badge is a set of task you have to done to earn it, some people have a CIB and still have to go for the EIB

by the way my back ground is Airborne Infantry :)