jconner2

A place that had the best graffiti in the central latrine of any place on Earth.

I had been looking for years. Found an E model on E-Bay and snapped it up. Army Outfitters in New York had it.

I would think if you wanted something for the house, this would be that special touch. Actually had a passenger try and climb up to use it. Managed to get there in time to get him off. He wasn't happy when I told him the rule of use and that he was opening the gateway for everyone on the plane. Tried the same with an Army Lt. Col. once but that didn't go as well.

I remember the front one was usually taped closed, back in the 60's. Seems the tubes froze and it would backup.

Managed to finally find one online. I have been looking for years. Found it on E-Bay and snapped it up. Army Outfitters in New York had it. Now all I have to do is see if I remember how to use it. Probably need to find a Form F online.

Had to for LAPES and other parachute extractions unless you wanted to ride along. Unless it was an emergency, only the flight deck would open ramp and door during flight. Side doors for personnel jumps and small drops were opened by the Loadmaster.

Thanks for posting. Interesting to note the highest accident rates were 65-69 which was the peak training periods for SEA and subsequent combat missions.

Ultimately everything gets carried or dropped from a C-130. I suppose this is safer than barrels of JP-4. or even cows.

I'm one of the lucky ones who can work remotely. Suspended office work 10 days ago. Apart from a few trips to the grocery and doctors, pretty well hunkered down. Hope all are well.

Wish I hadn't said that taking bowling balls in egg crates from Clark to Cubic point when the pilot decided to show those Navy guys an assault landing on an 18K runway. Sort of like a Pool Break when they came out of the crates.

Sorry I can't help but I sure remember the air base food. I remember the base cafeteria as winning the USAFE award almost every year. The holiday meals were amazing. I'm not sure I ever went off base to eat, but I was only passing through.

Picked up a huge tail wind out of Hickham and made it to Dyess, I don't recall the total time, but it was a long flight. Another trip back from SEA we island island hopped across the pacific with the gear chained down and a fuel bladder in the cargo compartment taking a damaged B model back to Georgia for refitting. We stopped everywhere.

During the Dominican Republic airlifts in late 65 early 66 we flew under EWP take-off weights. For some reason 175K sounds right but just memory.We went in to Pope and picked up the heaviest load I ever carried on an "E" model. We clipped the tops of the trees with the wheels at the end of the runway. I was a young loadie at the time and I was sure it was all my fault. I spent the flight reworking the weight and balance to make sure I hadn't screwed up. Wasn't me, just really heavy. Seems like ammo flights and Stars and Stripes delivery's were the heaviest in Vietnam. I got stuck a few times with Stars and Stripes runs and those pallets were heavy. Got to do a Jato take-off at Wheelus in Libya for some reason, don't remember why. That puppy came off the ground fast and steep.

Maybe Runway Visions - David Kirk Vaughan That's probably not it but the only one I know written by a C-130 pilot.

At some point they did away with both flight and hazardous duty pay, you got the higher of the two but not both. I think in-country Per Diem was either $16.00 or $26.00 a day (CRS). I forget what the contracted rate was for the Merlin and Mercury hotels in Saigon. I know I always made a few bucks per day on Per Diem. Maybe spent a few on Tudo Street to get my Technical Manuals current.

This thread reminded me that there were other awards, like Air Crew Wings permanent for combat mission flight hours. I got orders for that and I suspect its purpose was if you went off flight status or changed branches of the service you were allowed to continue to wear the crew wings. Most awards just showed up and I suspect a lot of folks didn't get everything they were entitled to. I remember getting an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for a single flight to the Dominican Republic during their conflict in 65/66. I went into Dyess Ops one morning and the on duty officer said here this is yours and handed me the orders and a box with the ribbon and medal. When we landed in the Dominican they gave crews a Zippo lighter with Inter American Peace Force O.A.S engraved on it; which I still have. The Medal was a surprise.

I play as a hobby and to punish relatives and friends and collect guitars. I do some home recording and mostly use it as a stress relief. Our company supports at risk schools in the area, providing student models and used instruments to Middle schools. Keeps some of them out of gangs. My employees have been heavily involved in this for a number of years. I commend what you and your group are doing. I've seen some stories about helping wounded warriors with instruments. That picture brings back memories of wall to wall RVN troops. I remember we were packed on one flight and an MVP with his guard dog needed a lift, I brought him in through the right rear door and suddenly there was a 10' circle cleared around him and the dog. The sheer density of the troops were the tie downs. Had put some straps across but just a packed house. I don't remember if that flight had a deuce and a half too, but I know it was common with RVN moves to pack em in. On the other end of the scale I flew remains back to Seoul and there were eight small boxes, the cargo compartment was spotless, all new cargo straps, the walls were covered with religious tapestries and after takeoff I had to remain on the flight deck until checklist for landing. They did everything including scrubbing down the cargo compartment. The ROKS had real class.

Early on I heard they used sorties but the counts were so high they resorted to daily missions and as I recall it took 30 missions. I think it lists it on the orders but not the actual award. I'd have to dig to find the orders. If its missions I think you are due a few. Good news is you don't have to march in a parade to get it.

My A/C for most of my time in the USAF was Captain Jerry Smith, then Major Smith and finally when he retired from the USAF he was a Lt. Col. He spent almost the entire time as a command pilot, instructor and even served for a few years as a C-130 liaison with the RAF at Lakenheath. At 18 and a beginning loadmaster he became a mentor and he remained my mentor until he died in 2009. I cannot count the times when I was unsure of my skills or unsure of myself that he didn't give me encouragement or guidance. He could land a C-130 and win every bet we ever had that I would know when he touched down. He could also bring that bird into a jungle strip and shake every tooth in my head loose getting it to stop before we ran out of room. There were several instances he backed me up, one in particular I will always remember. On a long overseas passenger flight I gave the announcement that whomsover used the honeybucket first was required to haul the contents away at landing. I had only seen it used twice ever. On this flight an Army Major asked me to set it up for him and to be honest it took me a while to figure out how to lower it. At the end of the flight he and the A/C were talking at the end of the ramp and I interrupted them and mentioned to the Major it was his job to take the contents; which I was holding. He made a rather "SA" comment on how I should be happy to carry it off and my A/C still a Captain unloaded on him. He took it and I was careful not to say a thing. Yep I cared greatly for Lt. Col Jerry J Smith and I still do. Thanks for the post and allowing me to remember.

Just came home from a vacation in Vancover and Victoria. While in Victoria we took a bus tour to Buchart Gardens. Th driver was English and I mentioned I had a business there in the 90's and was TDY to Mildenhall in the 60's. He mentioned he worked for a newspaper near Mildenhall and had reported on the Paul Myer's story. I mentioned that it was still a topic on the C-130 forum. We had a nice discussion and it was quite a coincidence. He remembered Paul's name. Seems a really small world sometimes.

http://www.l-3com.com/press-release/l-3-delivers-upgraded-c-130-aircraft-us-air-force-argentine-foreign-military-sales Looks like L3 did a bunch of retro work on CG birds sold to the Argentine Air Force so perhaps one of the birds involved was used for parts and the fuselage was left over. If someone needs it I have the property owners name and address from the Waco tax registry.

What's the possibility of a demo ride for a bunch of old guys? You can put a 4 sale sign in the window and we'll get you the TV coverage.

RIP. Much appreciation to those who have kept the history of the Herc alive.

Prayers to the families of all those lost.

If their passengers leave any ducks behind, I can show them how to evacuate them out of the upper escape hatch at cruising altitude.