GaryRobinson

That plane is GREY, not factory sheet metal. All of the C-130E E-Flight birds at CCK were Grey. The A-Models at Naha were sheet metal silver. You just can't decipher the Grey in the picture.

I am not sure exactly when SSN's were replaced with the AF numbers but it wasn't in 67 or 68. Those are some of the dates Chris is referring too and I know the numbers changed sometime after I got to Naha in May 1968. My first trip to CRB was in August 68 and the SSN was still in use then. Because of the HIPPA act and other federal laws you can sure get into trouble with the SSN's regardless of whether it is unintentional or not.

Chris, You shouldn't be posting anything with SSN's where anyone in public can access them. You should black out the SSN's or not post them. Posting that way can get you in serious trouble.

I started on the A's in '68 at Naha and they had the old camo scheme with white bottoms used in Vietnam and the black bottoms used for Blind Bat and the Silver used by E-Flight. I'm not particular about the color scheme but out of all the Hercs I worked on I am still partial to the old A-Model. I still think it was the best looking of all the Herc's.

Casey, Are you going to be making any high resolution prints of the A-Models?

There was a bunker close to the maintenance hanger at CRB. However, that didn't mean you would make it. We had a TSgt Buck Miller in Radar that ran for the bunker during a rocket attack and didn't make it. He had serious head injuries and ended up in the hospital in Japan for about 6 months. They had to put a steel plate in his head and he had to wear a helmet every time he went on the flightline at Naha. He would have seizures and would just have to lay down in the floor until they passed. He left Naha and I never heard from him after that. Always wondered what happened to him. Gary Robinson

Last time I saw Tom Warhya was at Kadena AB, Okinawa in approximately 1986-87 time frame. I walked into the NCO club for lunch and he was sitting at a table with some other guys. I think he was stationed at Clark AB and they had come to Kadena for some type of a maintenance conference. That was the last I ever saw or heard of him. Gary

E-Flight moved to CCK in May 1971. Several of us with E-Flight at Naha moved to CCK and stayed with E-Flight including myself, Fred Peffer, Tom Waryha, Randy Odette.

Chris, I don't know what references you had during your class but a book that gives a good history of Vietnam and the war is "VIETNAM, A History" by Stanley Karnow, who was a winner of the Pulitzer Prize. It was a real eye opener for me and I highly recommend it for reading. Gary

That is all misinformation. The bones are not taken out and cleaned. That practice is common in some countries like Borneo and maybe Indonesia but not Okinawa. I have been married to one for 40 years and we have never participated in a ceremony like that. They do pray to the deceased at the turtleback tombs on certain dates.

I was avoinocs (Nav/Radar) and made 2 trips to Cam Rahn Bay a one to Tan Son Nhut in 1968 and 1969. I was lucky and kept copies of all my orders, travel vouchers, flight records, etc., and made a complete copy of my medical records (myself) when I retired and it paid off when I went to file a VA Claim. I know many that didn't keep a thing and it is hurting them now. That should be a warning to all the young troops in the military now. Keep copies of everything you can get your hands on.

That was the 22nd Replacement Battalion. We had a guy ride the bus down there and he came back looking like he was ready to start his own war with the NVA. Do you remember the metal containers you could put a lock on to keep your beer cool in the refrigerator. They would hold about a six pack. You had to lock it up or it would disappear while you were at work. Gary Robinson

I imagine he was on the flight in order to collect combat pay and tax exemption. I was at Naha from 1968 until 1971 and made three trips to Ubon. Almost all of the maintenance troops would make one flight a month to get the combat pay and tax exemption same as some flight crews used to take a down and back to just so they could get the same in Vietnam.

I don't remember the face Jerry. I was at CCK 71 - 72. There was another Jerry in the Squadron, Jerry Byrd, the instrument troop. Went on many TDY's with him and he was a super nice guy. Gary Robinson

Tiny, Do they still have the ARN-6 on the new J-Birds? Gary

Bill Urquhart, now there is a name I hadn't heard in years. I remember you well Bill. I worked Radar / Nav and made several tdys to Ubon before going into E-Flight. Then went to CCK. Didn't you go to NKP or Udorn after Naha?

TALAR was a quick setup ground system that basically performed the ILS/Glideslope functions. Was developed to be set up quickly at a remote site without any aids. It was on all the 62-63 models we had at Yokota and I thought it was installed AF wide on all C-130's. Evidently the system is no longer in use, but I retrained out of Maintenance in 1984 so I have been away from them a long time.

I was a Yokota from 1975 until 1980 and we installed it on some of our birds that didn't have it. We had to pull a test on it every so often and I replaced a few receivers but never had the opportunity to see it used in flight.

Archie, Did you ever meet a guy named James (Jim) Craft?

I never found a specialty coffee that I like. Starbucks or other. I drink Folgers or Maxwell House and am completely satisfied with those. I have drank the Hills Bros and others at times. I will take any of those over Starbucks any day of the week. By the way, I have many hours with the Herc and the coffee provided by the Air Force was always fine with me. Gary Robinson

My memory is suffering Phil. I thought you replaced Roofner (spelling). I roomed with him on many a trip and he was a crazy "sob".

Phil, was you that young hispanic that came in towards the last at Naha?

I replaced two of the VOR Antennas. One on a A-Model and one on an E-Model. We used a cherry picker, not that ladder. I wouldn't climb that ladder for any reason although I did see one installed one time.

I got to Naha in May 68 and maybe he was gone by then. I don't remember the name. Gary Robinson

I don't have any specifics on the airplane but I remember being tdy to TSN and one C-130A had damage down the right side and every time we had a few minutes to spare we spent it splicing the wire bundfles down the right side. When it was finally pieced together enough it was flown back to Naha with the gear chained down. The wire bundles, etc. down that side were hell to work through and put back together, one of the worst jobs I ever had in my life. I am pretty sure it was the right side though that had all the damage. Gary Robinson Naha AB 68-71 Comm/Nav