SamMcGowan

Giz

Sounds just like I remember. Yes, once the chute was deployed you pulled on the looped red cord and it did the cut. The hook knife was to be used IF the lines didn't cut. Trivia -- the hook was supposed to be the "switch blade" not the knife edge. However, when the manufacture looked at the design they decided there was a mistake and made the standard switch blade knife.

Skip

Skip, I don't know where you went to survival school or if you've just got CRS. The four-line cut was made on four lines that were marked with red tape. You were supposed to look up and pull them and cut them with the hook blade on the knife. In fact, there was a knife sewed into the riser for just that purpose. I don't think they had even come up with the four-line cut when they started issuing the switchblade knife. I got mine in 1964 when I went on flying status but quit carrying it because I had a hunting knife. There was also a small metal survival knife in a pocket on our survival vests. They showed a film at survival refresher showing how to make the four-line cut.

Guys, we had a major discussion on the subject of "reunions" at the TCTAA convention a couple of weeks ago and the general consensus is that there are too many and it costs too much to try to attend all of those a person is eligible for. It costs at least $1,000 just for transportation and lodging for each event. It makes a lot more sense to have one national event somewhere each year or so for anyone who was involved in the troop carrier/tactical airlift missions. Granted, those units that are already having them are going to continue but the numbers at the various events are dwindling. The Sewart Association isn't going to have any more and there are other groups that are shutting down due to lack of interest and the fact that members are dying off. That's the main reason we established the Troop Carrier/Tactical Airlift Association, so as to have one organization for everybody. Last week in Warner Robins we had people there from every troop carrier/tactical airlift wing that ever flew C-130s and most squadrons. There were people there from Blind Bat/Lamplighter, E Flight, Commando Vault, Naha, Pope, Sewart, Dyess, Little Rock, Langley, Forbes, Lockbourne, Everuex, CCK, Tachikawa and Clark. Join the TCTAA and participate with the people who made the reputation of the C-130. Membership forms are at www.troopcarrier.org/membership.html. We've got members ranging in rank from E-4 to Major General. Right now we've got 137 members and we're growing. Come and join with us!

I don't think they're getting any takers. The SOC doesn't want it or so I am told by someone who is heavily involved with them.

Dutch, I may have some but not certain. I have some of the personal effects of my friend Don Thomas who was killed tragically a few years ago. He collected a lot of stuff. I know I saw some master sergeant chevrons in there but they may have been in the stuff I took to the TCTAA convention for the auction. I'll look and see if I still have them.

Js normally come without wing tanks, but they were added to the WC-130Js to extend their range. Not sure, but the new special ops airplanes may have them as well.

In fact, it's listed in my Book Store.

Dick was a navigator in the 35th TCS at Naha in 1966-67. I was crewed with him on the flare mission. He's written several novels over the years. The first was WARBIRDS. Most of them are available in paperback. He's a really good guy.

We had a really good turnout in Warner Robins last week, with approximately 60 people in attendance. We had aircrew maintenance, operations and aerial port people there. Nearly everyone was C-130 at one time or another, with several going back to the 1950s. Tom Stalvey and Roger Greuel did a good job putting everything together, with a lot of help from Roger's wife Janet. We're in the process of deciding where to have the next one in 2014. Tucson has been suggested. Check www.troopcarrier.org/convention.html to see who was there.

https://www.createspace.com/3974494 - Go here to order. Also available from Amazon, Kindle and will be on Nook.

I suppose I should post the link to my author page on Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Sam-McGowan/e/B001KIC8QA/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Those of us who are attending the TCTAA convention in Warner Robins next month are going up to Lockheed to tour the factory. If I think of it, I'll try to find out.

What about the former B-52 pilots that did not like flying from short strips?

Here's the difference - "tactical" refers to direct support of troops in combat. "Strategic" is a word the MAC staff dreamed up for what is actually the "logistical" mission, which is moving supplies into rear area depots. During World War II, it was all called air transport but only troop carrier units were involved in direct combat. In Vietnam we flew both logistical and tactical missions, which is the way its always been. Logistical missions carried cargo from Cam Ranh and Tan Son Nhut to places like Qui Nhon and Da Nang. Tactical missions were into the forward fields in direct support of combat operations. There was also some airdrop, but really not as much as many might think. Most airdrop was in 1968-early 1969 and 1972. Read my book ANYTHING, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME and you'll understand the difference. Troop carrier units flew logistical missions but their mission was combat. Air Transport was purely logistical and were not allowed to operate into forward areas. In fact, ATC only lost 7 airplanes in the entire war.

I am working on a new book which should be available soon. It's called HAULING TRASH and is my personal memoir of my 12 years hauling trash in C-130s at Pope, Naha and Clark, C-141s at Robins and C-5s at Charleston and Dover. Check my author page on Amazon.com and it'll show up as soon as it goes in print, which should be within the next few days.

Also, I have now made my C-130 flareship novel The Cave available on Kindle. Here's the link - http://www.amazon.com/The-Cave-ebook/dp/B009F6YOQG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Convention is less than a month away but there's still time to register. Rooms should still be available at our rate - check with the hotel. We've got over fifty people coming now, and all of the TCW/TAWs are represented. Check www.troopcarrier.org/convention.html.

Dan, the external fuel tanks where outboard the engines on the A models. Mike

I am trying to get information the "Cambodian Gunrunners" patch. I read that it was used by the 16 SOS in Vietnam but does anyone know if this was just a unit patch or was it ever officially recognized by the USAF. The squadron had patches made using the old design (adding a full green/tan Herk dropping a CDS)but used "Afghanistan" in lieu of "Cambodia" but we are unable to get it authorized by the leadership at our deployed location.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Why preserve an airplane that never did anything? One crashed and one was converted back to C-130H. This airplane should have also been returned to its original configuration. There were scads of C-130s, As, Bs, Es, Hs, that actually made historical contributions and most of them were cut up for scrap. The E-model Robins got recently is actually a historical airplane. It was on Dragon Rouge and then went to CCK and was later assigned to E Flight. Hurlburt would be the logical place but if they don't want it, scrap it.

Well, actually, the numbers that are on the documents I took down are AF serial numbers. I was discharged in July of 1967 and we still had the AF serial numbers at that time. It was at some point after my discharge that the AF (all military??) went to the Social Security number for identification. I'm not here to cause any discomfort so I simply took down those documents. However, as I said, these orders are available. I am going to attach five photographs that will illustrate (to a certain extent) the living conditions we had early on. These pictures were taken at Nha Trang. The "Nha Trang Shuttle". I sure hope some one out there can tell me what kind of aircraft those little prop jobs are......Chris

The first picture is at Mac Tan. Upon arrival, the A.F., in its infinate wisdom, decided that we should have some shelter. Then they issued us tents and said "welcome home"! We put 'em up ourselves.

The next pictures are at Nha Trang. We had one tent, a pickup and nothing else. We begged a couple of buckets from the army and got cold water to shave and clean up with. After several days it got pretty ripe around our area. Chris

Chris, the Mohawk picture is at Lawson Field at Ft. Benning, GA. We were down there dropping troops. We went down in late April '65 and were there when the DR whistle blew and went back home that night. Another group of Pope airplanes from the 779th went down in August to drop the 1st Cav' one last time before they deployed to Vietnam.

Ken,

You did us proud. Your only mistake was that the 35th was the only real squadron when it was actually the 21st!!!

Sonny

The troop carrier mission was part of TAC from the beginning. TAC was established right after World War II. Eighteenth Air Force was the troop carrier organization. MATS was a DOD service administered by the Air Force. MAC activated as a command on January 1, 1966 but troop carrier remained with TAC. MATS did pick up some TAC C-124 troop carrier squadrons in 1958 and they retained their troop carrier identity. Troop carrier changed to tactical airlift on August 1, 1967. MAC managed to get control of the tactical airlift mission after Vietnam because an Air Force study determined that there was duplication of aerial port facilities and it would be a cost savings measure. After the Gulf War, most tactical airlift went to AAC. In 1999 AMC managed to get it back.

So up until this time, tactical airlift was a part of MATS, or MAC???? When did the trash-haulers go to TAC???? Late 60's perhaps??? I was at Langley in 1965, as a Civil air patrol cadet, and they had silver 130's there then, it was a TAC base, but I don't know if the herks were TAC or not.

The troop carrier mission was part of TAC from the beginning. TAC was established right after World War II. Eighteenth Air Force was the troop carrier organization. MATS was a DOD service administered by the Air Force. MAC activated as a command on January 1, 1966 but troop carrier remained with TAC. MATS did pick up some TAC C-124 troop carrier squadrons in 1958 and they retained their troop carrier identity. Troop carrier changed to tactical airlift on August 1, 1967. MAC managed to get control of the tactical airlift mission after Vietnam because an Air Force study determined that there was duplication of aerial port facilities and it would be a cost savings measure. After the Gulf War, most tactical airlift went to ACC. In 1999 AMC managed to get it back.

Wherebouts in Houston do you live? I'm in Sienna Plantation with a Missouri City address.

Troop carrier was replaced by tactical airlift on August 1, 1967. A notice came out from the Vice-Chief of Staff, Gen. Bruce Holloway, in July. Originally, troop carrier units were called Transport, but that changed in 1942. The change to tactical airlift was supposed to have been because the new name "more accurately represented the mission as it was being performed." Hell, there's no difference now from what troop carriers were doing in 1942! Read my book Anything, Anywhere, Anytime and you'll see what I mean. As for General Momyer, who just passed away, he was a true friend to airlift. He was the C-130 project officer during its development and was the one senior officer who said that transferring tactical airlift to MAC would be a big mistake. He commanded Seventh Air Force at the height of the Vietnam War - Khe Sanh, Kham Duc, A Loi, you name it. He was a firm believer in tactical airpower, including tactical airlift.

I wouldn't place too much faith in aircraft "names" since none of them were official.