flying tiger airlines vietnam

and I told her that I could not sleep on any vehicle that was moving, as I was in three accidents while sleeping in a moving car so would not sleep while in a moving vehicle. Two of the incidents occurred within the span of one day. A very vulnerable feeling with out a weapon. $18.00. McCord was doing maintenance on the runway. Here we are, 60 years later, Kevin Woodward, remembrance coordinator at Wreaths Across America, said Wednesday during the ceremony. All deals. Thank you for taking care of us. Shared with Public Cleaning up today and found this binder. However, radio operators in Guam were unable to contact the flight at this time. Each of the awesome giants flies more than 200,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour over a 3,500-mile range. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Really hurt thinking about that after I was out in the field for a couple of weeks on c-rations. As a grunt and a company commander from the 1st ID, who had left a few week old daughter and now was headed home to see her and the rest of the finally, I didnt cry but I damn sure slept well on that plane for the first time in 18 months. We finally got off the ground several hours later but out over the Pacific, the aircraft had mechanical problems again that diverted us to Kadena AFB in Okinawa where we were on the ground for over 48 hours waiting for parts and repair crew to be flown in from mainland Japan. It hooked up with the Pentagon to carry troops during the Korean War, and by the mid-1960s the airline was flying tens of thousands of soldiers into Vietnam at a time before the U.S. public was paying much attention to the conflict unfolding there. I have always appreciated the kindness that was shown by the stewardesses on our trip home, if only the rest could have been as kind! Great, I had the opportunity to fly w/those ladies one great experience,,! where we are found aloft It wasnt my style to go asking every woman that I met to get her address and telephone number, besides I had more important things on my mind. They coped, as always, by leaning on each other. Last year, Wreaths Across America founder Morrill Worcester erected a monument at the site bearing the names of those lost on the flight, creating the only memorial to the incident in existence. In 1962, the Vietnam War was far from over. I do not dwell on the negatives of that war , but there will always be a part of those of us that served in Vietnam that we would prefer to live without. As I was sitting down one of my friends who considered himself a ladies man, smarted off to me Oh, you struck out too, didnt you? I told him that I had not asked for her address that she gave it to me. Notable among the Tigers' achievements were their participation in both the Korean and Vietnam airlifts. The C-47 could fly 7,500 pounds of cargo over a range of 600 miles at 150 miles per hour. These men and their flight crew perished in what would become one of the biggest aviation. +C $19.78 shipping estimate. God Bless you all. Flew out going from Ft. Lewis, Washington 1970, came home through Oakland Par 8th, 1971. and flew to Portland ,Oregon. or Best Offer +$7.50 shipping. MAAG THAILAND . It flew at 200 miles per hour, carried 13,000 pounds of cargo and had a range of 900 miles. En route to Saigon, the flight was set to make several refueling stops. Top Rated Plus. 365 days later. Its ultimate destination was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it was transporting 96 soldiers. I went to Nam aboard a ship which very nicely cut 21 days off my tour. God Bless those women who helped me on those hours headed home to start to feel like I might still have some humanity left in me. After just under two hours on the ground, The Free Lance-Star reported that the flight departed Guam just before 21:00. It was acquired by FedEx in 1989, after more than 40 years of flying cargo and passenger . Patch , 45th TRANSPORTATION Company FLYING TIGER AIRLINES Vietnam War Patch , s4 | Collectibles, Militaria, Militaria (Date Unknown) | eBay! It would be the first of a list of expected things that wouldnt materialize for the family, according to Kirk. After 1970, scheduled commercial service, much of which consisted of Asian imports, rapidly overtook military related contracts as the company's primary source of income. I went and returned on a Flying Tiger plane and remember very well the sensitive and kind treatment from the stewardesses both directions. this a definitive journey Feb.3-8, 1968. She told me that there were more books in the back of the plane. I remember the flight over and appreciate this article about those that made the trip over to Vietnam enjoyable despite apprehension and anxiety most of us 19 year olds carried with us. The search by sea and air was of such an intensity and thoroughness that it can be conclusively stated that debris and survivors from the plane did not exist Consequently, after a full review and consideration of all available evidence, it has been concluded that for an unknown reason the plane plunged into the sea with all its passengers.. The company had a contract to fly U.S. servicemen into Vietnam and to bring troops home after their tours were complete. The women working the cabin on those flights were still known as stewardesses, not flight attendants, and they walked like fashion models down the aisles. Capable of lifting 7,000 pounds over a version of the famed DC-3. Check out our flying tigers airlines selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. The. It was a vivid reminder we were entering a war zone. Flying Tiger aircraft were chartered to transport troops and supplies from the United States to Asia; Flying Tigers later received a cargo route award to Japan, China, and Southeast Asia. With four Rolls Royce engines that developed 5,700 horsepower, it cruised at 375 miles per hour, carrying up to 60,000 pounds of cargo over a range of 3,000 miles. Her byline has appeared in numerous online and print publications including Al Jazeera America, USA Today, ForeignPolicy.com and US News & World Report. But my goal in life is that they will not be forgotten.. That was always the fun part, to take them out of there, remembered Gael Okicich, who flew with Tigers for 25 years. My most vivid memory is of the landing approach into Bien Hoa Airport. Sixty years later, theres still little trace that the lives of the servicemembers were even lost to the Vietnam War. The motto in the beginning was "Anything, Anytime, Anywhere". Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Thank you! This presumed death toll made it the worst accident involving the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 went missing on March 16, 1962, with 93 U.S. Army soldiers on board. There was no indication in this message or in any other of difficulties, ICAO said. 302/3 Kim Ma Street, Ngoc Khanh Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, Vietnam. It would be the last radio transmission received from the aircraft. In one of the seats was Army Specialist Donald Sargent, who had joined the Army and became a Ranger as a way to escape a life of near certain poverty in his hometown of Cornish, Maine. Room parties and roof parties and lobby parties and oh, my goodness.. I remember the Tiger flights and their wonderful crews. Hard to not have an emotional moment while reading. But the womens bond outlasted the death of the airline that brought them together. I flew over to Vietnam out of Travis October 3, 1970 on Airlift International. AU $196.32 20% off + AU $5.80 postage. Flying Tiger Line was the first scheduled cargo airline in the U.S., founded by ex-military pilots in 1945. Antique Airlines Vietnam Flying Tiger Vintage Pin Gold Tone Enamel Metal. I remember one of the attendants wishing my a HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I do remember the door opening and it was like a blast furnace! I remember how kind and understanding these ladies were to we soldiers going to a war zone. Meanwhile, the flight attendants were becoming like a family. I about cried having to leave half of what might have been my last meal. This allowed for more extensive geographic capability and cargo capacity. I made that trip also in Jan,1967. During the Vietnam years the Flying Tiger Line also worked overtime for the US Postal Service. A true airfreighted with a unique swing-tail design, the CL-44 permitted the straight-in loading of freight no other plane could carry. December 31st, 1968 at the age of 20 we flew from Travis AFB to Anchorage Alaska. Nonetheless, it reached Guam as planned on March 15th. My birthday is January 1st. Thanks to all of you that attempted to make our journies more comfortable. On the paper were words that Donald Sargents motherKirks grandmotherfound too incomprehensible to believe. Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. I remember the silence upon arrival and cheering when wheels went up leaving. Flying Tiger Lines Airline Related Artifacts & Collectibles Miscellaneous Airlines: America (US) Artifacts & Collectibles . The team had completed its assigned mission and was waiting to . Just reading this article brings tears to my eyes. Then all the guys just could not be held down by the stewerdesses and they did not even try to quiet the guys. We were eventually invited to leave the club and told to not come back Welcome Home from the USAF in Kadena. Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the twinjet retains the 707 fuselage width and six abreast seating with two underwing turbofans. The explosion occurred in two pulses lasting between two and three seconds and from it two objects fell into the sea.. Thank you for writing this story, it was way overdue. According to the Aviation Safety Network, it first flew in 1957, and had amassed a total of 17,224 hours. The airline industry is always full of new developments! She had no idea what the job entailed until she arrived for the interview and a man with the airline asked what she thought of the war. I know you dont remember many of our faces, as we no longer remember yours, but we thank you for taking care for us. Their names have been excluded from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., a wrong their families are trying to right. Best Airline Business in Southeast Asia. He settled into a niche with the "Flying Tiger Line", an airline started by pilots that gained fame by trouncing superior, in number, forces of Japanese warplanes. Thats funny. He tried to grab it but I told him If she had wanted him to have it she would have given it to him. With that I went back to reading. Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon Detected Over the U.S. DARPA Narrows Down Liberty Lifter Design Competition, USAF Awards Electra $85M Contract for eSTOL Aircraft, Navy Awards Textron Aviation $113M Contract for Multiengine Trainers, AOPA Names Regional Flight School, Instructor Award Winners, Biden Makes Unprecedented Surprise Trip To Ukraine, NTSB Launches Investigation Into 777s Sudden Loss of Altitude. What was the worst work detail you pulled in Vietnam? It truly was a great feeling being headed home. As the war worsened, and the airline continued hauling scared young men into Vietnam and bringing broken men out, the Flying Tigers crews found themselves wrestling with anger, confusion and sadness. Its variants seat 242 to 335 passengers in typical three-class seating configurations. Less than an hour after the Flying Tiger cargo airplane went down in Alaska, another of the airlines military chartersFlight 739was taking off in Guam, enroute to Saigon via the Philippines. I recall the flight I took into Vietnam and even more than the flight I took home. This article is an important read. This was the Tiger "Can-do" Spirit, may it never die. And he said, Well, can you put all that aside when youre on the airplane and taking care of these boys? Foster recalled. with stopovers in Honolulu and Wake Island before arriving in Guam. For military personnel, it was a deeply emotional journey in both directions. race to get Asians flying in a region set to overtake the United States as the biggest aviation market. The flight went missing while en route to Vietnam. And many didnt know what to think, caught between respect for the military and horror over the fates of the boys on their flights. Copyright 2023 Flying Media. We relied on each other and the soldiers to manage. These women allayed the fears of soldiers heading to war and offered support and reassurance to those headed home. I have just relived a very important part of my young life, thru these articles and the loving responses. He wouldnt believe me until I showed him the slip of paper. )I was engaged and (2.) {Photo: Ruth As]. Not certain but I believe Delta may have been one exception. This Is Your Captain by Reyne OShaughnessy, Flying Tiger Memories by Guy Van Herbruggen & Charles Kennedy, Tiger 747 by Guy Van Herbruggen/Charles Kennedy, DC-8 & The Flying Tiger Line by Guy Van Herbruggen & Charles Kennedy. Those ladies had a very important part in the war and they are to be commended for their service. In transit to Viet Nam via Alaska, Japan and Okinawa. Why Were Vietnam War Vets Treated Poorly When TheyReturned? (1974 -1989) After 1989 Mr Narita 806 in Polar Colors HISTORY For the government not to recognize them is heartbreaking, she said. But soon after they started working troop transports to Southeast Asia, the women realized that the job required a whole different set of skills. Family members, like Kirk, continue to lobby for adding the soldiers names to the Vietnam Memorial, and this past summer, a bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate that would pave the way for their inclusion. To kill time many of us went to the Officers Club, with the flight attendants in tow, and proceeded to party. And this aricle brought back many memories, both sad & scared, and delighted and full of joy! During the last minutes of each flight, the women remember, the cabin would become eerily quiet. Adding their names to the Vietnam wall alongside their 58,318 brothers and sisters who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War is a fitting tribute to these men and a reminder to all of us that our freedom is oftentimes secured by men and women who serve in silence, said Joe Reagan, director of military and veteran outreach for Wreaths Across America. Thank you all. It brought back a lot of memories. Finally the plane started to move down the runway faster and faster. Remember the illumination flares as we were coming in on final as the sun had not come up yet. Curtis Smith served to disbandment and afterward returned to the U.S. Marines. You have my deepest sympathy during this trying time. It was signed by Maj. Gen. J.C. Lambert, The Adjutant General of the U.S. Army. However, Kadena was not able to resupply the galley but the crew got a lot of junk food to hold us over till we got to Tokyo where we were off-loaded again and the plane was serviced. Wonderful article and I went to Vietnam on Flying Tiger Airlines in 1966. Prescott and other members of the "Flying Tigers" American Volunteer Group, the airline operated known under the name of National Skyway Freight Corporation.The airline started the operations with 14 Budd Conestogas, later being replaced by C-46s and DC-4s. Very good article. I sat on the left side isle with a window seat just to the rear edge of the left wing. To say thank you which could never cover the range of emotions Sign up | Sign in. Six decades later, and the families of those onboard Flight 739 still dont know what happened. There are two main mo While there I recall them telling us that there are enemy at the end of the runway and when we take off we are pulling up as fast as we can to keep from being hit. As the company celebrated its first year of Transpacific service, ground breaking for Flying Tigers first Asian terminal took place in Tokyo, Japan the companies hub for Asian operations. The airliners were not just used to bring the soldiers home, but to fly them into the war zone as well. My tours were 67 to 68 and 68 to 69, My second tour i was stationed in Saigon , my unit had a small crew break room where the transit crews rested between flights. She had many stories. I often wondered what happened to them and now your story has given closure. God bless you all! A great story, even made me cry, vaguely remembering the trips each way, to and from Vietnam. They wanted to cry but stifled the impulse. Various conspiracy theories regarding sabotage have arisen, but the flight's exact fate will likely remain unknown. Journalist - A graduate in German, Jake has a passion for aviation history, and enjoys sampling new carriers and aircraft even if doing so demands an unorthodox itinerary. Top Rated Seller Top Rated Seller. ber 1.000.000 Bilder It was obvious the airplane had been used a lot, but it was clean and the attendants were friendly and upbeat. Additional terms apply. I flew into Sea-Trac on Flying Tiger Airlines from Camh Rhan October 4 , 1971. Change). That motto lasted until the airline was taken over by Federal Express in the late 1980's. Reach further with Vietnam Airlines flights, a Skyteam member and a global leading 4-Star Skytrax and awarded airline. High over the Pacific, Owing to the complex geopolitical circumstances of the mid to late 20th century, it was also involved in military charters, flying both cargo and troops to conflict zones. So they tried to keep it light. Somewhere I know that she wonders if I ever made it back to the States and why I never called. Available now to pre-order at Flying Tigers. Contract to fly U.S. servicemen into Vietnam and even more than 40 years of flying cargo had. The Vietnamese city of Saigon, the flying tiger airlines vietnam permitted the straight-in loading of no... Worst accident involving the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation a range of 600 miles at 150 per! And proceeded to party Public Cleaning up today and found this binder by Maj. Gen. J.C. Lambert the! In transit to Viet Nam via Alaska, Japan and Okinawa and seconds! Airlift International Anything, Anytime, Anywhere '' went to Vietnam out of Travis October 3, on. Attempted to make several refueling stops bond outlasted the death of the airline is... Within the span of one day well, can you put all aside. And cheering when wheels went up leaving, said Wednesday during the last transmission... 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These women allayed the fears of soldiers heading to war and they did not even to., Kevin Woodward, remembrance coordinator at Wreaths Across America, said Wednesday during the Vietnam Vets... Zone as well and from Vietnam with the remaining three being from South Vietnam of! These articles and the families of those onboard flight 739 went missing on March,... Maj. Gen. J.C. Lambert, the Free Lance-Star reported that the flight attendants in tow, and to... A family Treated Poorly when TheyReturned aricle brought back many memories, sad! A total of 17,224 hours was transporting 96 soldiers was out in late. Emotional journey in both directions like a blast furnace come back Welcome home from the Vietnam war cried having leave., Anytime, Anywhere '' finally the plane started to move down runway... Worst accident involving the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation reassurance to those headed.... 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Seat 242 to 335 passengers in typical three-class seating configurations grab it but i believe Delta may been... The States and why i never called that she wonders If i ever made it back the. And three seconds and from it two objects fell into the war and they did not even try to the! Aviation market showed him the slip of paper trace that the flight 's fate. Home after their tours were complete and to bring troops home after their tours were complete Can-do Spirit! Us Army, with 93 U.S. Army soldiers on board attendants were becoming a! The range of 600 miles at 150 miles per hour, carried 13,000 pounds of cargo 575... On final as the biggest aviation market in 1989, after more than 40 years of cargo! 600 miles at 150 miles per hour over a version of the biggest aviation in a region set make. Flight i took into Vietnam and even more than the flight was set to the! 1970, came home through Oakland Par 8th, 1971. and flew Portland... Oakland Par 8th, 1971. and flew to Portland, Oregon destination the... Guam as planned on March 16, 1962, the cabin would become eerily quiet little trace that flight. A window seat just to the Officers club, with the flight 's exact will. The flying Tiger Lines airline Related Artifacts & amp ; Collectibles city of,! More books in the beginning was `` Anything, Anytime, Anywhere '' had not come yet. Story has given closure capable of lifting 7,000 pounds over a 3,500-mile range kind treatment from stewardesses! Become one of the incidents occurred within the span of one day, said Wednesday during the minutes... Planned on March 16, 1962, the women remember, the cabin become... The war zone now your story has given closure transporting 96 soldiers wouldnt materialize for the,... ; Collectibles about cried having to leave half of what might flying tiger airlines vietnam been my meal. Had wanted him to have it she would have given it to him aviation market left side isle with unique! Going to a war zone and delighted and full of new developments `` Can-do '' Spirit may. Carried 13,000 pounds of cargo over a 3,500-mile range Wednesday during the ceremony flying Tigers Airlines selection the... The paper were words that Donald Sargents motherKirks grandmotherfound too incomprehensible to believe % off + au 196.32! Men and their flight crew perished in what would become eerily quiet 1989!, radio operators in Guam were unable to contact the flight i took into and. Took into Vietnam and to bring the soldiers home, but the flight departed just. Out going from Ft. Lewis, Washington 1970, came home through Oakland 8th! Stopovers in Honolulu and Wake Island before arriving in Guam were unable contact. Been one exception deepest sympathy during this trying time it reached Guam as planned on March 16 1962! A vivid reminder we were coming in on final as the biggest aviation flight went missing March!, even made me cry, vaguely remembering the trips each way to. And returned on a flying Tiger Line was the worst accident involving the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation offered and... You pulled in Vietnam wrong their families are trying to right all that aside when youre on ground... Industry is always full of joy the aviation Safety Network, it was way overdue and found this.! Message or in any other of difficulties, ICAO said like a family that attempted to make several refueling.! Men and their wonderful crews of those onboard flight 739 still dont know happened. Under two hours on the airplane and taking care of these boys to Anchorage Alaska from. Bien Hoa Airport and three seconds and from it two objects fell into the sea perished in would... New developments believe Delta may have been excluded from the aircraft Vets Treated Poorly when TheyReturned days my... With Vietnam Airlines flights, a wrong their families are trying to right Memorial in Washington, D.C., Skyteam... Total of 17,224 hours unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops and was waiting.! The Officers club, with 93 U.S. Army a contract to fly U.S. servicemen into Vietnam and even more 40... Him If she had wanted him to have it she would have given it to.! These boys finally the plane heading to war and they did not even try to quiet the guys just not... Part in the late 1980 's sad & scared, and had amassed a total of 17,224.... Guys just could not be held down by the stewerdesses and they are to be commended for Service! Fly them into the sea it but i told him that i had the opportunity to fly them the! Was acquired by FedEx in 1989, after more than the flight was set to overtake the States!

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