Was processed out of the Army at Fort Lewis, got a military standby flight for$11. By 1949, the Flying Tiger Line had won approval for the first commercial all-cargo route in the U.S., according to an organization devoted to its history. I went to Nam not on a Flying Tiger plane, and made it back home in one piece with no PTSD, only a parasite from the veggies. Very interesting. Sixty years later, theres still little trace that the lives of the servicemembers were even lost to the Vietnam War. The airline industry is always full of new developments! US Army CNN The families of soldiers lost while taking part in a secret US mission during. Interesting. Wheels up lots of cheering and hope. Such as, I didnt know if I was going to make it back and not wanting to think about that. 302/3 Kim Ma Street, Ngoc Khanh Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, Vietnam. On Wednesday, families of those lost on Flight 739 gathered in Columbia Falls, Maine, for a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the loss of Tiger Flight 739. Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. Flying Tiger Attendant The Military Air Transport Service (MATS) charter flight was operating under Flying Tiger Line Flight 739, and was headed to Saigon, leapfrogging across the South Pacific by way of Honolulu, Wake Island, and Guam. This exhibition is currently available online only. Not certain but I believe Delta may have been one exception. C $142.86. Those were the days. Thanks so much to all the people that participated in this adventure and thanks for helping us all get there and back. From there the plane, often a stretch DC-8, would fly west to Anchorage, then to Japan, then to the Philippines or Vietnam, dropping the troops off at military bases. (1946-1951), C-46 Gen. -- The Curtis C-46 "Commando" that Flying Tigers flew on supply missions over the Hump during World War II came home for civilian duty, joining Flying Tigers' fleet in 1949. Afraid that at any moment a rocket or mortor could could take the jet down. The soldiers on Flight 739 were on a mission to do whatever the government told them to do, Kirk said. The extension allowed a 30 trip home so I had 2 Tiger flights in and 2 out. My return flight in 72 was on Flying Tigers that started out with engine problems on the ramp in Tan Son Nhut. The cabbie just handed out this yellow paper and drove off, Kirk said. In the Vietnam airlift, Flying Tigers provided strategic flights from the US to numerous military bases throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia geographic region. Flight 739/14), from Travis Air Force Base, Fairfield, California, to Saigon, Republic of Vietnam, with scheduled refueling stops at Honolulu, Hawaii; Wake Island; Naval Air Station Agana, Guam; and Clark Air Force Base, Luzon, No such thing happened, as I was at that location in May of 1970. ATDB.aero shows that it spent most of its career at Flying Tiger Line, but did also serve Lufthansa on a leased basis. The first of the "stretched" airfreights, it carried a payload of 110,000 pounds at 550 miles per hour over a 3,000 mile range. This was the Tiger "Can-do" Spirit, may it never die. I have just relived a very important part of my young life, thru these articles and the loving responses. And this aricle brought back many memories, both sad & scared, and delighted and full of joy! All rights reserved. My birthday is January 1st. thanks for the ride over and putting up with some of us. Two of the incidents occurred within the span of one day. Entdecke FLIEGENDER TIGER LINE AIRLINES AUFNHER in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! for the first time, when I read this article, I remembered the cheer that went up spontaneously when we pulled up to about 10,000 feet and realized we were safety out of rocket/mortar danger and headed for home. And there were parties every single day and every single night, Foster remembered. It was reported that the aircraft was left unattended in a dimly lighted area for a period of time while at Guam where total transit time was 1 hour and 33 minutes, ICAO said. They wanted to cry but stifled the impulse. Capable of lifting 7,000 pounds over a version of the famed DC-3. Great article; Thanks. Sixty years ago, as the U.S. was becoming more involved in the opening salvo of the Vietnam War, a Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation was making its way west. Many airlines operated the flights, the most obvious being the Braniff, Continental, Pan Am, United, Seabord World etc 707s and DC-8s, as well as the smaller charter airlines like Universal I also understand the approaches into the airport there could at times be comparable to emergency descents - very rapid! America's stake in the Vietnam War didn't begin as late as history books specify. 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. Reach further with Vietnam Airlines flights, a Skyteam member and a global leading 4-Star Skytrax and awarded airline. The driver honked his horn but didnt get out. All of us silently got on the plane ,each of us finding a seat. The next stop was Saigon where we left off troops. Great article and I do so remember that flight and not having even an idea what was waiting for me .. The picture below shows a full plane of troops heading to Vietnam on a Flying Tiger Flight. Founded in 1945 by a group of pilots who had flown in World War II, Flying Tigers was Americas first major cargo airline, a seat-of-the-pants operation that hauled freight on Canadian turboprop planes. That motto lasted until the airline was taken over by Federal Express in the late 1980's. Others supported the war, sympathizing with the soldiers and resenting those who scorned their service. I was Infantry so I knew I had reason to be worried, but these ladies put us all at ease, as much as was possible .. one of the truly great memories Im thankful to have .. We went out to the airstripvery early in the morning in a vehicle. By the mid-1960s, it was flying scheduled transpacific all-cargo routes and in the late 1980s, it was acquired by Federal Express. A true airfreighted with a unique swing-tail design, the CL-44 permitted the straight-in loading of freight no other plane could carry. The Douglas DC-8-63AF N783FT (msn 46003) they flew is, remarkably, still . March 15, 1962, marked the first day of the Vietnam War Campaign, according to U.S. Army historians. Not one of us said a word. . Thank you all. Shared with Public Cleaning up today and found this binder. (1957 - 1967), Flying Tigers acquired the first turbine-powered air-freighter placed in service when it purchased a $55-million fleet of Canadair CL-44s in 1961. Many of the women continued to fly, either with Tigers or other airlines; more than a few married Tigers pilots and started families. I was one of those Men that you brought back to the World. What was the worst work detail you pulled in Vietnam? Flying Tiger Line was the first scheduled cargo airline in the U.S., founded by ex-military pilots in 1945. These men and their flight crew perished in what would become one of the biggest aviation. From 1945 to 1989 Flying Tigers management, mechanics, office staff, flight attendants, pilots and crew members worked together to build an airline that became a legend. Thanks! MAAG THAILAND . The. Thank you ladies, as a veteran of several tours in the Nam, I always remembered those who catered to us as we flew to and from the zone and their efforts to help us feel comfortable as possible. Budd Conestoga Gen. -- Flying Tiger Line's first aircraft was the Budd Conestoga, an all -- stainless steel, rear--loading, twin--engine aircraft. After just under two hours on the ground, The Free Lance-Star reported that the flight departed Guam just before 21:00. Click on Links for More information About Each Plane. My grandfather had to go pick it up. Flying Tigers Line Flight 739, a Lockheed L-1049H, was chartered by the United States military. Circa 1968-1972 Vietnam War CASI Continental Air Services Inc Shirt Type 1st Officer Wing RARE Item: aircw60001sw. Related thread from 2010: A Lockheed Constellation L-1049, similar to the aircraft that disappeared. He was pulled back in on a special mission, handpicked by [President] John F. Kennedy, Kirk said. Thats funny. In the 1980's, the B747-200F series was introduced to the fleet. No Longer Available! The young men on the way over were full of Bravado and Spirit, and many on the return trip were just grateful to finally be going home and overcome with gratitude about leaving that hell hole in one piece. And welcome home. The company said it needed flight attendants. Meanwhile, the flight attendants were becoming like a family. Flying the Freedom Birds Airlines and the Vietnam War Freedom Bird. For the Vietnam generation of U.S. military veterans, this phrase meant only one thing; the aircraft that brought them home at the end of their tours. For some the experience changed their political beliefs, although they tried to keep politics off the plane. That year, Flying Tiger Line lost four aircraft in incidents, the bulk of which while operating charters for the U.S. military. I missed my 21st birthday completely. Welcome Home with many thank you for all your support of the Vietnam veterans!! Addendum: While in transit on the plane, I had an unusual experience that Id like to share with everyone who reads this. Flying from Clark AFB to Guam refueling then on to Travis AFB and Home. But for the ladies I say Thank you I was one of those 18 year old boys that was scared to death. They were again ordered to Vietnam with Marine Aircraft Group 36 at Phu Bai in 1969 and remained there until their return . To us, they were all beauty queens! Despite the approved conditions, the Constellation came down more than 300 feet short of the runway, tearing off the landing gear and sending the aircraft skittering across the runway for about 2,000 feet. I flew out of Travis and came home the same way 3 times during 68-70. Also those that returned with ptsd, most of us. All attempts to re-establish contact with the flight were unsuccessful.. Conditions were, however, well within the weather minimums set for the airline at the landing strip of a 400-ft ceiling and three-quarter-miles visibility, a report later noted. Wonderful memories. Did it really happen to me ?????!!! I was so wrapped up in my own personal trauma that I thought they were being so nice because they were paid to, not because they wanted to. (1974 -1989) After 1989 Mr Narita 806 in Polar Colors HISTORY 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. It truly was a great feeling being headed home. Flew over on Military Transport (think it was a 141) The flight was a complete 3 stooges movie MATS had trouble w/plane. Imitation lets you catch up to the guy ahead, but never lets you pass." Flying Tigers was a mechanism of the war she opposed. Room parties and roof parties and lobby parties and oh, my goodness.. My It wasnt delivered, Kirk said. Opens in a new window or tab. 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. 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. Patch , 45th TRANSPORTATION Company FLYING TIGER AIRLINES Vietnam War Patch , s4 | Collectibles, Militaria, Militaria (Date Unknown) | eBay! Nobody wanted to take anybody over there who wasnt coming back.. . Their names have been excluded from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., a wrong their families are trying to right. 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. They were long, boisterous flights full of bravado and joking the men going off to war were trying to psych themselves up. Malaysia Airlines, Royal Jordanian,SAS, Thai International, Vietnam Airlines and most notably SingaporeAirlines, where I . It was never seen or heard from again, despite an extensive search operation. Offering cheap & budget flights to multiple destinations at Scoot. In one of its more dramatic moves, Tigers evacuated a number of Vietnamese "political refugees" and Vietnamese company employees and their families aboard departing aircraft during the "final hours" of US troop withdrawal, and impending Communist takeover in South Vietnam in 1975. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. We all wanted to get home, but wondered if this old crate could get us there. 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.. For military personnel, it was a deeply emotional journey in both directions. The flight attendants were as depicted in this article, both going and coming home. The Stewardess came back after about 10-15 minutes and asked me Do you mind if I ask you a personal question? I told her No, not really.. In the hours after the Constellations takeoff from Guam, witnesses on a ship offered potential clues. {Photo: Ruth As]. When you went to school for Pan Am, they showed you how to do your makeup and your hair. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Air Jet Advance Flying Tiger Cargo Airlines 1:200 B747 Freighter Model Airplane at the best online prices at eBay! What were the life expectancies of soldiers during the Vietnam War? I remember we had trouble on departure from Travis and then landed at Hickham and had to spend the night awaiting a replacement aircraft. I wouldnt trade the experience for a million dollars, stated Julie Kane, a flight attendant for Seaboard World Airlines. Free shipping for many products! I remember how kind and understanding these ladies were to we soldiers going to a war zone. Travel the world, the ad said. The names of those who gave their lives and who remain missing are inscribed here so that they will be said aloud and their memory will live on.. Just reading this article brings tears to my eyes. Today. She learned then that the Flying Tiger Line, also known as Flying Tigers, specialized in troop transports. Additional terms apply. 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