When a positive story about the Vietnam experience shows up it helps the healing that many of us need. Flying the Freedom Birds Airlines and the Vietnam War Freedom Bird. Was I really in a real war??? The Douglas DC-8-63AF N783FT (msn 46003) they flew is, remarkably, still . Theyd usually start at Travis Air Force Base outside of San Francisco or McChord Field in Washington, picking up more than 200 fresh-faced, uniformed servicemen from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. Capable of lifting 7,000 pounds over a version of the famed DC-3. It was a move that would make FedEx the worlds largest, full-service cargo airline. (1953-1958), Constellation Gen. -- The Lockheed Super H Constellation, airlifting 43,000 pounds of freight at 300 miles per hour over a 2,500-miles range, helped Flying Tigers revolutionize the marketing map of the United States with the first nonstop, transcontinental airfreight schedules. The airline industry is always full of new developments! We all knew that some going would not make it back alive. Each of the awesome giants flies more than 200,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour over a 3,500-mile range. {Photo: Ruth As]. Sources: ATDB.aero, Aviation Safety Network, The Free Lance-Star. As the company grew and matured, founder and CEO Robert Prescott did also, both in his younger days as an AVG pilot and later in the role of President of the Flying Tiger Line. She told me that there were more books in the back of the plane. Such as, I didnt know if I was going to make it back and not wanting to think about that. This was the Tiger "Can-do" Spirit, may it never die. $375.00. . I was one of those Men that you brought back to the World. Out of rocket range. Her byline has appeared in numerous online and print publications including Al Jazeera America, USA Today, ForeignPolicy.com and US News & World Report. I had read everything in sight that was in the pocket of the seat in front of me. Reach further with Vietnam Airlines flights, a Skyteam member and a global leading 4-Star Skytrax and awarded airline. In a review of evidence, investigators later determined that access to flight line and ramp areas in Honolulu, Wake Island, and Guam allowed unchallenged access to anyone desiring entry, including non-military aircraft. Touching essay. Specifically equipped with weather monitoring equipment and scientific instrumentation, one 707 (Aircraft N322FT), gained fame as the "Pole Cat." The Army did pay out life insurance for Donald, but it was only $264. FLYING TIGER AIRLINES - Patch - MAAG - 45th Transport - Early Vietnam War, #.500. A keen amateur photographer, he also recently reached the milestone of flying his 100th sector as a passenger. I stopped a stewardess to inquire if they had any other reading material on board. Freedom Bird. The training had little to do with hospitality, focusing instead on emergency procedures, like how to ditch a plane after a crash or what to do if the plane drew gunfire. I went to Nam aboard a ship which very nicely cut 21 days off my tour. Theres nothing, no trace of anything, said Jennifer Kirk, niece of an Army Ranger who was on board Flight 739. I extended in Vietnam so that I could get out early. During the Korean War, Tigers planes provided air transport services for personnel and cargo from the west coast of the US to various military bases throughout the Pacific area. a version of Purgatory, My return flight was one of those that cheered as we lifted off. ber 1.000.000 Bilder But some homeward-bound passengers were belligerent, unpredictable. 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. C $52.00. Over 20 families gathered in May to witness the unveiling of a new memorial in Columbia Falls, Maine, dedicated to the victims of Flying Tiger Line Flight 739. A Lockheed Constellation L-1049, similar to the aircraft that disappeared. Very interesting. MAAG THAILAND . (it was the only one on the tarmac) Leaving Bien Hoa at 9:00 P.M on June 25th 1969 and arriving in Oakland CA on June 25th at 9:30 P.M. Flying Tigers Airlines 24k Cocktail Glass Vtg 1980s VHTF NOS Norma Jean Wright . For military personnel, it was a deeply emotional journey in both directions. We of course did not get his and flew on to Bangkok where we transferred to a military aircraft and flew down to U-T a B-52 base. Coming home was great while everyone mentions the cheering on wheels up on departure no one mentions the deafening silence as the aircraft started down the runway on departure until wheels up Since 1962, Flying Tiger Line had been operating both passenger and all-cargo aircraft, carrying troops and supplies to our forces as well as the South . Marilyn Breen was 24 when a girlfriend called her from Japan, bragging that she had gotten a job with a different charter airline and was now sitting in Tokyo having her nails done for $1.50. I flew over to Vietnam out of Travis October 3, 1970 on Airlift International. What were the life expectancies of soldiers during the Vietnam War? Reply 29th Aug 2010, 11:32 Flying Tiger Based on the observations of civilians on a nearby tanker, the plane was between Guam and the Philippines when there was a flash and a vapor trail, indicating a midair explosion.. The cabbie just handed out this yellow paper and drove off, Kirk said. Great article .. enjoyed it more than my flight to Vietnam,but, what a wonderful sight when I walked out to the plane to return home. Their service to our military was so much more than just being a flight attendant on their way over or coming home. This represented a significant transition for the Flying Tigers, and paved the road to future success. Some say it was sabotage, she said. I now have a new group of Vietnam vets to admire and respect. Perhaps, I dont remember them because they were doing such a great job of quietly supporting each of us, letting us deal with our personal feelings in our own way. As one observer put it, "Nobody brings in mail like those Tiger birds". She had many stories. We crossed over the international dateline and it became the 2nd of January. Veterans Affairs also bought a headstone marker, but even in that, the sense of military courtesy for the family seemed to evaporate, too. Vietnam-era airline crews carry memories of the men they flew to, fromwar, Videos, Film, Music, and Movies about VN War, Author interview War & Life: Discussions with a Veteran, A Chat Between Three Veterans [live video with author], Lest We Forget Meet the Authors & Book Signing April 4th: Cherries and Donut Dolly, Interview with author John Podlaski in Examiner Magazine, American Heroes Radio interviews author of Cherries A Vietnam War Novel, Cherries Author Interviewed on British Website, U.K. Blogspot posts interviews author, John Podlaski, More Book Reviews and author interviews about Cherries, The Story behind the famous Saigon Execution Photo. The aircraft that disappeared was around five years old. During the course of the war, thousands of flights crisscrossed the Pacific Ocean. Flying Tiger Line Country United States of America Operator Image Crash of a Douglas DC-8-63AF off Naha: 4 killed Date & Time: Jul 27, 1970 at 1136 LT Type of aircraft: Douglas DC-8 Operator: Registration: N785FT Flight Phase: Landing (descent or approach) Flight Type: Cargo Survivors: No Site: Lake, Sea, Ocean, River Schedule: This allowed for more extensive geographic capability and cargo capacity. Budd Conestoga Gen. -- Flying Tiger Line's first aircraft was the Budd Conestoga, an all -- stainless steel, rear--loading, twin--engine aircraft. Many of the women continued to fly, either with Tigers or other airlines; more than a few married Tigers pilots and started families. Later that day, in a small town pegged to a secondary road in southern Maine near the New Hampshire state line, a cab pulled up in front of the Sargent home. 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. However, these were not military aircraft, but commercial airliners under contract by the U.S. Air Force Military Airlift Command (MAC) and served by civilian crews and flight attendants. this a definitive journey $375.00. While Flight 739s final destination was known, the reason behind the secret mission of those on board still remains a mystery to their families. Many flight attendants struggled at first to contain their own emotions. With the Boeing 707s supplemented by Canadair CL-44s, Flying Tigers supplied U.S. military forces and became the largest carrier of cargo in the Pacific. Remember the illumination flares as we were coming in on final as the sun had not come up yet. All of us silently got on the plane ,each of us finding a seat. Wonderful memories. 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. And many didnt know what to think, caught between respect for the military and horror over the fates of the boys on their flights. 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. From Tokyo we flew to Anchorage where we were grounded another 18 to 20 hours due to a snow storm and for some reason, Anchorage did not have deicing capability. 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. Flying Tiger Line was the first scheduled cargo airline in the U.S., founded by ex-military pilots in 1945. From Singapore, there are three daily direct flights that arrive in Ho Chi Minh City. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 was a Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation propliner chartered by the United States military that disappeared on March 16, 1962, over the Western Pacific Ocean. If you've . Thanks to all of you that attempted to make our journies more comfortable. Feb.3-8, 1968. Now going to the USA which I had forgotten about. The pilot is believed to have misjudged distance and altitude while making the final approach, a report would later conclude. Pre-Owned. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 went missing on March 16, 1962, with 93 U.S. Army soldiers on board. The aircraft operating the flight was a Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation registered as N6921C. They recalled that a vapor trail, or some phenomenon resembling one, was first observed overhead and slightly to the north of the tanker and moving in an east to west direction, the ICAO report said. The driver honked his horn but didnt get out. and flew to Portland ,Oregon. Real Aviation Photos & Videos; Upload New File; Discussion. Ardith (Vignati) Willner 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. Others slept for hours, exhausted and often traumatized from their experiences in Vietnam. A true airfreighted with a unique swing-tail design, the CL-44 permitted the straight-in loading of freight no other plane could carry. Sky Marks 1/200th scale SKR828 Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-9 2014 colours. About the only scenario that's been ruled out is. For the government not to recognize them is heartbreaking, she said. I very much enjoyed it and had no idea that those very attractive young ladies felt that way about us. We all wanted to get home, but wondered if this old crate could get us there. This is what I wrote when I had set up my home page on geocities which is now archived: While it may not hold the same weight to some as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, it will forever be a special place to remember their loved ones service and sacrifice., The inscription on the monument reads: Missing in action; Presumed dead. It was acquired by FedEx in 1989, after more than 40 years of flying cargo and passenger . 302/3 Kim Ma Street, Ngoc Khanh Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, Vietnam. As Flying Tiger Line flight attendant Andee Wright recalled, There was no special training by the airlines or the military about how to handle it. Flight 7816, a cargo flight, was enroute from Travis Air Force Base, California to Japan. That sounded good to Linda Greenwalt Foster, who had just dropped out of college and was looking for an adventure. I have no comment for this person, He/she is beyond help. No such thing happened, as I was at that location in May of 1970. 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. The years after the Vietnam war saw continued growth for the Flying Tigers. Great article, spot on! Looking back, I owe them my deep thanks for doing their job so splendidly despite the emotional roller-coaster they must have been on. Offering cheap & budget flights to multiple destinations at Scoot. Daniel Dattpla IIFFV Original Party. Various conspiracy theories regarding sabotage have arisen, but the flight's exact fate will likely remain unknown. It brought back a lot of memories. Forums Index - All forums; Portal page; MSFS 2020; FSX - FS2004 and Earlier I was on those flights, twice over and back although on other carriers. Almost all US scheduled and charter carriers with appropriate equipment operated to Vietnam. I flew out of Travis and came home the same way 3 times during 68-70. 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. God bless you all! Unfortunately for me I returned in a Medevac flight from Japan Yokosuka Naval Hospital. thanks for the ride over and putting up with some of us. $18.00. And he said, Well, can you put all that aside when youre on the airplane and taking care of these boys? Foster recalled. I flew on Trans Carribiean twice from Travis and experienced the feelings described in the piece. The flight attendants were as depicted in this article, both going and coming home. Available to pre-order at Flying Tigers. The effort involved more than 1,300 people, 48 aircraft, and eight ships. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 was a Lockheed Super Constellation aircraft, which is pictured here. I remember well my Flying Tiger trips. I have never heard this or found any reference on it, but I knew it would be of interest - AB WELCOME to The FLYING TIGER Antiques & Vintage Historical Artifacts Website!!! I think it is great! Flying Tigers 747. At 8:22 a.m. on March 16the time when FTL 739s fuel would have officially run outthe flight was declared lost. I missed my 21st birthday completely. I just stood there in my bedroom looking out the window for a very long time,saying to myself Did that really happen??? Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. The C-47 could fly 7,500 pounds of cargo over a range of 600 miles at 150 miles per hour. This article is an important read. Flying the Freedom Birds: Airlines and the Vietnam War. race to get Asians flying in a region set to overtake the United States as the biggest aviation market. 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. 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. Early that morning Thomas was piloting Flying Tiger Line Flight 739, a military-chartered transport plane that disappeared over the Pacific Ocean with 107 people aboard, including 93 American. From the beginning, Prescott had a vision for the company: "We're unique, so let's not imitate. I know you dont remember many of our faces, as we no longer remember yours, but we thank you for taking care for us. Flying Tiger Line 747-200 In April of '75, with the collapse of the South Vietnamese government, Flying Tigers evacuated its own personnel and other refugees from Saigon. The Flying Tiger Line lost four airplanes to crashes with fatalities in 1962. Great, I had the opportunity to fly w/those ladies one great experience,,! Room parties and roof parties and lobby parties and oh, my goodness.. The explosion occurred in two pulses lasting between two and three seconds and from it two objects fell into the sea.. Its ultimate destination was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it was transporting 96 soldiers. These men and their flight crew perished in what would become one of the biggest aviation. Outstanding article! The picture below shows a full plane of troops heading to Vietnam on a Flying Tiger Flight. Not only told to leave, but not to come back. Wheels up lots of cheering and hope. She then asked me Why of all the Corpsmen/servicemen on this plane was I the only one that didnt ask for her address and telephone number? I told her that (1. Photo: The aircraft departed from Andersen AFB in Guam before disappearing over the Western Pacific Ocean. Her reporting has taken her from an international airport terminal under construction to foot patrols with U.S. Marines outside combat outposts in Iraq and Afghanistan. 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. The airline had its humble beginnings in Long Beach California with the Budd Conestoga, but by 1969 had upgraded its propeller-driven, piston engine fleet to one consisting entirely of jet freighters. or Best Offer. 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