Like you were going to hang around. Thanks, DRS. 302/3 Kim Ma Street, Ngoc Khanh Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, Vietnam. Flying off Course has established itself over the years as the indispens-able guide to the inner workings of this exciting industry. I about cried having to leave half of what might have been my last meal. Dont remember who flew me over my second trip in Dec. 71. Many of the women continued to fly, either with Tigers or other airlines; more than a few married Tigers pilots and started families. And after the fall of Saigon in 1975, when the war ended, they remained connected. Knowing the outcome of the war - and how the US Congress of that era abandoned the people of Cambodia and South Vietnam - helps take the sting away, if only a little. Others slept for hours, exhausted and often traumatized from their experiences in Vietnam. They were again ordered to Vietnam with Marine Aircraft Group 36 at Phu Bai in 1969 and remained there until their return . Departed Bien Hoa (21 Apr 69)) on Flying Tiger (Stretch 8) with fuel stop in Japan. Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. I went to Nam aboard a ship which very nicely cut 21 days off my tour. They played cards with the guys, laughed with them. Sellers with highest buyer ratings; Late 1940s PAA Pan American Airways 5 Years of Service Lapel Pin in 10K Gold by Balfour Item: airpi30006b-CON. . When we got ready to land at Bien Hoa airbase the pilot said there would be a slight delay because they were shelling the airfield. The pilot is believed to have misjudged distance and altitude while making the final approach, a report would later conclude. 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. After all the things i remember about my viet nam year , i never remembered about the flight to or from . Thank you ladies, Im one of those boys. Joe Namath, Jim Otto, and, Marv Fleming on our returning flight after spending time visiting the wounded Vietnam soldiers at several hospitals. I for one of many of us flew Tiger Airlines going and coming. We were goin up and up , the war down below, falling away now far behind us. Pre-Owned. Sweet Jesus, I was back in the USA ; Malaysia Airlines, Royal Jordanian,SAS, Thai International, Vietnam Airlines and most notably SingaporeAirlines, where I . The years after the Vietnam war saw continued growth for the Flying Tigers. Nonetheless, it reached Guam as planned on March 15th. During a ceremony at the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the women, many now in their 70s, will also mark the disappearance of Flying Tigers Flight 739, which vanished over the Pacific in 1962 along with 107 passengers and crew, including four flight attendants. The flights depart at 7:35 (SIN time), 13:10 (SIN time) and 15:15 (SIN time). Margi Falk. No such thing happened, as I was at that location in May of 1970. Phnom Penh, against a background of advancing NVA troops in Vietnam, it describes the relations among the crew and their motivation and features a pet cockroach named Hiram and a 'mother' to the crew aged 13. Thank you stewardesses. 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. meets a very pale blue, 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. Sixty years later, theres still little trace that the lives of the servicemembers were even lost to the Vietnam War. 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. The soldiers on Flight 739 were on a mission to do whatever the government told them to do, Kirk said. When I went back in 1970 out of McCord it was on World Airlines. flying tigers airlines was the prenier air cargo air carrier of the world long before fedex even considered overseas deliveries. 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. I have never heard this or found any reference on it, but I knew it would be of interest - AB It would be the first of a list of expected things that wouldnt materialize for the family, according to Kirk. Search and rescue operations began promptly, catalyzed by a Liberian tanker ship's reported sighting of an explosion around the time of the plane's disappearance. 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. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 went missing on March 16, 1962, with 93 U.S. Army soldiers on board. 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. This exhibition is currently available online only. The aircraft that disappeared was around five years old. Flying Tiger Line flight 739 was a multi-leg charter service that originated at Travis Air Force Base in the US state of California. 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! 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. Gotoff the jet and was greated by relatives. A keen amateur photographer, he also recently reached the milestone of flying his 100th sector as a passenger. The flight from Guam to the next layover was to take about 6 hours and 20 minutes, but the Constellation had enough fuel for nearly 10 hours of flight, according to an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) accident report documenting the incident. From 1979 to 1980 the Flying Tiger Line passed Pan Am to become the world's number one air cargo carrier. (LogOut/ At 11:15PM June 29, 1968 I left Bien Hoa airport on a Trans International DC-10. These ladies were great listeners and very supportive. (1968-1989), B-747-100 Flying Tigers was the first airline to operate Boeing 747 passenger aircraft converted into efficient air freighters. Several of these commercial flights left daily from military air bases on the west coast, ferrying newly trained soldiers across the Pacific Ocean to war - replacements not only for those injured and killed soldiers, but also for those young men who survived their twelve month war and were now going home. Im still trying to figure out how to coordinate one of our own with one of theirs. 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. SOLD!!! I think it is great! Patch , 45th TRANSPORTATION Company FLYING TIGER AIRLINES Vietnam War Patch , s4 | Collectibles, Militaria, Militaria (Date Unknown) | eBay! First time over in July 68 I was a 29 year old Warrant Officer pilot and flew on a Seaboard World stretch-8 (DC-8-50) that was only a couple of years old but what I remember about the flight was that the plane was dirty and worn and the flight attendants were older than me. For the government not to recognize them is heartbreaking, she said. Each of the awesome giants flies more than 200,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour over a 3,500-mile range. Flight 7816, a cargo flight, was enroute from Travis Air Force Base, California to Japan. 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. I have no comment for this person, He/she is beyond help. JW, beautiful poem. Reach further with Vietnam Airlines flights, a Skyteam member and a global leading 4-Star Skytrax and awarded airline. 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. 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 flew into Sea-Trac on Flying Tiger Airlines from Camh Rhan October 4 , 1971. It was never seen or heard from again, despite an extensive search operation. Established at the end of the Second World War, Flying Tiger Line made history as the first US-based scheduled cargo-carrying airline. Thank you! I made that trip also in Jan,1967. Out of rocket range. As Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Flying Tiger Line the world's largest all-cargo airline, I had the direct responsibility for our operations in South Vietnam. (1947 -- 1957), The acquisition of seven DC-6s represented the largest single purchase the airline industry had ever seen. In 1969, during the Vietnam War, a 21-year-old Seattle woman saw a job ad for a California cargo airline called the Flying Tiger Line that had a large presence in San Francisco. Interesting. 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. All four were Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellations. 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. This article was greatdefined exactly how it was when we flew homeI left Vietnam on or about the 5th of January 1968 & Flying Tigers was my carrier! Prices were available within the past 7 days and start at $363 for one-way flights and $690 for round trip, for the period specified. Photo: Unsolved Disappearance: The Story Of Flying Tiger Line Flight 739, USAF/Mike Andriacco via Wikimedia Commons, The Asiana-Korean Air Merger Has Been Green Lighted By The UK, Up Close & Personal: Lufthansa's New Double First Class Suite, Why Ryanair Isn't Following Wizz Air To The Wider Middle East & Asia, Quadjet Prospects: Switzerland's Edelweiss Set To Receive Another Airbus A340, Engine Failure Onboard Thai Smile Airbus A320 Followed By Tail Strike, Japan Airlines Serves A Banana As Vegan Meal. changed me for the better many moons ago. All of us silently got on the plane ,each of us finding a seat. Flying Tiger aircraft were getting old and worn, but their flight attendants were still top notch. But soon after they started working troop transports to Southeast Asia, the women realized that the job required a whole different set of skills. . I had read everything in sight that was in the pocket of the seat in front of me. I do remember the door opening and it was like a blast furnace! They were cordial but standoffish. The motto in the beginning was "Anything, Anytime, Anywhere". Now going to the USA which I had forgotten about. I missed my 21st birthday completely. The effort involved more than 1,300 people, 48 aircraft, and eight ships. It brought back a lot of memories. 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. No Longer Available! Not one of us said a word in the dark as we watched the plane sitting there with jet engines idling. At 8:22 a.m. on March 16the time when FTL 739s fuel would have officially run outthe flight was declared lost. From the beginning, Prescott had a vision for the company: "We're unique, so let's not imitate. Theres nothing, no trace of anything, said Jennifer Kirk, niece of an Army Ranger who was on board Flight 739. 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. We all knew that some going would not make it back alive. (1974 -1989). 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.. I stopped a stewardess to inquire if they had any other reading material on board. Top Rated Plus. That flight SUCKED., but at least I got out of that chit hole. Thank you for writing this story, it was way overdue. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. AU $157.06. Entdecke FLIEGENDER TIGER LINE AIRLINES AUFNHER in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! It truly was a great feeling being headed home. Remember the illumination flares as we were coming in on final as the sun had not come up yet. During the last minutes of each flight, the women remember, the cabin would become eerily quiet. Almost all US scheduled and charter carriers with appropriate equipment operated to Vietnam. The next stop was Saigon where we left off troops. Yes, it was a memorable 4 day flight. Thanks for a great story. /stilI could not talk or say a word, still stunned that in one day went from war to out of Army and nowback in the house at home. 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. What was the worst work detail you pulled in Vietnam? Tiger Air Flights To Vietnam Tiger Air is one of the few low-cost airlines currently operating in Vietnam. Circa 1968-1972 Vietnam War CASI Continental Air Services Inc Shirt Type 1st Officer Wing RARE Item: aircw60001sw. Flying the Freedom Birds: Airlines and the Vietnam War. Nearly two hours into the flight, the pilot radioed Guam with the aircrafts position, notifying air traffic control that it was on track to land in the Philippines shortly after 3 a.m. Free shipping for many products! View Product. 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. . Answer (1 of 28): There is a guy who claimed that when he landed at Bien Hoa Airbase in May of 1970 that they came under rocket an mortar fire, and that two of his comrades were wounded. For military personnel, it was a deeply emotional journey in both directions. FLYING TIGER AIRLINES - Patch - MAAG - 45th Transport - Early Vietnam War, #.500. It was really a struggle to decide what was right or what was wrong, said Okicich. Flying at 210 miles per hour, the C-54 carried 20,000 pounds of cargo over a 2,000 -- mile range. 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! All rights reserved. Great article and I do so remember that flight and not having even an idea what was waiting for me .. Crossing the international date line was my experience in time travel. Air sorties searching for clues racked up more than 3,417 flying hours. Theyre being pushed aside to be forgotten, Kirk said. The aircraft was transporting 93 U.S. soldiers and three South Vietnamese from Travis Air Force Base, California to Saigon, Vietnam. It was important to stay upbeat, to act like every one of the men was coming home. Flying Tigers Line Flight 739, a Lockheed L-1049H, was chartered by the United States military. 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. I too was older at 25 and remember them well. The airline also played a major role in the construction of the Distant Early Warning Line, flying equipment to remote outposts in northern Canada and Alaska. they developed an air delivery system that has become the standard by almost "We packed our bags we never knew when we were coming home," Wright. I know there were bad times but your article brought back memories I forgot I had. 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. With the DC-8, Flying Tigers was able to inaugurate daily international schedules on routes linking the major markets of the U.S. and Asia. merging Ocean and Sky. Onboard were 107 people, all of whom remain missing as the aircraft was never found after its disappearance. 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. one of conscious unease. Here we are, 60 years later, Kevin Woodward, remembrance coordinator at Wreaths Across America, said Wednesday during the ceremony. Curtis Smith served to disbandment and afterward returned to the U.S. Marines. between heaven and hell. A very vulnerable feeling with out a weapon. Remember the pungent fish smell and heat as we deplaned. All reports of debris sighted were investigated, but nothing was found that could be remotely associated with the plane, Lambert wrote to Sargents parents in a letter more than a month later. Another theory is that they landed and that theyre still alive. 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. She learned then that the Flying Tiger Line, also known as Flying Tigers, specialized in troop transports. The driver honked his horn but didnt get out. During her position on the Board she was editor of the Newsletter from May 2007 through March 2014; as well as coordinating the 500 Club Board in the Flying Tigers room at Flight Path Museum and Learning Center. (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. $27.95. ATDB.aero shows that it spent most of its career at Flying Tiger Line, but did also serve Lufthansa on a leased basis. Flying Tiger was my airline of choice. It was a time when the U.S. was quietly increasing its presence in Vietnam, sending advisers and equipment, such as those on Flight 739, to bolster the government of the Republic of Vietnam against the VietCong insurgency. Addendum: While in transit on the plane, I had an unusual experience that Id like to share with everyone who reads this. Never again! or Best Offer. Wish I still knew a few of these darlings. During the course of the war, thousands of flights crisscrossed the Pacific Ocean. The flight attendant standing at the top said see you in a year, Ill be wearing the same dress. According to the Aviation Safety Network, it first flew in 1957, and had amassed a total of 17,224 hours. Pre-Owned. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Patch , 45th TRANSPORTATION Company FLYING TIGER AIRLINES Vietnam War Patch , s4 at the best online prices at eBay! (Pinterest) 15 March 1962: Flying Tiger Line Flight 7815/13 was a chartered flight for the Military Air Transport Service (M.A.T.S. 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. There were also 11 crew members onboard, giving a total occupancy of 107 people. THe girls (attendants) were great cant saw much for the people of California . Flying Tiger Line was ramping up operations in Vietnam, too, and it's believed maintenance standards dropped as a result of increased demand. While Flight 739s final destination was known, the reason behind the secret mission of those on board still remains a mystery to their families. Not certain but I believe Delta may have been one exception. No folded flag was presented to the family. Top 50 best listed companies in Vietnam. 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 . Hard to not have an emotional moment while reading. That year, Flying Tiger Line lost four aircraft in incidents, the bulk of which while operating charters for the U.S. military. Based in Norwich, UK. Its such a part of history, and our own personal history.. Great article; Thanks. Her byline has appeared in numerous online and print publications including Al Jazeera America, USA Today, ForeignPolicy.com and US News & World Report. 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