Jason Fagone is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Sargent had already separated once from the service when he was coaxed back in to join the special unit. Quickview. I know the feelings, having done the flights in 68 & 70. where we are found aloft 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. Margi has been a Member of the Flying Tigers Club Board of Directors, and served as Club Secretary since May 2007. Great article with great info, I remember in 1968 when I went. But the womens bond outlasted the death of the airline that brought them together. The airliners were not just used to bring the soldiers home, but to fly them into the war zone as well. 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. 60 Years Missing: The Mystery Of Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 In the opening days of the Vietnam War, an aircraft carrying 107 people went missing as it was en route to Saigon on a secret. Thanks! 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. Thank you stewardesses. or Best Offer. 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. race to get Asians flying in a region set to overtake the United States as the biggest aviation market. Then all the guys just could not be held down by the stewerdesses and they did not even try to quiet the guys. 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. The flight attendants were as depicted in this article, both going and coming home. Outstanding article! . Put on the clothing and shoes that I had been wearing befor going to war. All rights reserved. Opens in a new window or tab. God Bless you all. we sat silently in the darkness almost trying to will ourselves into that jet thru the air. Others supported the war, sympathizing with the soldiers and resenting those who scorned their service. By all accounts, the predawn hours of March 15, 1962, were dreary at Adak Naval Air Station in Alaska as a Flying Tiger pilot attempted to make a refueling stop. 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! Top 50 best listed companies in Vietnam. Very interesting. Also those that returned with ptsd, most of us. . During the last minutes of each flight, the women remember, the cabin would become eerily quiet. +C $19.78 shipping estimate. or Best Offer +$7.50 shipping. This presumed death toll made it the worst accident involving the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation. These laddies were tops, in my book. Imitation lets you catch up to the guy ahead, but never lets you pass." On October 11, 1983, Flying Tiger Line Flight 9014, a Boeing 747 (N806FT), ran off the runway at Frankfurt International Airport after a cargo pallet broke loose; the three crew and three passengers survived; the aircraft was substantially damaged, but was repaired and returned to service. It brought back memories from 68. Seller 99.4% positive. Carrying 32,000 pounds of cargo at 275 miles per hour with a 2,000 mile range, the DC-6A carried more, cheaper and faster than any other aircraft flying at the time. They were long, boisterous flights full of bravado and joking the men going off to war were trying to psych themselves up. CAT was an airline formed in China after World War II by Gen. Claire Chennault, leader of the Flying Tigers and Whiting Willauer of CDS. It truly was a great feeling being headed home. We all knew that some going would not make it back alive. AU $196.32 20% off + AU $5.80 postage. Eventually, in 1988, FedEx bought the airlines parent company, absorbing its routes and bringing the rough-and-tumble era of cargo aviation to a close. Postwar, he flew for Chennault's paramilitary airline during the Chinese Civil War, the Korean War, and the French war in Vietnam. How much is the cheapest flight to Vietnam? A fine bunch of people. between heaven and hell. They were again ordered to Vietnam with Marine Aircraft Group 36 at Phu Bai in 1969 and remained there until their return . These ladies were great listeners and very supportive. The men were superstitious that the plane would crash it would be just their luck to die in a dumb accident on the verge of getting home. Some say it was sabotage, she said. The Army did pay out life insurance for Donald, but it was only $264. Some years ago I made contact with one of those stewardesses and found out about their reunions. 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. I flew on Trans Carribiean twice from Travis and experienced the feelings described in the piece. 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. The aircraft that disappeared was around five years old. A great story, even made me cry, vaguely remembering the trips each way, to and from Vietnam. But my goal in life is that they will not be forgotten.. No Longer Available! All attempts to re-establish contact with the flight were unsuccessful.. Color photograph of Flying Tiger Line's Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation N6921C. $27.95. The food on the airplane had to be thrown away because there was no refrigeration on the aircraft for over 48 hours. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. 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. Many of the women continued to fly, either with Tigers or other airlines; more than a few married Tigers pilots and started families. 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. I went back and was thumbing through all of the books there trying to find something that would keep me preoccupied from thinking about Viet Nam. Wonderful article and I went to Vietnam on Flying Tiger Airlines in 1966. And welcome home. I know you dont remember many of our faces, as we no longer remember yours, but we thank you for taking care for us. (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. Real Aviation Photos & Videos; Upload New File; Discussion. The company said it needed flight attendants. I often wondered what happened to them and now your story has given closure. I only just sat there, silently , the flight home to Fort Lewis. Reply 29th Aug 2010, 11:32 What were the life expectancies of soldiers during the Vietnam War? To say thank you which could never cover the range of emotions I missed my 21st birthday completely. I was USAF and made that stop in Alaska. Flying Tiger Line flight 739 was a multi-leg charter service that originated at Travis Air Force Base in the US state of California. These men and their flight crew perished in what would become one of the biggest aviation mysteries out of the Vietnam War era. (1968-1989), B-747-100 Flying Tigers was the first airline to operate Boeing 747 passenger aircraft converted into efficient air freighters. Flying Tigers Line Flight 739, a Lockheed L-1049H, was chartered by the United States military. Related thread from 2010: By this time the airline's personnel had gained such expertise in shipping challenging pieces of freight that the attitude in the industry was, "if Tigers can't move it, nobody can." I dont remember the faces of the flight attendantsprobably because I was so overwhelmed by my own emotions going to war and coming home. After all the things i remember about my viet nam year , i never remembered about the flight to or from . Thank You For Your Service, and It was my honor to help make your trip a little better. 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. Very good article. (Pinterest) 15 March 1962: Flying Tiger Line Flight 7815/13 was a chartered flight for the Military Air Transport Service (M.A.T.S. Crossing the international date line was my experience in time travel. Margi Falk. 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. Nobody wanted to take anybody over there who wasnt coming back.. Available now to pre-order at Flying Tigers. Why Were Vietnam War Vets Treated Poorly When TheyReturned? 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. We were there to take care of our passengers, Foster said, and have the best time we could. As it turned out, they excelled at both. That was always the fun part, to take them out of there, remembered Gael Okicich, who flew with Tigers for 25 years. In 1962, the Vietnam War was far from over. 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. The flight attendants, although very young themselves, couldnt believe how young the troops were just 17 and 18 in some cases. Not one of us said a word. 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: Dont remember who flew me over my second trip in Dec. 71. I too was older at 25 and remember them well. 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. Thank you for writing this story, it was way overdue. Really hurt thinking about that after I was out in the field for a couple of weeks on c-rations. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 60 Years Missing: The Mystery Of Flying Tiger Line Flight 739, marked the first day of the Vietnam War Campaign, USAF Shot Down 3 Unidentified Objects That Posed Threat To Civilian Aircraft, U.S. Military Collecting Debris From Downed Spy Balloon. MAAG THAILAND . 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. Thank you and God Bless you all!!!! Landed in Saigon. McCord was doing maintenance on the runway. 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. 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. 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. 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. Departed Bien Hoa (21 Apr 69)) on Flying Tiger (Stretch 8) with fuel stop in Japan. But some homeward-bound passengers were belligerent, unpredictable. All the ladies on all the flights were outstanding, especially the ones on the flight home that handled some of the rude guys in isle seats. 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. From Singapore, there are three daily direct flights that arrive in Ho Chi Minh City. These flights were also a powerful and moving experience for a generation of young women who served aboard these aircraft as flight attendants. or Best Offer. The airplaneand all 107 people on board it disappeared over the Pacific Ocean before it reached a planned stopover in the Philippines, becoming the biggest aviation mystery to emerge from what would become a decade of conflict. Those ladies had a very important part in the war and they are to be commended for their service. Add to Cart. Great, I had the opportunity to fly w/those ladies one great experience,,! 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. Thank you Jason for a story well told. The team had completed its assigned mission and was waiting to . It was a vivid reminder we were entering a war zone. Circa 1968-1972 Vietnam War CASI Continental Air Services Inc Shirt Type 1st Officer Wing RARE Item: aircw60001sw. 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! I remember how kind and understanding these ladies were to we soldiers going to a war zone. A Lockheed Constellation L-1049, similar to the aircraft that disappeared. The motto in the beginning was "Anything, Anytime, Anywhere". WELCOME to The FLYING TIGER Antiques & Vintage Historical Artifacts Website!!! These were to take place in Honolulu, Wake Island, Guam, and the Philippines (Clark Air Base). Budd Conestoga Gen. -- Flying Tiger Line's first aircraft was the Budd Conestoga, an all -- stainless steel, rear--loading, twin--engine aircraft. Based in Norwich, UK. In this decade the company developed an extensive global network, directly servicing all continents except for Africa, which was served through interlining. Itprovides a unique insight into the economics and marketing of inter-national airlines. Asia Pacific Low Cost Airline of the Year 2019. Some of the now-adult children of those on board speculate that the flight made it, but that passengers were captured, Kirk said. return home flight in July 69 was on a Flying Tigers stretch-8. To us, they were all beauty queens! I remember the silence upon arrival and cheering when wheels went up leaving. The airline initially launched with 14 Navy surplus Budd RB Conestoga cargo aircraft. After just under two hours on the ground, The Free Lance-Star reported that the flight departed Guam just before 21:00. Flying Tigers was a mechanism of the war she opposed. The Douglas DC-8-63AF N783FT (msn 46003) they flew is, remarkably, still . Thats incomprehensible. Great article, spot on! As the Constellation approached the runway at about 3 a.m., visibility was about 3 miles, the ceiling was at 1,000 feet and a light drizzle and fog hovered over the runway as the pilot attempted to make the approach. I came back on a USAF flight as I was in a 1-1/2 hip spika cast they called it. One day in Vietnam, waiting on the tarmac before a homeward-bound flight, she saw men loading body bags into the belly of the plane. Their names have been excluded from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., a wrong their families are trying to right. Thanks for the wonderful article. The first two of these saw delays due to engine maintenance having to be carried out. In the years during and after World War II, military veterans were given special preference to purchase or lease government surplus aircraft. When you went to school for Pan Am, they showed you how to do your makeup and your hair. Its ultimate destination was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it was transporting 96 soldiers. . from United States. I have grieved for them ever since. His 93 U.S. military passengers, three South Vietnamese soldiers and the 11 civilian crew members aboard Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 disappeared on their way from Guam to the Philippines.. What aviation news will you check out next? 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. Wrong their families are trying to will ourselves into that jet thru the Air year! And served as Club Secretary since May 2007 way, to and from Vietnam life! The soldiers and resenting those who scorned their service time we could their reunions, are! Wanted to take care of our passengers, Foster said, and the... Network, directly servicing all continents except for Africa, which was served through interlining down... Spika cast they called it could never cover the range of emotions i missed my 21st birthday.. But the womens bond outlasted the death of the now-adult children of those on Board speculate the! 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