flying tiger airlines vietnam

thanks for the ride over and putting up with some of us. Looking back, I owe them my deep thanks for doing their job so splendidly despite the emotional roller-coaster they must have been on. For the government not to recognize them is heartbreaking, she said. Best Airline Business in Southeast Asia. Skip to main content . Until now, I mostly ignored the efforts of these people (especially the attendants they saw, heard & felt all of it). When I went over in 66, it was courtesy of the USAF on a C-141no flight attendants there, just jump seats and the infantry TOE and basic load down the center of the aircraft. Capable of lifting 7,000 pounds over a version of the famed DC-3. I remember the silence upon arrival and cheering when wheels went up leaving. flying tigers airlines was the prenier air cargo air carrier of the world long before fedex even considered overseas deliveries. Its such a part of history, and our own personal history.. Top 50 best listed companies in Vietnam. AU $196.32 20% off + AU $5.80 postage. . I know you dont remember many of our faces, as we no longer remember yours, but we thank you for taking care for us. (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. Joe Namath, Jim Otto, and, Marv Fleming on our returning flight after spending time visiting the wounded Vietnam soldiers at several hospitals. Travel the world, the ad said. I wouldnt trade the experience for a million dollars, stated Julie Kane, a flight attendant for Seaboard World Airlines. 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. from Greece and flew to Portland ,Oregon. It truly was a great feeling being headed home. Some of the now-adult children of those on board speculate that the flight made it, but that passengers were captured, Kirk 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. Others supported the war, sympathizing with the soldiers and resenting those who scorned their service. 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. A Lockheed Constellation L-1049, similar to the aircraft that disappeared. Onboard were 107 people, all of whom remain missing as the aircraft was never found after its disappearance. 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. These men and their flight crew perished in what would become one of the biggest aviation. The flight attendants, although very young themselves, couldnt believe how young the troops were just 17 and 18 in some cases. Thank You For Your Service, and It was my honor to help make your trip a little better. Was I really in a real war??? Two of the incidents occurred within the span of one day. Just reading this article brings tears to my eyes. FLYING TIGER AIRLINES - Patch - MAAG - 45th Transport - Early Vietnam War, #.500. Copyright 2023 Flying Media. each of us inside were scared because for the first time non of us were wearing helmets, flack jackets, no weapons or ammo. (LogOut/ This was the Tiger "Can-do" Spirit, may it never die. Flying Tiger aircraft were getting old and worn, but their flight attendants were still top notch. I extended in Vietnam so that I could get out early. From the beginning, Prescott had a vision for the company: "We're unique, so let's not imitate. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. As their deaths did not occur in the Vietnam combat zone, their names were . It began on Christmas Day, 1950, with Operation STEM, America's Special Technical & Economic Mission, the cover for . He wouldnt believe me until I showed him the slip of paper. 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. 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. The plane very quiet, The monument in Maine has given many families a sense of peace that finally their loved ones names are recognized. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for FLYING TIGER AIRLINES - Patch - MAAG - 45th Transport - Early Vietnam War, #.561 at the best online prices at eBay! The flight attendant standing at the top said see you in a year, Ill be wearing the same dress. It was acquired by FedEx in 1989, after more than 40 years of flying cargo and passenger . Mr. Fagones article is very touching and reminds us that many more people than just we former service men and women are veterans of the Vietnam War. How much is the cheapest flight to Vietnam? Shamu the whale took a first ride on Flying Tigers. we sat silently in the darkness almost trying to will ourselves into that jet thru the air. I know that I should have written to her while I was in Vietnam, but like things go I had more important thoughts on my mind such as surviving and looking out for my men. I only just sat there, silently , the flight home to Fort Lewis. As one observer put it, "Nobody brings in mail like those Tiger birds". Great Read, I was a 26 year old man when I went to that war, I remember not sleeping on the flying tiger flight back home, and the stewardess, sat and talked to me as everyone else was sleeping, I thought the stewardess was a nice person that was concerned about my not sleeping and ask why. They were thrown together all the time on the planes, in Saigon hotels sipping cocktails and at officers clubs on overseas military bases, where guys bought them drinks. My return flight in 72 was on Flying Tigers that started out with engine problems on the ramp in Tan Son Nhut. Kimberly is managing editor of FLYING digital. $375.00. Like you were going to hang around. 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. 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. . Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 went missing on March 16, 1962, with 93 U.S. Army soldiers on board. December 31st, 1968 at the age of 20 we flew from Travis AFB to Anchorage Alaska. Within a matter of hours, the carriers losses would get much worse. Flying Tiger Line was ramping up operations in Vietnam, too, and it's believed maintenance standards dropped as a result of increased demand. . Available now to pre-order at Flying Tigers. 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. The year 1962, however, would be a particularly bad year for the airline started by former military pilots. . Also those that returned with ptsd, most of us. 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. All attempts to re-establish contact with the flight were unsuccessful.. 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. Add to Cart. They were again ordered to Vietnam with Marine Aircraft Group 36 at Phu Bai in 1969 and remained there until their return . 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 . A true airfreighted with a unique swing-tail design, the CL-44 permitted the straight-in loading of freight no other plane could carry. War touches more people than the veterans who fought in it. With only six thousand employees around the world, the Flying Tiger Line carried cargo and people to all corners of the planet. I salute you all ladies!! one of conscious unease. With this plane's nose-loading capabilities, Flying Tigers accommodated even more challenging air freight combinations in size, shape and quantity. All of us silently got on the plane ,each of us finding a seat. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 went missing on March 16, 1962, with 93 U.S. Army soldiers on board. 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. It was a vivid reminder we were entering a war zone. I was one of those Men that you brought back to the World. I never heard of Tiger air until I read this article. In March 1962, one such personnel-carrying flight went missing en route to Vietnam. I didnt use Flying Tigers going to and from my two tours in Vietnam, but I DID fly with them in 1963 going home from a two-year stint in Korea. Its variants seat 242 to 335 passengers in typical three-class seating configurations. I flew out of Travis and came home the same way 3 times during 68-70. Opens in a new window or tab. She very quickly wrote down something and gave it to me. 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. $35.00. 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. I do remember the door opening and it was like a blast furnace! And there were parties every single day and every single night, Foster remembered. Notable among the Tigers' achievements were their participation in both the Korean and Vietnam airlifts. 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. Flying Tigers on Airline History JP Airline Fleets 87/88 . Flying with Vietjet with thousands of tickets. Wish I still knew a few of these darlings. I recall the flight I took into Vietnam and even more than the flight I took home. The food on the airplane had to be thrown away because there was no refrigeration on the aircraft for over 48 hours. Wheels up lots of cheering and hope. The part Ill always remember is the wonderful round eyes that tolerated us nervous troops as we headed for the unknown going both over to Vietnam and returning to the US. Opens in a new window or tab. 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. Flying the Freedom Birds: Airlines and the Vietnam War. The six man recon team was on an observation mission near Fire Support Base Alpine, about six miles east of the Laotian Border. Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. All reactions: 38 11 comments 4 shares Like Comment In this decade the company developed an extensive global network, directly servicing all continents except for Africa, which was served through interlining. We all knew that some going would not make it back alive. Despite the intensity of the operations, many flight attendants found the military contract flights rewarding and continued to serve on them for years. 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. What were the life expectancies of soldiers during the Vietnam War? (1968-1989), B-747-100 Flying Tigers was the first airline to operate Boeing 747 passenger aircraft converted into efficient air freighters. Forums Index - All forums; Portal page; MSFS 2020; FSX - FS2004 and Earlier 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. All deals. After I got wounded and my things taken from me in triage, I never saw that slip of paper again. Flying from Clark AFB to Guam refueling then on to Travis AFB and Home. Yes, it was a memorable 4 day flight. The flight attendants learned not to wake them, knowing the men might leap up with a start, imagining they were still back in the war. C $142.86. Click on Links for More information About Each Plane. That was always the fun part, to take them out of there, remembered Gael Okicich, who flew with Tigers for 25 years. From 1979 to 1980 the Flying Tiger Line passed Pan Am to become the world's number one air cargo carrier. Many of the women continued to fly, either with Tigers or other airlines; more than a few married Tigers pilots and started families. Wonderful memories. But nothing could have prepared her for what it was like to be a flight attendant at Flying Tigers during the golden era of aviation a job so fabulous and exciting on the one hand and emotionally brutal on the other that it transformed the lives of hundreds of young women like her who were hired during the war, forcing them to confront the realities of Vietnam in ways they never expected, and bonding them to each other for decades to come. That was not us, recalled Andee Reingold Wright, a San Francisco native who was 21 when she started with Flying Tigers in 1967. Great article and I do so remember that flight and not having even an idea what was waiting for me .. 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. 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. 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. 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.. Flying Tigers was a mechanism of the war she opposed. I went to Vietnam on a ship so we had 21 days to prepare our minds unlike the guys traveling by plane that had only a few hours to prepare! Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The Douglas DC-8-63AF N783FT (msn 46003) they flew is, remarkably, still . If the flights to Vietnam were emotional, the flights back home could be tense in a different way. 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Do remember the silence upon arrival and cheering when wheels went up leaving to Guam refueling on... Flight attendant for Seaboard world Airlines those who scorned their service + au $ 196.32 %... A seat such a part of history, and our own personal... En route to Vietnam with Marine aircraft Group 36 at Phu Bai in and! With only six thousand employees around the world long before fedex even considered overseas deliveries was never found after disappearance. To my eyes headed home going would not make it back alive war, #.500, Prescott a! 575 miles per hour over a 3,500-mile range aircraft for over 48 hours more challenging air combinations. Click on Links for more information about each plane to serve on them for years in..., I never heard of Tiger air until I showed him the slip of again... Their flight crew perished in what would become one of the planet I showed him the of...

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