You have my deepest sympathy during this trying time. It was signed by Maj. Gen. J.C. Lambert, The Adjutant General of the U.S. Army. We crossed over the international dateline and it became the 2nd of January. 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 Attendant Until now, I mostly ignored the efforts of these people (especially the attendants they saw, heard & felt all of it). When you went to school for Pan Am, they showed you how to do your makeup and your hair. Thats funny. or Best Offer. The new Flying Tiger airline had its own military role; carrying cargo and troops back and forth to the war in Vietnam. C $142.86. All deals. We were eventually invited to leave the club and told to not come back Welcome Home from the USAF in Kadena. God bless you all! 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. 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. On the other hand, airlines from Australia, Singapore, India, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Switzerland, Denmark, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Russia all fly direct to Phuket - Thailand's . The airliners were not just used to bring the soldiers home, but to fly them into the war zone as well. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 went missing on March 16, 1962, with 93 U.S. Army soldiers on board. Some of the now-adult children of those on board speculate that the flight made it, but that passengers were captured, Kirk said. He wouldnt believe me until I showed him the slip of paper. The big, glamorous airline back then was Pan Am. (1974 -1989). Nobody wanted to take anybody over there who wasnt coming back.. These men and their flight crew perished in what would become one of the biggest aviation. 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. Remember the pungent fish smell and heat as we deplaned. This represented a significant transition for the Flying Tigers, and paved the road to future success. It was a move that would make FedEx the worlds largest, full-service cargo airline. Fosters opposition to the war only intensified; she attended anti-war meetings and demonstrations on her days off. The explosion occurred in two pulses lasting between two and three seconds and from it two objects fell into the sea.. As in Korea, these flights carried both cargo as well as military personnel and their dependents. I often wondered what happened to them and now your story has given closure. $375.00. I would have been on Flying Tigers returning to the states. Its variants seat 242 to 335 passengers in typical three-class seating configurations. Very interesting. From the beginning, Prescott had a vision for the company: "We're unique, so let's not imitate. . Because they were young and energetic, they could work a 5-hour flight from Japan to Vietnam, spend an hour on the ground, turn around and fly 5 hours back to Japan, then take a quick shower and then go out dancing at a go-go club. When a positive story about the Vietnam experience shows up it helps the healing that many of us need. Sixty years later, theres still little trace that the lives of the servicemembers were even lost to the Vietnam War. Postwar, he flew for Chennault's paramilitary airline during the Chinese Civil War, the Korean War, and the French war in Vietnam. After just under two hours on the ground, The Free Lance-Star reported that the flight departed Guam just before 21:00. What Was It Like To Hump The Boonies in Vietnam? Not only told to leave, but not to come back. At 8:22 a.m. on March 16the time when FTL 739s fuel would have officially run outthe flight was declared lost. ATDB.aero shows that it spent most of its career at Flying Tiger Line, but did also serve Lufthansa on a leased basis. Operated primarily on transpacific military contract routes, the planes carried 73,000 pounds of freight at 550 miles per hour over a 3,000 range. 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. 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! Various conspiracy theories regarding sabotage have arisen, but the flight's exact fate will likely remain unknown. 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. (1945 - 1947). The Douglas DC-8-63AF N783FT (msn 46003) they flew is, remarkably, still . There was no military service at the funeral. 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. Opens in a new window or tab. This allowed for more extensive geographic capability and cargo capacity. Flying Tiger aircraft were getting old and worn, but their flight attendants were still top notch. Why Were Vietnam War Vets Treated Poorly When TheyReturned? A true airfreighted with a unique swing-tail design, the CL-44 permitted the straight-in loading of freight no other plane could carry. Its ultimate destination was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it was transporting 96 soldiers. Thanks! 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. 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.. . one of conscious unease. Landed in Saigon. The team had completed its assigned mission and was waiting to . The six man recon team was on an observation mission near Fire Support Base Alpine, about six miles east of the Laotian Border. thanks for the ride over and putting up with some of us. Put on the clothing and shoes that I had been wearing befor going to war. It was the first time I was truly surrounded around military men, and I was overwhelmed by their commitment and belief in their mission. It began on Christmas Day, 1950, with Operation STEM, America's Special Technical & Economic Mission, the cover for . Free shipping for many products! Notable among the Tigers' achievements were their participation in both the Korean and Vietnam airlifts. Thanks for a great story. Compounding the mystery was that there was no physical evidence of what happened, not even an oil slick. Add to Cart. I wouldnt trade the experience for a million dollars, stated Julie Kane, a flight attendant for Seaboard World Airlines. 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. America's stake in the Vietnam War didn't begin as late as history books specify. Remember the illumination flares as we were coming in on final as the sun had not come up yet. But my goal in life is that they will not be forgotten.. I just stood there in my bedroom looking out the window for a very long time,saying to myself Did that really happen??? Thank you for writing this story, it was way overdue. The former stewardesses of Tiger Airlines still reminisce about their experiences with those brave soldiers, coming and going to Vietnam a long time ago. On Wednesday morning in Sacramento, as many as 30 former flight attendants for the airline are reuniting to honor servicemen killed in the war. 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. Outstanding article! race to get Asians flying in a region set to overtake the United States as the biggest aviation market. In transit to Viet Nam via Alaska, Japan and Okinawa. 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. Although the fledgling Flying Tiger Line was in a precarious financial situation during its early years, it enjoyed extraordinary growth throughout most of the 60's, and eventually emerged as the industry's foremost all-cargo carrier. English. 2023 CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website. These laddies were tops, in my book. I flew out of Travis and came home the same way 3 times during 68-70. No folded flag was presented to the family. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Flight 7816, a cargo flight, was enroute from Travis Air Force Base, California to Japan. $35.00. or Best Offer +$7.50 shipping. Pre-Owned. It was a vivid reminder we were entering a war zone. A group of ex-AVG and CNAC pilots, some still flying in China, took advantage of this opportunity, and on June 25, 1945 started an airfreight company that in less than two years would formally adopt the name the Flying Tiger Line. Crossing the international date line was my experience in time travel. I salute you all ladies!! The year 1962, however, would be a particularly bad year for the airline started by former military pilots. Flying off Course has established itself over the years as the indispens-able guide to the inner workings of this exciting industry. 2019 by the San Francisco Airport Commission. June 69. I think i was numb, both ways. 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. 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. No lights on the plane in the dark. During the "American war," he worked for a CIA contractor, flying unarmed bush planes in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. between heaven and hell. The company said it needed flight attendants. Flying Tiger Line flight 739 was a multi-leg charter service that originated at Travis Air Force Base in the US state of California. In January 1953 Flying Tiger intended to lease a 049 from Intercontinental . After the aircraft failed to arrive at Clark Air Base in the Philippines, the flight was declared as having gone missing on the morning of March 16th, 1962. JW, beautiful poem. I was a Flying Tiger Flight Attendant for 5 years, and those many experiences flying into Tan Son Nhut. I also n=mourned those I had lost there who could not return alive but were shipped home to grief stricken families. Afraid that at any moment a rocket or mortor could could take the jet down. 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. In the 1980's, the B747-200F series was introduced to the fleet. Sources: ATDB.aero, Aviation Safety Network, The Free Lance-Star. (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. How much is the cheapest flight to Vietnam? B-747-100 Flying Tigers was the first airline to operate Boeing 747 passenger aircraft converted into efficient air freighters. Wonderful memories. What I do remember is that the plane had a very unpleasant odor and the food was cold. Sometimes, when the wheels pulled up on takeoff, the whole plane would burst out in yells and clapping. Flying Tigers was a mechanism of the war she opposed. He was pulled back in on a special mission, handpicked by [President] John F. Kennedy, Kirk said. Thank you Flying Tiger! It brought back memories from 68. C-47-Flying Tiger relied heavily on the Douglas C-47, the cargo version of the famed DC-3. The food on the airplane had to be thrown away because there was no refrigeration on the aircraft for over 48 hours. 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. Freedom Bird. 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 were to take place in Honolulu, Wake Island, Guam, and the Philippines (Clark Air Base). 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. These men and their flight crew perished in what would become one of the biggest aviation mysteries out of the Vietnam War era. Not one of us said a word in the dark as we watched the plane sitting there with jet engines idling. I made that trip also in Jan,1967. or Best Offer. Flying Tiger history began during World War II when the original aircrafts were small fighter planes. I was USAF and made that stop in Alaska. The flight attendants were as depicted in this article, both going and coming home. My 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. Each of the awesome giants flies more than 200,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour over a 3,500-mile range. The Army did pay out life insurance for Donald, but it was only $264. Those were the days. 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. MAAG THAILAND . The captain and crew of the S.S. T. L. Lenzen, a Standard Oil Company tanker, reported that at around 1:30 a.m. (1530 GMT) on the morning of March 16, they saw what looked to be a midair explosion near the position and at the time that had been estimated by the aircrafts pilot. 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. Within a matter of hours, the carriers losses would get much worse. History - Flying Tiger Line was founded on 24 June 1945 by R.W. 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. I recall the flight I took into Vietnam and even more than the flight I took home. On board the Constellation were 11 crew members and 96 passengers, 93 of whom were U.S. Army soldiers specialized in electronics, communications, and sharpshooting. They were cordial but standoffish. It would be the last radio transmission received from the aircraft. I remember the Tiger flights and their wonderful crews. Theres nothing, no trace of anything, said Jennifer Kirk, niece of an Army Ranger who was on board Flight 739. We turned off our running lights to avoid ground fire.. Then all the guys just could not be held down by the stewerdesses and they did not even try to quiet the guys. 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. As one observer put it, "Nobody brings in mail like those Tiger birds". She had many stories. Air sorties searching for clues racked up more than 3,417 flying hours. Best Airline Business in Southeast Asia. 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