Pre-Owned. Like you were going to hang around. This exhibition is currently available online only. 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. These flights were also a powerful and moving experience for a generation of young women who served aboard these aircraft as flight attendants. 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 . No one was home, but a neighbor walked up to the car. Flying Tiger history began during World War II when the original aircrafts were small fighter planes. All of us silently got on the plane ,each of us finding a seat. /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. Margi has been a Member of the Flying Tigers Club Board of Directors, and served as Club Secretary since May 2007. ATDB.aero shows that it spent most of its career at Flying Tiger Line, but did also serve Lufthansa on a leased basis. SOLD!!! This exhibition, based on extensive interviews with the key participants of the airlift operations, provides insight into their experiences serving aboard the Freedom Birds. The young men would leave their patches, their names, their addresses, their rosary beads and ask the crew members to write to them while they were in Vietnam. That was always the fun part, to take them out of there, remembered Gael Okicich, who flew with Tigers for 25 years. Reach further with Vietnam Airlines flights, a Skyteam member and a global leading 4-Star Skytrax and awarded airline. Hard to not have an emotional moment while reading. I know there were bad times but your article brought back memories I forgot I had. 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. 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! The airline initially launched with 14 Navy surplus Budd RB Conestoga cargo aircraft. In transit to Viet Nam via Alaska, Japan and Okinawa. Specifically equipped with weather monitoring equipment and scientific instrumentation, one 707 (Aircraft N322FT), gained fame as the "Pole Cat." 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. Travel the world, the ad said. This represented a significant transition for the Flying Tigers, and paved the road to future success. She laughed. 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. But soon after they started working troop transports to Southeast Asia, the women realized that the job required a whole different set of skills. thanks for the ride over and putting up with some of us. this a definitive journey 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. How much is the cheapest flight to Vietnam? Shamu the whale took a first ride on Flying Tigers. I now have a new group of Vietnam vets to admire and respect. 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. Some say it was sabotage, she said. Curtis Smith served to disbandment and afterward returned to the U.S. Marines. 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. As the vapor trail passed behind a cloud, there occurred an explosion, described as intensely luminous, with a white nucleus surrounded by a reddish-orange periphery with radial lines of identically coloured light. I went to Nam aboard a ship which very nicely cut 21 days off my tour. 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. Based in Norwich, UK. I know you dont remember many of our faces, as we no longer remember yours, but we thank you for taking care for us. Unfortunately for me I returned in a Medevac flight from Japan Yokosuka Naval Hospital. After all the things i remember about my viet nam year , i never remembered about the flight to or from . Departed Bien Hoa (21 Apr 69)) on Flying Tiger (Stretch 8) with fuel stop in Japan. Very nice ,brings back feeling that are mostly good ones.Thank you ladies.I flew into DANANG twice the 2nd fight was with the Flying Tigars and a year later they flew me back to the states. 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. 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. 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. God Bless those women who helped me on those hours headed home to start to feel like I might still have some humanity left in me. This exhibition is currently available online only. (1949 - 1961), C-54 Gen. -- The C-54, first of the four--engine air freighters, was used by Flying Tigers in the largest, longest airlift ever flown by a private contractor -- supplying the American Occupation Forces in Japan. Flying Tiger Line flight 739 was a multi-leg charter service that originated at Travis Air Force Base in the US state of California. 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. What was the worst work detail you pulled in Vietnam? $375.00. In accordance with the government directives and in the interest in protecting the health of our visitors, the Aviation Museum & Library is currently closed. return home flight in July 69 was on a Flying Tigers stretch-8. It was a move that would make FedEx the worlds largest, full-service cargo airline. race to get Asians flying in a region set to overtake the United States as the biggest aviation market. 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. They were cordial but standoffish. Their names have been excluded from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., a wrong their families are trying to right. The former stewardesses of Tiger Airlines still reminisce about their experiences with those brave soldiers, coming and going to Vietnam a long time ago. {Photo: Ruth As]. As in Korea, these flights carried both cargo as well as military personnel and their dependents. I was a nurse in Namso I can appreciate their service. I have just relived a very important part of my young life, thru these articles and the loving responses. The flight went missing while en route to Vietnam. The year 1962, however, would be a particularly bad year for the airline started by former military pilots. Some years ago I made contact with one of those stewardesses and found out about their reunions. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 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. 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. 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. 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. The women say its what helped them keep their sanity, a support network that allowed them to face the heartbreak of the job as the true cost of the war emerged. A very vulnerable feeling with out a weapon. We crossed over the international dateline and it became the 2nd of January. March 15, 1962, marked the first day of the Vietnam War Campaign, according to U.S. Army historians. Flying with Vietjet with thousands of tickets. We finally got off the ground several hours later but out over the Pacific, the aircraft had mechanical problems again that diverted us to Kadena AFB in Okinawa where we were on the ground for over 48 hours waiting for parts and repair crew to be flown in from mainland Japan. (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 Tiger Flight 739 had arrived at Guam at 11:14 GMT from Wake Island. It was never seen or heard from again, despite an extensive search operation. She told me that there were more books in the back of the plane. As the company celebrated its first year of Transpacific service, ground breaking for Flying Tigers first Asian terminal took place in Tokyo, Japan the companies hub for Asian operations. Sign up | Sign in. Wheels up lots of cheering and hope. Each of the awesome giants flies more than 200,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour over a 3,500-mile range. or Best Offer. 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. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 went missing on March 16, 1962, with 93 U.S. Army soldiers on board. Others ordering aircraft include Cebu Pacific, Tiger Airways, 40-percent owned by Singapore Airlines Ltd, Garuda Indonesia's low-cost unit Citilink, and the Qantas Airways Ltd-owned Jetstar and its affiliates such as Singapore-based Jetstar Asia. He graduated high school and he could have gone to work in the woods, or he could have joined the military, Kirk, his niece, told FLYING. 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. By the mid-1960s, it was flying scheduled transpacific all-cargo routes and in the late 1980s, it was acquired by Federal Express. No Longer Available! All four were Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellations. I flew over on Continental..We had a flight attendant come to one of our VVA Chapter meeting and tell us about her time. Top 50 best listed companies in Vietnam. In quieter moments, men cracked: a lieutenant crying softly in his seat, admitting that his wife had just given birth to a baby he might never see again; a young mans hand shaking as he reached for a cup of milk. Welcome Home with many thank you for all your support of the Vietnam veterans!! C-47-Flying Tiger relied heavily on the Douglas C-47, the cargo version of the famed DC-3. The Secretary of the Army has asked me to express his deep regret that your son Specialist Donald A Sargent was a passenger aboard a chartered aircraft that was reported missing while in flight over the Pacific Ocean on 15 March 1962, the telegram read. Patch , 45th TRANSPORTATION Company FLYING TIGER AIRLINES Vietnam War Patch , s4 | Collectibles, Militaria, Militaria (Date Unknown) | eBay! If you've . When a positive story about the Vietnam experience shows up it helps the healing that many of us need. from United States. Best Airline Business in Southeast Asia. Arrived Travis in daylight and was struck by the absence of bomb craters from my aerial view. 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. During the Vietnam years the Flying Tiger Line also worked overtime for the US Postal Service. From there the plane, often a stretch DC-8, would fly west to Anchorage, then to Japan, then to the Philippines or Vietnam, dropping the troops off at military bases. They were recruited to fly for the Republic of China with the quiet approval of the United States government. Flying may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. The aircraft was lost and no part was found in spite of one of the most extensive searches ever conducted in the history of aviation, ICAO said. Breen went from being gung ho about the war to suspecting the government was lying and thinking the war was a mistake. 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. As Captain Dwight Small, a pilot for Flying Tiger Line, recalls, It was pretty hairy, especially in the early days. Piloted by the novice American Volunteer Group, who were from all branches of the military and civilians, these men provided military support to the Republic of China in their defense against the Japanese invasion between 1941-1942. Compounding the mystery was that there was no physical evidence of what happened, not even an oil slick. Thank you all. Change). $18.00. I recall the flight I took into Vietnam and even more than the flight I took home. From the beginning, Prescott had a vision for the company: "We're unique, so let's not imitate. I do remember the door opening and it was like a blast furnace! we sat silently in the darkness almost trying to will ourselves into that jet thru the air. 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. where we are found aloft Conditions were, however, well within the weather minimums set for the airline at the landing strip of a 400-ft ceiling and three-quarter-miles visibility, a report later noted. Click on Links for More information About Each Plane. Sellers with highest buyer ratings; 2023 CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website. 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. changed me for the better many moons ago. I remember the Tiger flights and their wonderful crews. Flying Tigers was a mechanism of the war she opposed. Reply 29th Aug 2010, 11:32 Three Vietnam service members were also among the passengers. Thanks, DRS. They wanted to cry but stifled the impulse. (1961 - 1969), Flying Tigers met the challenge of the jet age with Boeing 707-349C intercontinental jets. I wouldnt trade the experience for a million dollars, stated Julie Kane, a flight attendant for Seaboard World Airlines. I missed my 21st birthday completely. The flight attendant standing at the top said see you in a year, Ill be wearing the same dress. 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. But my goal in life is that they will not be forgotten.. Here we are, 60 years later, Kevin Woodward, remembrance coordinator at Wreaths Across America, said Wednesday during the ceremony. To say thank you which could never cover the range of emotions Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 went missing on March 16, 1962, with 93 U.S. Army soldiers on board. Despite the intensity of the operations, many flight attendants found the military contract flights rewarding and continued to serve on them for years. I only wish that I could stand before these wonderful ladies. 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. Margi Falk. (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. Those were the days. I was old as dirt to them.. No such thing happened, as I was at that location in May of 1970. )I was engaged and (2.) Not a good way to start the year! Opens in a new window or tab. Ardith (Vignati) Willner Flying Tiger Line was ramping up operations in Vietnam, too, and it's believed maintenance standards dropped as a result of increased demand. Read about what they talk about at their reunions. The picture below shows a full plane of troops heading to Vietnam on a Flying Tiger Flight. 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. 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. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. (LogOut/ To us, they were all beauty queens! Thank you and God Bless you all!!!! 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. 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. 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. ber 1.000.000 Bilder Flying at 210 miles per hour, the C-54 carried 20,000 pounds of cargo over a 2,000 -- mile range. (1968-1989), B-747-100 Flying Tigers was the first airline to operate Boeing 747 passenger aircraft converted into efficient air freighters. Thank you for taking care of us. The picture below shows a full plane of troops heading to Vietnam on a Flying Tiger Flight. God bless you all! Did it really happen to me ?????!!! I think it is great! 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 big, glamorous airline back then was Pan Am. 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. 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. What were the life expectancies of soldiers during the Vietnam War? One of the seven people on boardthe flight engineerwas killed in a fire that destroyed the aircraft and all its contents. "We packed our bags we never knew when we were coming home," Wright. Imitation lets you catch up to the guy ahead, but never lets you pass." Family members, like Kirk, continue to lobby for adding the soldiers names to the Vietnam Memorial, and this past summer, a bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate that would pave the way for their inclusion. 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. Despite its modest size, Vietnam attracts tourists from all over the world with plenty to offer: expansive paddy fields, white-sand beaches, modern cities, hundred-year-old temples, limestone islands rising dramatically from under the ocean, magnificent natural caves, and minority communities with fascinating cultural traits. Thanks! 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. While Flight 739s final destination was known, the reason behind the secret mission of those on board still remains a mystery to their families. Very good article. I remember well my Flying Tiger trips. Flying Tiger Lines Airline Related Artifacts & Collectibles Miscellaneous Airlines: America (US) Artifacts & Collectibles . Various conspiracy theories regarding sabotage have arisen, but the flight's exact fate will likely remain unknown. A total of 141 lives were lost on board the four aircraft and three lives were lost of people on the ground. What I do remember is that the plane had a very unpleasant odor and the food was cold. They saw so much in those soldiers eyes and dealt with some truly emotional issues. A true airfreighted with a unique swing-tail design, the CL-44 permitted the straight-in loading of freight no other plane could carry. . 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. 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! Nonetheless, it reached Guam as planned on March 15th. I flew out of Travis and came home the same way 3 times during 68-70. Put on the clothing and shoes that I had been wearing befor going to war. My return flight was one of those that cheered as we lifted off. I flew on Trans Carribiean twice from Travis and experienced the feelings described in the piece. He wouldnt believe me until I showed him the slip of paper. Carrying 50% more cargo than the DC-4 and carrying it 70 miles per hour faster, the company's gross revenues quickly reached the $25-million mark in 1953. I was on those flights, twice over and back although on other carriers. During the "American war," he worked for a CIA contractor, flying unarmed bush planes in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. merging Ocean and Sky. However, Kadena was not able to resupply the galley but the crew got a lot of junk food to hold us over till we got to Tokyo where we were off-loaded again and the plane was serviced. 365 days later. 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." 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. Thats funny. I often wondered what happened to them and now your story has given closure. Touching essay. In January 1953 Flying Tiger intended to lease a 049 from Intercontinental . As one observer put it, "Nobody brings in mail like those Tiger birds". Not only told to leave, but not to come back. 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. A Lockheed Constellation L-1049, similar to the aircraft that disappeared. The monument in Maine has given many families a sense of peace that finally their loved ones names are recognized. . Then all the guys just could not be held down by the stewerdesses and they did not even try to quiet the guys. Thanks for the wonderful article. 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. These men and their flight crew perished in what would become one of the biggest aviation. The Flying Tiger Line lost four airplanes to crashes with fatalities in 1962. Many of these people became valuable members of the Flying Tigers family. 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. All reactions: 38 11 comments 4 shares Like Comment Two of the incidents occurred within the span of one day. from Greece Shared with Public Cleaning up today and found this binder. I went over in February 1970. Flying Tiger was my airline of choice. Mel Beers ret first sergeant . The soldiers onboard were flying there not to fight, but to help train South Vietnamese forces. I have grieved for them ever since. 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. The company said it needed flight attendants. Late 1940s PAA Pan American Airways 5 Years of Service Lapel Pin in 10K Gold by Balfour Item: airpi30006b-CON. Its such a part of history, and our own personal history.. When I went back in 1970 out of McCord it was on World Airlines. 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. Antique Airlines Vietnam Flying Tiger Vintage Pin Gold Tone Enamel Metal. I commented, and the person deleted my comme. I remember one of the attendants wishing my a HAPPY BIRTHDAY. 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 . 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. The years after the Vietnam war saw continued growth for the Flying Tigers. The new Flying Tiger airline had its own military role; carrying cargo and troops back and forth to the war in Vietnam. 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