These were to take place in Honolulu, Wake Island, Guam, and the Philippines (Clark Air Base). 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. My 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. I spent one year there and flew 15 missions in Vietnam, 8 north and 7 south. 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. (1945 - 1947). It was reported that the aircraft was left unattended in a dimly lighted area for a period of time while at Guam where total transit time was 1 hour and 33 minutes, ICAO said. Remember the illumination flares as we were coming in on final as the sun had not come up yet. C-47-Flying Tiger relied heavily on the Douglas C-47, the cargo version of the famed DC-3. 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. I never heard of Tiger air until I read this article. 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. 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. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Flying Tigers on Airline History JP Airline Fleets 87/88 . 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! 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. Opens in a new window or tab. Very interesting. Check out our flying tigers airlines selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. We were goin up and up , the war down below, falling away now far behind us. Out of rocket range. The aircraft was transporting 93 U.S. soldiers and three South Vietnamese from Travis Air Force Base, California to Saigon, Vietnam. this a definitive journey 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. After I got wounded and my things taken from me in triage, I never saw that slip of paper again. I commented, and the person deleted my comme. No such thing happened, as I was at that location in May of 1970. 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. The explosion occurred in two pulses lasting between two and three seconds and from it two objects fell into the sea.. or Best Offer. She told me that there were more books in the back of the plane. Sweet Jesus, I was back in the USA ; Addendum: While in transit on the plane, I had an unusual experience that Id like to share with everyone who reads this. 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. Thank you! I remember the silence upon arrival and cheering when wheels went up leaving. 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. 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. From 1979 to 1980 the Flying Tiger Line passed Pan Am to become the world's number one air cargo carrier. Theres nothing, no trace of anything, said Jennifer Kirk, niece of an Army Ranger who was on board Flight 739. Until now, I mostly ignored the efforts of these people (especially the attendants they saw, heard & felt all of it). $375.00. Thanks so much to all the people that participated in this adventure and thanks for helping us all get there and back. Flying Tiger history began during World War II when the original aircrafts were small fighter planes. 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! 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. . Additional terms apply. A fine bunch of people. Not one of us said a word in the dark as we watched the plane sitting there with jet engines idling. I was on those flights, twice over and back although on other carriers. Coming home was great while everyone mentions the cheering on wheels up on departure no one mentions the deafening silence as the aircraft started down the runway on departure until wheels up There was more to this exciting excursion. Apart from Pan Am and Braniff, also Continental, Northwest, TWA, United, World Airways, Flying Tiger, Seaboard World, among others. 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. Nobody wanted to take anybody over there who wasnt coming back.. one of conscious unease. However, radio operators in Guam were unable to contact the flight at this time. 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. In this decade the company developed an extensive global network, directly servicing all continents except for Africa, which was served through interlining. In the years following World War II, a group of 10 American mercenary pilots who flew in China as part of the American Volunteer Groupbetter known as the Flying Tigersbanded together to start a transcontinental airline. started from veterans of the world war two "flying tiger" fighter wing in china, these pilots saw a need to air deliver cargo in the far east. Based in Norwich, UK. Sign up | Sign in. 302/3 Kim Ma Street, Ngoc Khanh Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, Vietnam. (1974 -1989) After 1989 Mr Narita 806 in Polar Colors HISTORY During the "American war," he worked for a CIA contractor, flying unarmed bush planes in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The flights depart at 7:35 (SIN time), 13:10 (SIN time) and 15:15 (SIN time). I now have a new group of Vietnam vets to admire and respect. The jet went faster, higher, finally the landing gear came up into the plane. What was the worst work detail you pulled in Vietnam? The new Flying Tiger airline had its own military role; carrying cargo and troops back and forth to the war in Vietnam. They coped, as always, by leaning on each other. Capable of lifting 7,000 pounds over a version of the famed DC-3. Freedom Bird. The aircraft operating the flight was a Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation registered as N6921C. Thank You For Your Service, and It was my honor to help make your trip a little better. Joe Namath, Jim Otto, and, Marv Fleming on our returning flight after spending time visiting the wounded Vietnam soldiers at several hospitals. . AU $196.32 20% off + AU $5.80 postage. And this aricle brought back many memories, both sad & scared, and delighted and full of joy! What Was It Like To Hump The Boonies in Vietnam? On the paper were words that Donald Sargents motherKirks grandmotherfound too incomprehensible to believe. Sixty years later, theres still little trace that the lives of the servicemembers were even lost to the Vietnam War. Her byline has appeared in numerous online and print publications including Al Jazeera America, USA Today, ForeignPolicy.com and US News & World Report. Top Rated Seller Top Rated Seller. From the beginning, Prescott had a vision for the company: "We're unique, so let's not imitate. The soldiers on Flight 739 were on a mission to do whatever the government told them to do, Kirk said. Thanks for the ride! With only six thousand employees around the world, the Flying Tiger Line carried cargo and people to all corners of the planet. Onboard were 107 people, all of whom remain missing as the aircraft was never found after its disappearance. I sat looking out the window the whole flight home, never said a word. 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. 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! That sounded good to Linda Greenwalt Foster, who had just dropped out of college and was looking for an adventure. These flights were also a powerful and moving experience for a generation of young women who served aboard these aircraft as flight attendants. . She had many stories. The motto in the beginning was "Anything, Anytime, Anywhere". Originating at Travis Air Force Base, California, the Military Transport was scheduled for fueling stops at Honolulu, Wake Island, Guam, Clark AFB and was to terminate in Saigon. 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. Was processed out of the Army at Fort Lewis, got a military standby flight for$11. Gotoff the jet and was greated by relatives. Thank you ladies. 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. God bless you all! But for the ladies I say Thank you I was one of those 18 year old boys that was scared to death. Meanwhile, the flight attendants were becoming like a family. I was so wrapped up in my own personal trauma that I thought they were being so nice because they were paid to, not because they wanted to. Margi Falk. Today. from Greece No one was home, but a neighbor walked up to the car. 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. For the government not to recognize them is heartbreaking, she said. I know there were bad times but your article brought back memories I forgot I had. We relied on each other and the soldiers to manage. These women allayed the fears of soldiers heading to war and offered support and reassurance to those headed home. How much is the cheapest flight to Vietnam? 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. 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. Thank you so much angels. (1947 -- 1957), The acquisition of seven DC-6s represented the largest single purchase the airline industry had ever seen. I had read everything in sight that was in the pocket of the seat in front of me. As one observer put it, "Nobody brings in mail like those Tiger birds". $18.00. In the years during and after World War II, military veterans were given special preference to purchase or lease government surplus aircraft. Sargent had already separated once from the service when he was coaxed back in to join the special unit. Many flight attendants struggled at first to contain their own emotions. $35.00. 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. Each of the awesome giants flies more than 200,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour over a 3,500-mile range. Budd Conestoga Gen. -- Flying Tiger Line's first aircraft was the Budd Conestoga, an all -- stainless steel, rear--loading, twin--engine aircraft. All of us silently got on the plane ,each of us finding a seat. Wish I still knew a few of these darlings. Hard to not have an emotional moment while reading. 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. )I was engaged and (2.) Sources: ATDB.aero, Aviation Safety Network, The Free Lance-Star. Flying Tiger aircraft were getting old and worn, but their flight attendants were still top notch. What I do remember is that the plane had a very unpleasant odor and the food was cold. The soldiers onboard were flying there not to fight, but to help train South Vietnamese forces. While in Alaska stopping and refueling I was only 1/2 way through a mountain of pancakes, sausage and eggs smothered with Maple syrup when they announce for all out bound corpsmen to report immediately for departure. It wasnt delivered, Kirk said. Vintage Flying Tigers Airline 1981 Timetable from/to Greece - Flying Tiger Line. I flew on Trans Carribiean twice from Travis and experienced the feelings described in the piece. 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. 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. Great article and I do so remember that flight and not having even an idea what was waiting for me .. 15 March 1962: Flying Tiger Line Flight 7815/13 was a chartered flight for the Military Air Transport Service (M.A.T.S. I too was older at 25 and remember them well. That motto lasted until the airline was taken over by Federal Express in the late 1980's. 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! These ladies were great listeners and very supportive. ! One of the seven people on boardthe flight engineerwas killed in a fire that destroyed the aircraft and all its contents. 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. The Flying Tiger Line lost four airplanes to crashes with fatalities in 1962. America's stake in the Vietnam War didn't begin as late as history books specify. This is what I wrote when I had set up my home page on geocities which is now archived: Mel Beers ret first sergeant . All deals. 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. Very good article. And there were parties every single day and every single night, Foster remembered. 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. This was a very good and interesting article. Tiger Air Flights To Vietnam Tiger Air is one of the few low-cost airlines currently operating in Vietnam. This exhibition, based on extensive interviews with the key participants of the airlift operations, provides insight into their experiences serving aboard the Freedom Birds. This exhibition is currently available online only. Its a way to look back, said one woman planning to attend, Ann Price Montgomery, who joined Flying Tigers in 1968. Shamu the whale took a first ride on Flying Tigers. Real Aviation Photos & Videos; Upload New File; Discussion. Reply 29th Aug 2010, 11:32 Kimberly is managing editor of FLYING digital. It brought back a lot of memories. Some say it was sabotage, she said. I remember how kind and understanding these ladies were to we soldiers going to a war zone. 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. They saw so much in those soldiers eyes and dealt with some truly emotional issues. Pre 1965 - MAAG GUTS AIRLINE - Vietnam - CIA - Z.017. I have just relived a very important part of my young life, thru these articles and the loving responses. We crossed over the international dateline and it became the 2nd of January. Arrived Travis in daylight and was struck by the absence of bomb craters from my aerial view. 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. 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 only just sat there, silently , the flight home to Fort Lewis. $27.95. This presumed death toll made it the worst accident involving the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation. I believe it helped to constantly stay connected with the world and the amazing young ladies that always had a smile and a kind word for the troops regardless of rank or service branch. During the Vietnam years the Flying Tiger Line also worked overtime for the US Postal Service. About the only scenario that's been ruled out is. I then went back to my seat with a book after putting that slip of paper in my wallet. Thank you ladies, Im one of those boys. 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. 2023 CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website. That was not us, recalled Andee Reingold Wright, a San Francisco native who was 21 when she started with Flying Tigers in 1967. I was old as dirt to them.. 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. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 went missing on March 16, 1962, with 93 U.S. Army soldiers on board. Flying with Vietjet with thousands of tickets. After all the things i remember about my viet nam year , i never remembered about the flight to or from . We turned off our running lights to avoid ground fire.. There was no military service at the funeral. US Army CNN The families of soldiers lost while taking part in a secret US mission during. Finally the plane started to move down the runway faster and faster. Unfortunately for me I returned in a Medevac flight from Japan Yokosuka Naval Hospital. The airliners were not just used to bring the soldiers home, but to fly them into the war zone as well. He was pulled back in on a special mission, handpicked by [President] John F. Kennedy, Kirk said. 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. Nothing about lithium batteries in here, but tigers did fly about every type of ammunition and explosives back in the day and it never caused an accident. All rights reserved. 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. The driver honked his horn but didnt get out. It was important to stay upbeat, to act like every one of the men was coming home. So they tried to keep it light. 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. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. She laughed. Touching essay. She very quickly wrote down something and gave it to me. Really hurt thinking about that after I was out in the field for a couple of weeks on c-rations. 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. Thank you Flight Attendants! It was a vivid reminder we were entering a war zone. My grandfather had to go pick it up. Wheels up lots of cheering and hope. Not one of us said a word. merging Ocean and Sky. If I remember correctly I went over on Continental and came back on United. I extended in Vietnam so that I could get out early. Thank you for taking care of us. 365 days later. Wonderful article and I went to Vietnam on Flying Tiger Airlines in 1966. 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. ATDB.aero shows that it spent most of its career at Flying Tiger Line, but did also serve Lufthansa on a leased basis. 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 . I think i was numb, both ways. Not Flying Tigers but nevertheless an unforgettable flight. The "Flying Tigers" (formally known as the American Volunteer Group or AVG) were famous for being in the fight very early in World War II. Email:jason.fagone@sfchronicle.comTwitter:@jfagone, Link to the actual article: https://bit.ly/2PbitdY. 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. On Wednesday morning in Sacramento, as many as 30 former flight attendants for the airline are reuniting to honor servicemen killed in the war. The Douglas DC-8-63AF N783FT (msn 46003) they flew is, remarkably, still . 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. Next stop was Yokota Japan. 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. We began to realize OK, these guys are going off to die, Breen recalled. Those were the days. May 23, 2016 by Flight 12 - Flying Tigers DC-8 Incident in Bien Hoa Vietnam Dan was kind enough to share a fascinating story from the Vietnam war involving a Flying Tigers DC-8. 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. As their deaths did not occur in the Vietnam combat zone, their names were . 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. 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. 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. However, despite an eight-day search covering hundreds of thousands of square miles of the Pacific Ocean, no trace of the aircraft or its 107 occupants could ever be found. The next stop was Saigon where we left off troops. 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. Flying off Course has established itself over the years as the indispens-able guide to the inner workings of this exciting industry. Established at the end of the Second World War, Flying Tiger Line made history as the first US-based scheduled cargo-carrying airline. Not a good way to start the year! Thank you for writing this story, it was way overdue. Put on the clothing and shoes that I had been wearing befor going to war. Crossing the international date line was my experience in time travel. Thanks for the wonderful article. I also n=mourned those I had lost there who could not return alive but were shipped home to grief stricken families. 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! 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. 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