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. Its such a part of history, and our own personal history.. WELCOME to The FLYING TIGER Antiques & Vintage Historical Artifacts Website!!! or Best Offer +$7.50 shipping. This was the Tiger "Can-do" Spirit, may it never die. Opens in a new window or tab. Margi Falk. 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.. Each of the awesome giants flies more than 200,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour over a 3,500-mile range. When I went back in 1970 out of McCord it was on World Airlines. This presumed death toll made it the worst accident involving the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation. I do remember the door opening and it was like a blast furnace! I have grieved for them ever since. Wonderful memories. ! 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. Its a way to look back, said one woman planning to attend, Ann Price Montgomery, who joined Flying Tigers in 1968. Flying Tiger Line was ramping up operations in Vietnam, too, and it's believed maintenance standards dropped as a result of increased demand. Quickview. Each of the awesome giants flies more than 200,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour over a 3,500-mile range. Then all the guys just could not be held down by the stewerdesses and they did not even try to quiet the guys. A little over an hour later, it was expected to reach the coordinates of 140N 1350E. These men and their flight crew perished in what would become one of the biggest aviation mysteries out of the Vietnam War era. I flew over to Vietnam out of Travis October 3, 1970 on Airlift International. Sixty years ago, as the U.S. was becoming more involved in the opening salvo of the Vietnam War, a Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation was making its way west. 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. On the paper were words that Donald Sargents motherKirks grandmotherfound too incomprehensible to believe. 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. Meanwhile, the flight attendants were becoming like a family. Very interesting. She then asked me Why of all the Corpsmen/servicemen on this plane was I the only one that didnt ask for her address and telephone number? I told her that (1. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. They wanted to cry but stifled the impulse. By the mid-1960s, it was flying scheduled transpacific all-cargo routes and in the late 1980s, it was acquired by Federal Express. they developed an air delivery system that has become the standard by almost What were the life expectancies of soldiers during the Vietnam War? we sat silently in the darkness almost trying to will ourselves into that jet thru the air. We crossed over the international dateline and it became the 2nd of January. . 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. There was no indication in this message or in any other of difficulties, ICAO said. Six decades later, and the families of those onboard Flight 739 still dont know what happened. (1968-1989), B-747-100 Flying Tigers was the first airline to operate Boeing 747 passenger aircraft converted into efficient air freighters. I was USAF and made that stop in Alaska. 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. Circa 1968-1972 Vietnam War CASI Continental Air Services Inc Shirt Type 1st Officer Wing RARE Item: aircw60001sw. Some of the now-adult children of those on board speculate that the flight made it, but that passengers were captured, Kirk said. I sat on the left side isle with a window seat just to the rear edge of the left wing. Great article; Thanks. She had many stories. Pre-Owned. And there were parties every single day and every single night, Foster remembered. Onboard were 107 people, all of whom remain missing as the aircraft was never found after its disappearance. I remember one of the attendants wishing my a HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Reach further with Vietnam Airlines flights, a Skyteam member and a global leading 4-Star Skytrax and awarded airline. 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. I had read everything in sight that was in the pocket of the seat in front of me. The next stop was Saigon where we left off troops. Fosters opposition to the war only intensified; she attended anti-war meetings and demonstrations on her days off. (1953-1958), Constellation Gen. -- The Lockheed Super H Constellation, airlifting 43,000 pounds of freight at 300 miles per hour over a 2,500-miles range, helped Flying Tigers revolutionize the marketing map of the United States with the first nonstop, transcontinental airfreight schedules. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. I flew on Trans Carribiean twice from Travis and experienced the feelings described in the piece. B-747-100 Flying Tigers was the first airline to operate Boeing 747 passenger aircraft converted into efficient air freighters. Seller 99.4% positive. I went and returned on a Flying Tiger plane and remember very well the sensitive and kind treatment from the stewardesses both directions. The Douglas DC-8-63AF N783FT (msn 46003) they flew is, remarkably, still . 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! Over 20 families gathered in May to witness the unveiling of a new memorial in Columbia Falls, Maine, dedicated to the victims of Flying Tiger Line Flight 739. The company had a contract to fly U.S. servicemen into Vietnam and to bring troops home after their tours were complete. 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. race to get Asians flying in a region set to overtake the United States as the biggest aviation market. 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. Pre-Owned. Was processed out of the Army at Fort Lewis, got a military standby flight for$11. 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. Pre 1965 - MAAG GUTS AIRLINE - Vietnam - CIA - Z.017. . The first two of these saw delays due to engine maintenance having to be carried out. Thanks to all of you that attempted to make our journies more comfortable. Notable among the Tigers' achievements were their participation in both the Korean and Vietnam airlifts. a version of Purgatory, The motto in the beginning was "Anything, Anytime, Anywhere". Prices and availability are subject to change. Put on the clothing and shoes that I had been wearing befor going to war. 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. America's stake in the Vietnam War didn't begin as late as history books specify. We turned off our running lights to avoid ground fire.. Dont remember who flew me over my second trip in Dec. 71. 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. Capable of lifting 7,000 pounds over a version of the famed DC-3. 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. These ladies were great listeners and very supportive. Great article, spot on! 2019 by the San Francisco Airport Commission. 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.. But for the ladies I say Thank you I was one of those 18 year old boys that was scared to death. Departed Bien Hoa (21 Apr 69)) on Flying Tiger (Stretch 8) with fuel stop in Japan. In March 1962, one such personnel-carrying flight went missing en route to Vietnam. 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. AU $157.06. 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. We were eventually invited to leave the club and told to not come back Welcome Home from the USAF in Kadena. (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. The year 1962, however, would be a particularly bad year for the airline started by former military pilots. It was a move that would make FedEx the worlds largest, full-service cargo airline. Shared with Public Cleaning up today and found this binder. Compounding the mystery was that there was no physical evidence of what happened, not even an oil slick. Top Rated Plus. 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. We all knew that some going would not make it back alive. I often wondered what happened to them and now your story has given closure. 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. 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. The company said it needed flight attendants. The soldiers onboard were flying there not to fight, but to help train South Vietnamese forces. 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