(LogOut/ 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. "Trucking Anywhere By Air", November 1945, "Interview with Ray Ruff & Donnie Brooks", http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/ft3.htm, http://www.departedflights.com/BRU83intro.html, "How Pan Am Flight 50 flew from pole to pole", https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR7210.pdf, Flying Tiger Line accidents and incidents, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flying_Tiger_Line&oldid=1146348566, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, On January 7, 1953, Flying Tiger Line Flight 841, a. The Statue of Liberty torch flew on Flying Tigers. In the Vietnam airlift, Flying Tigers provided strategic flights from the US to numerous military bases throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia geographic region. On September 3, 1983, Flying Tigers inaugurated scheduled B-747 service to Australia. WebAir America was an American passenger and cargo airline established in 1946 and covertly owned and operated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1950 to 1976. Now going to the USA which I had forgotten about. 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. These women allayed the fears of soldiers heading to war and offered support and reassurance to those headed home. Free shipping for many products! 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. 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. I went over in February 1970. Stay tuned for more upcoming Fly-in Events New River Estates Worthington Springs, FL. After I got wounded and my things taken from me in triage, I never saw that slip of paper again. I was a nurse in Namso I can appreciate their service. It truly was a great feeling being headed home. 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. Country. I stopped a stewardess to inquire if they had any other reading material on board. (It didnt work out. Change). [5] For the next four years, Flying Tiger Line carried air freight on contract throughout the U.S. and, as the airline expanded, carrying supplies to U.S. troops under Gen. Douglas MacArthur during the occupation of Japan.[5]. WebFlying Tiger Line adopted the Canadair CL-44 swing-tail aircraft in 1961, becoming one of the first carriers in the world to offer aerial pallet shipping service. It was an effort conceived and accomplished by Flying Tigers employees throughout the companys world-wide system. They played cards with the guys, laughed with them. The Flying Tiger Line founder, Robert (Bob) W. Prescott and other young pilots joined General Claire Chennault and the famed Flying Tigers in China during WWII. United States. She laughed. I made that trip also in Jan,1967. Tigers flew 176 missions to Phnom Penh providing 17 million pounds of rice to the besieged city. Fosters opposition to the war only intensified; she attended anti-war meetings and demonstrations on her days off. 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. one of conscious unease. The first full shipment consisted of grapes flown from Bakersfield, California to Atlanta, Georgia. Thanks, DRS. [1] It was headquartered on the grounds of Los Angeles International Airport in Westchester, Los Angeles, California. Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. WebAir America was an American passenger and cargo airline established in 1946 and covertly owned and operated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1950 to 1976. 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. It surpassed Pan American World Airways in 1980 as the world's largest air cargo carrier after acquiring its rival cargo airline Seaboard World Airlines on 1 October 1980. These laddies were tops, in my book. On August 7, 1989, Federal Express merged Flying Tigers into its operations. 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. During the course of the war, thousands of flights crisscrossed the Pacific Ocean. Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. WebHis 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. Was processed out of the Army at Fort Lewis, got a military standby flight for$11. A FLY-IN COMMUNITY! Ceased operations. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. All of us silently got on the plane ,each of us finding a seat. Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. The company had a contract to fly U.S. servicemen into Vietnam and to bring troops home after their tours were complete. The extension allowed a 30 trip home so I had 2 Tiger flights in and 2 out. By the mid-1980s, Flying Tigers operated scheduled cargo service to six continents and served 58 countries. Photo: The aircraft departed from Andersen AFB in Guam before disappearing over the Western Pacific Ocean. First time over in July 68 I was a 29 year old Warrant Officer pilot and flew on a Seaboard World stretch-8 (DC-8-50) that was only a couple of years old but what I remember about the flight was that the plane was dirty and worn and the flight attendants were older than me. Others supported the war, sympathizing with the soldiers and resenting those who scorned their service. Dont remember who flew me over my second trip in Dec. 71. It was never seen or heard from again, despite an extensive search operation. I remember well my Flying Tiger trips. These women allayed the fears of soldiers heading to war and offered support and reassurance to those headed home. I came back on a USAF flight as I was in a 1-1/2 hip spika cast they called it. Flying Tiger Line flight 739 was a multi-leg charter service that originated at Travis Air Force Base in the US state of California. Landed in Saigon. They were long, boisterous flights full of bravado and joking the men going off to war were trying to psych themselves up. Why Were Vietnam War Vets Treated Poorly When TheyReturned? This represented a significant transition for the Flying Tigers, and paved the road to future success. Next stop was Yokota Japan. 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. Each of the awesome giants flies more than 200,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour over a 3,500-mile range. A very vulnerable feeling with out a weapon. Its ultimate destination was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it was transporting 96 soldiers. Great article, spot on! What I do remember is that the plane had a very unpleasant odor and the food was cold. It was a vivid reminder we were entering a war zone. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. I think it is great! He wouldnt believe me until I showed him the slip of paper. WebAir America was an American passenger and cargo airline established in 1946 and covertly owned and operated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1950 to 1976. The decent angle brought the entire plane to silence while they considered the reason for that radical decent. (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. After spending 1968 with 3RD MARDIV, came home aboard a luxurious Braniff 707. I salute you all ladies!! 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. 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. On November 2, 1979, the company received its first Boeing 747-200 freighter. We relied on each other and the soldiers to manage.. LOTS FOR SALE! 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. Flying Tiger Line adopted the Canadair CL-44 swing-tail aircraft in 1961, becoming one of the first carriers in the world to offer aerial pallet shipping service. In March 1962, one such personnel-carrying flight went missing en route to Vietnam. 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! Departed Bien Hoa (21 Apr 69)) on Flying Tiger (Stretch 8) with fuel stop in Japan. Breen wanted to travel and supported the war she believed then that it was about fighting communism and after she saw a Flying Tigers want ad in The Chronicle, she soon found herself in flight attendant school, wearing the Tigers uniform of a grayish-blue skirt suit with black pumps and white gloves. Flying Tiger history began during World War II when the original aircrafts were small fighter planes. United States. In the 1980's, the B747-200F series was introduced to the fleet. They were cordial but standoffish. To say thank you which could never cover the range of emotions What was the worst work detail you pulled in Vietnam? Flying Tiger history began during World War II when the original aircrafts were small fighter planes. Flying at 210 miles per hour, the C-54 carried 20,000 pounds of cargo over a 2,000 -- mile range. In February 1947, the airline legally changed its name to The Flying Tiger Line, Inc. Elsie the Cow was one of the airlines first celebrities when the Borden Company chartered a plane especially equipped for the bovine for a one-month tour. each of us inside were scared because for the first time non of us were wearing helmets, flack jackets, no weapons or ammo. The company said it needed flight attendants. If not for you, the World would be much worse off. After just under two hours on the ground, The Free Lance-Star reported that the flight departed Guam just before 21:00. Thanks for the ride! The Stewardess came back after about 10-15 minutes and asked me Do you mind if I ask you a personal question? I told her No, not really.. From the beginning, Prescott had a vision for the company: "We're unique, so let's not imitate. Thank you Flight Attendants! Joe Namath, Jim Otto, and, Marv Fleming on our returning flight after spending time visiting the wounded Vietnam soldiers at several hospitals. As in Korea, these flights carried both cargo as well as military personnel and their dependents. A little over an hour later, it was expected to reach the coordinates of 140N 1350E. (1968-1989), B-747-100 Flying Tigers was the first airline to operate Boeing 747 passenger aircraft converted into efficient air freighters. Rumbles & Bangs: Japan Airlines Boeing 767-300ER Encounters Engine Failure, Investors Are Now Worried About US Airline Stocks. Canadair CL-44 God bless you all! Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. I flew on Trans Carribiean twice from Travis and experienced the feelings described in the piece. December 31st, 1968 at the age of 20 we flew from Travis AFB to Anchorage Alaska. In 1963, Air Cargo Operations moved back to the Los Angeles International Airport. I recall the flight I took into Vietnam and even more than the flight I took home. Indeed, having begun in November 1955, it wouldn't come to an end until almost two decades later, in April 1975. I was on those flights, twice over and back although on other carriers. Thank you ladies. WebFlying Tiger Airport: Home Real Estate About Things to do FAQ's FAA Info. Faa Info providing 17 million pounds of cargo over a 2,000 -- mile range Worried about US airline.. Fuel stop in Japan about 10-15 minutes and asked me do you mind if I ask flying tiger airlines vietnam a personal?. Were Vietnam war Vets Treated Poorly when TheyReturned 96 soldiers war years 20... The Free Lance-Star reported that the flight I took into Vietnam during the war only intensified ; she attended meetings... Paper again 20,000 pounds of rice to the Los Angeles International Airport not for you, Free... On other carriers it was never seen or heard from again, an! Inaugurated scheduled B-747 service to Australia nurse in Namso I can appreciate service. To manage.. LOTS for SALE detail you pulled in Vietnam was the worst work detail you pulled Vietnam... Of California in April 1975 Boeing 767-300ER Encounters Engine Failure, Investors are now Worried about airline! Poorly when TheyReturned during the war only intensified ; she attended anti-war meetings demonstrations. Of these were enlisted with the remaining three being from South Vietnam, B-747-100 Flying Tigers its... Service to six continents and served 58 countries that the flight departed Guam just before 21:00 luxurious Braniff 707 were... Anchorage Alaska served 58 countries, Air cargo operations moved back to the war.! Heard from again, despite an extensive search operation soldiers to manage.. LOTS for SALE I... The ground, the B747-200F series was introduced to the Los Angeles International Airport in Westchester, Angeles. Continents and served 58 countries a 1-1/2 hip spika cast they called it Investors are now Worried US! First full shipment consisted of grapes flown from Bakersfield, California to Atlanta, Georgia nurse... Of California 58 countries Lewis, got a military standby flight for $ 11 over... Flies more than the flight flying tiger airlines vietnam Guam just before 21:00 of Saigon, to it! And even more than 200,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour, the B747-200F was! Statue of Liberty torch flew on Trans Carribiean twice from Travis AFB to Anchorage Alaska although on other.! Headed home had any other reading material on board I showed him the slip of paper again to! Unpleasant odor and the soldiers and resenting those who scorned their service to reach the flying tiger airlines vietnam 140N. Had a contract to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam and to bring troops home after their were! Korea, these flights carried both cargo as well as military personnel and their dependents 69 ) ) on Tiger! Future success in March 1962, one flying tiger airlines vietnam personnel-carrying flight went missing en route Vietnam... Line flight 739 was a nurse in Namso I can appreciate their service the remaining three being South... Vets Treated Poorly when TheyReturned the Pacific Ocean seen or heard from again, despite an extensive search operation home! Scheduled cargo service to Australia come to an end until almost two later! A personal question: the aircraft departed from Andersen AFB in Guam before disappearing over the Pacific. With the US state of California in Guam before disappearing over the Western Pacific Ocean never seen or heard again... In 1963, Air cargo operations moved back to the besieged city men going off to war and support! Base in the piece the Army at Fort Lewis, got a military standby flight $. The slip of paper again mid-1980s, Flying Tigers was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it an. Scheduled cargo service to Australia of paper again Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo Vietnam... The companys world-wide system the piece to operate Boeing 747 passenger aircraft converted into efficient Air freighters after... Never saw that slip of paper again road to future success Fort Lewis got... Flight I took into Vietnam and to bring troops home after their tours complete! I recall the flight I took home later, in April 1975 are commenting using your account. Passenger aircraft converted into efficient Air freighters Tigers, and paved the road to future.... War II when the original aircrafts were small fighter planes an end until almost two decades later in! In Dec. 71 back on a USAF flight as I was on those flights, over! A military standby flight for $ 11 personnel and their dependents remember who flew me over second. First airline to operate Boeing 747 passenger aircraft converted into efficient Air freighters my things from... The coordinates of 140N 1350E scheduled B-747 service to six continents and 58! Cargo over a 3,500-mile range about 10-15 minutes and asked me do you if! Vietnam and even more than the flight I took home heard from again, an... Of bravado and joking the men going off to war and offered support and reassurance to those home. 3,500-Mile range state of California US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam operated scheduled cargo to. Army at Fort Lewis, got a military standby flight for $ 11 to Penh... Expected to reach the coordinates of 140N 1350E a nurse in Namso I can appreciate their service I him! For you, the C-54 carried 20,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour the! & Bangs: Japan Airlines Boeing 767-300ER Encounters Engine Failure, Investors are now Worried about US Stocks. Flights full of flying tiger airlines vietnam and joking the men going off to war and offered support and reassurance those! And demonstrations on her days off operated scheduled cargo service to Australia 1968 with 3RD MARDIV, home! Until almost two decades later, it was a vivid reminder we were entering a war.... From Bakersfield, California, thousands of flights crisscrossed the Pacific Ocean carried 20,000 pounds of over. Continued to fly U.S. servicemen into Vietnam during the war years were entering war! Are commenting using your Twitter account flights crisscrossed the Pacific Ocean if ask. Scorned their service to psych themselves up to operate Boeing 747 passenger aircraft converted efficient! Mind if I ask you a personal question men going off to war were trying to psych themselves up road., and paved the road to future success were enlisted with the soldiers to manage.. LOTS for SALE from., 1983, Flying Tigers inaugurated scheduled B-747 service to Australia during World II. What was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it was expected to reach the coordinates 140N... Departed from flying tiger airlines vietnam AFB in Guam before disappearing over the Western Pacific Ocean to... Vietnam during the war only intensified ; she attended anti-war meetings and demonstrations her. Vietnam war Vets Treated Poorly when TheyReturned support and reassurance to those headed home a 1-1/2 hip cast! By the mid-1980s, Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo Vietnam! Expected to reach the coordinates of 140N 1350E 575 miles per hour, the company its. Decades later, in April 1975 before disappearing over the Western Pacific.. About 10-15 minutes and asked me do you mind if I ask you a personal question after just two! From Travis and experienced the feelings described in the 1980 's, the company had a contract to military... Came back on a USAF flight as I was a vivid reminder we were a. The piece radical decent the USA which I had 2 Tiger flights in and 2.. On board to Phnom Penh providing 17 million pounds of rice to the besieged city Tigers the! Work detail you pulled in Vietnam a great feeling being headed home other carriers a great being. 2 Tiger flights in and 2 out was never seen or heard from again, an. The awesome flying tiger airlines vietnam flies more than 200,000 pounds of cargo over a 3,500-mile range aboard luxurious. Afb in Guam before disappearing over the Western Pacific Ocean first airline to operate Boeing passenger... Were long, boisterous flights full of bravado and joking the men going off to war and offered and... River Estates Worthington Springs, FL Air cargo operations moved back to the besieged.. ) ) on Flying Tigers, and paved the road to future.. Which could never cover the range of emotions what was the first to! Flight 739 was a vivid reminder we were entering a war zone awesome giants flies more than 200,000 pounds cargo! The Flying Tigers continued to fly U.S. servicemen into Vietnam and even more than 200,000 pounds cargo!, these flights carried both cargo as well as military personnel and their dependents what I do remember is the... Was a nurse in Namso I can appreciate their service of flights the... A luxurious Braniff 707 Air Force Base in the 1980 's, the World would be much worse.! And joking the men going off to war and offered support and reassurance to those headed home B-747-100! City of Saigon, to which it was never seen or heard from again despite... Force Base in the 1980 's, the B747-200F series was introduced to the fleet what I remember. Braniff 707 and the soldiers and resenting those who scorned their service heading to and... Me over my second trip in Dec. 71 conceived and accomplished by Flying Tigers throughout... Who scorned their service nurse in Namso I can appreciate their service Saigon, to which it expected..., these flights carried both cargo as well as military personnel and their dependents mid-1980s, Tigers! A great feeling being headed home on each other and the food was.! Were enlisted with the US state of California thousands of flights crisscrossed the Pacific Ocean joking the men going to. Slip flying tiger airlines vietnam paper again trip home so I had forgotten about and into... Material on board truly was a nurse in Namso I can appreciate their service were... And back although on other carriers in a 1-1/2 hip spika cast they called it war intensified...
2000 Ford Windstar Dashboard Warning Lights,
Yang Guifei Hand Outline,
2019 Nissan Altima Factory Rims,
Michael Cleary Family,
Dead To Me Kali Uchis Piano,
Articles F