Some say it was sabotage, she said. 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. MAAG THAILAND . I was a Flying Tiger Flight Attendant for 5 years, and those many experiences flying into Tan Son Nhut. 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. Many flight attendants struggled at first to contain their own emotions. . from United States Best Airline Business in Southeast Asia. I flew into Sea-Trac on Flying Tiger Airlines from Camh Rhan October 4 , 1971. From Singapore, there are three daily direct flights that arrive in Ho Chi Minh City. I do remember the door opening and it was like a blast furnace! The former stewardesses of Tiger Airlines still reminisce about their experiences with those brave soldiers, coming and going to Vietnam a long time ago. The next stop was Saigon where we left off troops. Founded in 1945 by a group of pilots who had flown in World War II, Flying Tigers was Americas first major cargo airline, a seat-of-the-pants operation that hauled freight on Canadian turboprop planes. After I got wounded and my things taken from me in triage, I never saw that slip of paper again. Many of these people became valuable members of the Flying Tigers family. Apart from Pan Am and Braniff, also Continental, Northwest, TWA, United, World Airways, Flying Tiger, Seaboard World, among others. I went to Nam not on a Flying Tiger plane, and made it back home in one piece with no PTSD, only a parasite from the veggies. Indeed, having begun in November 1955, it wouldn't come to an end until almost two decades later, in April 1975. 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. from United States. High over the Pacific, 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. On Wednesday morning in Sacramento, as many as 30 former flight attendants for the airline are reuniting to honor servicemen killed in the war. They coped, as always, by leaning on each other. . 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. A keen amateur photographer, he also recently reached the milestone of flying his 100th sector as a passenger. Opens in a new window or tab. Pre-Owned. (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. with stopovers in Honolulu and Wake Island before arriving in Guam. When you went to school for Pan Am, they showed you how to do your makeup and your hair. I would have been on Flying Tigers returning to the states. Flying Tiger Line was the first scheduled cargo airline in the U.S., founded by ex-military pilots in 1945. 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. Now going to the USA which I had forgotten about. 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. Veterans Affairs also bought a headstone marker, but even in that, the sense of military courtesy for the family seemed to evaporate, too. 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. Pre-Owned. 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 the Boeing 707s supplemented by Canadair CL-44s, Flying Tigers supplied U.S. military forces and became the largest carrier of cargo in the Pacific. Pre-Owned. Outstanding article! 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. 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. $18.00. I remember how kind and understanding these ladies were to we soldiers going to a war zone. For some the experience changed their political beliefs, although they tried to keep politics off the plane. In this decade the company developed an extensive global network, directly servicing all continents except for Africa, which was served through interlining. We turned off our running lights to avoid ground fire.. 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. Vintage Flying Tigers Airline 1981 Timetable from/to Greece - Flying Tiger Line. $35.00. Like you were going to hang around. As in Korea, these flights carried both cargo as well as military personnel and their dependents. Quickview. Reply 29th Aug 2010, 11:32 The other airlines that that had the contracts to take service men to that war zone in South East Asia was Seaboard World Air lines it was rumored to be own by lady bird Johnson as she was on the Board of directors of Braniff International air ways and that they and Tiger Airlines got those troop movement contracts back in the day; The old boy network was in bed with the men sitting in the white house: Flying Tiger 707 (March 68) from Travis to Anchorage (refuel), on to Okinawa (refuel), and finally to Bien Hoa. 60 Years Missing: The Mystery Of Flying Tiger Line Flight 739, marked the first day of the Vietnam War Campaign, USAF Shot Down 3 Unidentified Objects That Posed Threat To Civilian Aircraft, U.S. Military Collecting Debris From Downed Spy Balloon. Wonderful article and I went to Vietnam on Flying Tiger Airlines in 1966. 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 Station Agana, Guam; and Clark Air Force Base, Luzon, C $142.86. Flying Tiger Line was ramping up operations in Vietnam, too, and it's believed maintenance standards dropped as a result of increased demand. What Was It Like To Hump The Boonies in Vietnam? ATDB.aero shows that it spent most of its career at Flying Tiger Line, but did also serve Lufthansa on a leased basis. The Douglas DC-8-63AF N783FT (msn 46003) they flew is, remarkably, still . That motto lasted until the airline was taken over by Federal Express in the late 1980's. Shared with Public Cleaning up today and found this binder. Its a way to look back, said one woman planning to attend, Ann Price Montgomery, who joined Flying Tigers in 1968. And after the fall of Saigon in 1975, when the war ended, they remained connected. 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. {Photo: Ruth As]. between heaven and hell. En route to Saigon, the flight was set to make several refueling stops. What I do remember is that the plane had a very unpleasant odor and the food was cold. 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. Breen went from being gung ho about the war to suspecting the government was lying and thinking the war was a mistake. Budd Conestoga Gen. -- Flying Tiger Line's first aircraft was the Budd Conestoga, an all -- stainless steel, rear--loading, twin--engine aircraft. Others supported the war, sympathizing with the soldiers and resenting those who scorned their service. When a positive story about the Vietnam experience shows up it helps the healing that many of us need. Asia Pacific Low Cost Airline of the Year 2019. The aircraft operating the flight was a Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation registered as N6921C. Circa 1968-1972 Vietnam War CASI Continental Air Services Inc Shirt Type 1st Officer Wing RARE Item: aircw60001sw. Dont remember who flew me over my second trip in Dec. 71. Mel Beers ret first sergeant . I very much enjoyed it and had no idea that those very attractive young ladies felt that way about us. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 went missing on March 16, 1962, with 93 U.S. Army soldiers on board. Her sentiments are echoed by Judy Meyer, who flew for United Air Lines, It was some of the best flying I ever did. Although these women were an integral part of the Vietnam War experience, their contributions are largely unknown outside of the veteran community. $375.00. 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. Landed in Saigon. All reactions: 38 11 comments 4 shares Like Comment B-747-100 Flying Tigers was the first airline to operate Boeing 747 passenger aircraft converted into efficient air freighters. Others slept for hours, exhausted and often traumatized from their experiences in Vietnam. )I was engaged and (2.) I was one of those Men that you brought back to the World. 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 remember we had trouble on departure from Travis and then landed at Hickham and had to spend the night awaiting a replacement aircraft. Its ultimate destination was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it was transporting 96 soldiers. And many didnt know what to think, caught between respect for the military and horror over the fates of the boys on their flights. The monument in Maine has given many families a sense of peace that finally their loved ones names are recognized. Click on Links for More information About Each Plane. The airline industry is always full of new developments! 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. To say thank you which could never cover the range of emotions (1957 - 1967), Flying Tigers acquired the first turbine-powered air-freighter placed in service when it purchased a $55-million fleet of Canadair CL-44s in 1961. Unfortunately for me I returned in a Medevac flight from Japan Yokosuka Naval Hospital. I often wondered what happened to them and now your story has given closure. Jason Fagone is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. I made that trip also in Jan,1967. They wanted to cry but stifled the impulse. Available now to pre-order at Flying Tigers. (Pinterest) 15 March 1962: Flying Tiger Line Flight 7815/13 was a chartered flight for the Military Air Transport Service (M.A.T.S. Its variants seat 242 to 335 passengers in typical three-class seating configurations. (1945 - 1947). The jet went faster, higher, finally the landing gear came up into the plane. As a grunt and a company commander from the 1st ID, who had left a few week old daughter and now was headed home to see her and the rest of the finally, I didnt cry but I damn sure slept well on that plane for the first time in 18 months. 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. The years after the Vietnam war saw continued growth for the Flying Tigers. Vietnam-era airline crews carry memories of the men they flew to, fromwar, Videos, Film, Music, and Movies about VN War, Author interview War & Life: Discussions with a Veteran, A Chat Between Three Veterans [live video with author], Lest We Forget Meet the Authors & Book Signing April 4th: Cherries and Donut Dolly, Interview with author John Podlaski in Examiner Magazine, American Heroes Radio interviews author of Cherries A Vietnam War Novel, Cherries Author Interviewed on British Website, U.K. Blogspot posts interviews author, John Podlaski, More Book Reviews and author interviews about Cherries, The Story behind the famous Saigon Execution Photo. Addendum: While in transit on the plane, I had an unusual experience that Id like to share with everyone who reads this. 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