{Photo: Ruth As]. These flights were also a powerful and moving experience for a generation of young women who served aboard these aircraft as flight attendants. Im still trying to figure out how to coordinate one of our own with one of theirs. 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. I was trying to keep from thinking about that. If not for you, the World would be much worse off. Quickview. Here we are, 60 years later, Kevin Woodward, remembrance coordinator at Wreaths Across America, said Wednesday during the ceremony. Yes, it was a memorable 4 day flight. Flying the Freedom Birds: Airlines and the Vietnam War. Pre-Owned. Thanks so much to all the people that participated in this adventure and thanks for helping us all get there and back. ATDB.aero shows that it spent most of its career at Flying Tiger Line, but did also serve Lufthansa on a leased basis. I went to Nam aboard a ship which very nicely cut 21 days off my tour. Fosters opposition to the war only intensified; she attended anti-war meetings and demonstrations on her days off. Not Flying Tigers but nevertheless an unforgettable flight. Apart from Pan Am and Braniff, also Continental, Northwest, TWA, United, World Airways, Flying Tiger, Seaboard World, among others. It brought back memories from 68. I remember how kind and understanding these ladies were to we soldiers going to a war zone. Flying Tiger history began during World War II when the original aircrafts were small fighter planes. 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. Her byline has appeared in numerous online and print publications including Al Jazeera America, USA Today, ForeignPolicy.com and US News & World Report. I went back and was thumbing through all of the books there trying to find something that would keep me preoccupied from thinking about Viet Nam. And this aricle brought back many memories, both sad & scared, and delighted and full of joy! With the DC-8, Flying Tigers was able to inaugurate daily international schedules on routes linking the major markets of the U.S. and Asia. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. Entdecke FLIEGENDER TIGER LINE AIRLINES AUFNHER in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! We crossed over the international dateline and it became the 2nd of January. Operated primarily on transpacific military contract routes, the planes carried 73,000 pounds of freight at 550 miles per hour over a 3,000 range. It brought back a lot of memories. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 was a Lockheed Super Constellation aircraft, which is pictured here. Thank you Jason for a story well told. It was obvious the airplane had been used a lot, but it was clean and the attendants were friendly and upbeat. The names of those who gave their lives and who remain missing are inscribed here so that they will be said aloud and their memory will live on.. (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. While it may not hold the same weight to some as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, it will forever be a special place to remember their loved ones service and sacrifice., The inscription on the monument reads: Missing in action; Presumed dead. Shared with Public Cleaning up today and found this binder. The Army did pay out life insurance for Donald, but it was only $264. 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. Capable of lifting 7,000 pounds over a version of the famed DC-3. I just stood there in my bedroom looking out the window for a very long time,saying to myself Did that really happen??? or Best Offer +$7.50 shipping. Those ladies had a very important part in the war and they are to be commended for their service. And yes, we had a flight load of pucker factor and apprehension. In the Vietnam airlift, Flying Tigers provided strategic flights from the US to numerous military bases throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia geographic region. The decent angle brought the entire plane to silence while they considered the reason for that radical decent. Outstanding article! Flugzeugfotos und Luftfahrtfotos - Fotos ansehen, suchen oder hochladen! All rights reserved. These men and their flight crew perished in what would become one of the biggest aviation mysteries out of the Vietnam War era. These laddies were tops, in my book. We all wanted to get home, but wondered if this old crate could get us there. An aspect of nowhere, 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. Departed Bien Hoa (21 Apr 69)) on Flying Tiger (Stretch 8) with fuel stop in Japan. I was a different person. Theres nothing, no trace of anything, said Jennifer Kirk, niece of an Army Ranger who was on board Flight 739. These men and their flight crew perished in what would become one of the biggest aviation. Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. The flight attendants, although very young themselves, couldnt believe how young the troops were just 17 and 18 in some cases. I then went back to my seat with a book after putting that slip of paper in my wallet. Malaysia Airlines, Royal Jordanian,SAS, Thai International, Vietnam Airlines and most notably SingaporeAirlines, where I . Thank you ladies, Im one of those boys. Like you were going to hang around. Circa 1968-1972 Vietnam War CASI Continental Air Services Inc Shirt Type 1st Officer Wing RARE Item: aircw60001sw. 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. each of us inside were scared because for the first time non of us were wearing helmets, flack jackets, no weapons or ammo. The picture below shows a full plane of troops heading to Vietnam on a Flying Tiger Flight. All reactions: 38 11 comments 4 shares Like Comment The search by sea and air was of such an intensity and thoroughness that it can be conclusively stated that debris and survivors from the plane did not exist Consequently, after a full review and consideration of all available evidence, it has been concluded that for an unknown reason the plane plunged into the sea with all its passengers.. It was her name, address and telephone number with the instructions that if it didnt work out between me and my fiance after I came back to give her a call because she saw something in me that she had been looking for. The CVR for Flying Tiger Line flight 66, with added subtitles.The following are all resources used for the making of this video:1) Transcript of flight: http. That motto lasted until the airline was taken over by Federal Express in the late 1980's. They were recruited to fly for the Republic of China with the quiet approval of the United States government. He wouldnt believe me until I showed him the slip of paper. The picture below shows a full plane of troops heading to Vietnam on a Flying Tiger Flight. Very good article. It broke my heart the way they were treated a few years later, especially knowing I had been in attendance on their flight into a war zone, and wondered how they had faired in the return to the USA. The soldiers on Flight 739 were on a mission to do whatever the government told them to do, Kirk said. These were to take place in Honolulu, Wake Island, Guam, and the Philippines (Clark Air Base). or Best Offer. The driver honked his horn but didnt get out. 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. In March 1962, one such personnel-carrying flight went missing en route to Vietnam. 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. I only wish that I could stand before these wonderful ladies. 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. (LogOut/ 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 flight had originated at Travis AFB, Ca. 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. Many flight attendants struggled at first to contain their own emotions. Thank you for writing this story, it was way overdue. Some of the now-adult children of those on board speculate that the flight made it, but that passengers were captured, Kirk said. Thank you for taking care of us. Pre-Owned. 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. I was 24, Breen recalled. I spent one year there and flew 15 missions in Vietnam, 8 north and 7 south. I was a Flying Tiger Flight Attendant for 5 years, and those many experiences flying into Tan Son Nhut. 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.. The company had a contract to fly U.S. servicemen into Vietnam and to bring troops home after their tours were complete. Curtis Smith served to disbandment and afterward returned to the U.S. Marines. (1961 - 1969), Flying Tigers met the challenge of the jet age with Boeing 707-349C intercontinental jets. America's stake in the Vietnam War didn't begin as late as history books specify. 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. Flying Tiger was my airline of choice. https://open.spotify.com/show/5Th7BCpIKDE1hVTqNL3u0Q. Thank you Flying Tiger! And welcome home. 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 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. )I was engaged and (2.) The food on the airplane had to be thrown away because there was no refrigeration on the aircraft for over 48 hours. I was a nurse in Namso I can appreciate their service. 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. Additional terms apply. I flew on Trans Carribiean twice from Travis and experienced the feelings described in the piece. 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. 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. Marine leaving from Da Nang Jan 31, 1971 to Okinawa Japan, 3 days later back to the World by way of Alaska to Nortin AFB. Almost all US scheduled and charter carriers with appropriate equipment operated to Vietnam. 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. Various conspiracy theories regarding sabotage have arisen, but the flight's exact fate will likely remain unknown. . In the years during and after World War II, military veterans were given special preference to purchase or lease government surplus aircraft. 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 . This exhibition is currently available online only. Thanks, DRS. 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. Reply 29th Aug 2010, 11:32 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. Thank you Flight Attendants! McCord was doing maintenance on the runway. No lights on the plane in the dark. Forums Index - All forums; Portal page; MSFS 2020; FSX - FS2004 and Earlier Owing to the complex geopolitical circumstances of the mid to late 20th century, it was also involved in military charters, flying both cargo and troops to conflict zones. I was old as dirt to them.. Many airlines operated the flights, the most obvious being the Braniff, Continental, Pan Am, United, Seabord World etc 707s and DC-8s, as well as the smaller charter airlines like Universal I also understand the approaches into the airport there could at times be comparable to emergency descents - very rapid! 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. Wonderful article and I went to Vietnam on Flying Tiger Airlines in 1966. 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. There was more to this exciting excursion. This is what I wrote when I had set up my home page on geocities which is now archived: 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. a version of Purgatory, I went and returned on a Flying Tiger plane and remember very well the sensitive and kind treatment from the stewardesses both directions. I sat looking out the window the whole flight home, never said a word. My return flight was one of those that cheered as we lifted off. 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. Sixty years later, theres still little trace that the lives of the servicemembers were even lost to the Vietnam War. What I do remember is that the plane had a very unpleasant odor and the food was cold. Flying with Vietjet with thousands of tickets. On Wednesday, families of those lost on Flight 739 gathered in Columbia Falls, Maine, for a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the loss of Tiger Flight 739. 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. Flying Tiger aircraft were getting old and worn, but their flight attendants were still top notch. 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. All attempts to re-establish contact with the flight were unsuccessful.. 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. At 8:22 a.m. on March 16the time when FTL 739s fuel would have officially run outthe flight was declared lost. Remember the illumination flares as we were coming in on final as the sun had not come up yet. I never heard of Tiger air until I read this article. There was no military service at the funeral. Sign up | Sign in. So they tried to keep it light. I gotta go make a life for myself. So, he joined the army.. Ardith, I know we GIs werent always gentlemen, but thank you so very much for all that you and your sister attendants did for us on our flights too and from that hell hole of a war in SAE. 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. Great article and I do so remember that flight and not having even an idea what was waiting for me .. . We turned off our running lights to avoid ground fire.. Color photograph of Flying Tiger Line's Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation N6921C. Photo: Unsolved Disappearance: The Story Of Flying Tiger Line Flight 739, USAF/Mike Andriacco via Wikimedia Commons, The Asiana-Korean Air Merger Has Been Green Lighted By The UK, Up Close & Personal: Lufthansa's New Double First Class Suite, Why Ryanair Isn't Following Wizz Air To The Wider Middle East & Asia, Quadjet Prospects: Switzerland's Edelweiss Set To Receive Another Airbus A340, Engine Failure Onboard Thai Smile Airbus A320 Followed By Tail Strike, Japan Airlines Serves A Banana As Vegan Meal. I know that I should have written to her while I was in Vietnam, but like things go I had more important thoughts on my mind such as surviving and looking out for my men. She very quickly wrote down something and gave it to me. Photo: The aircraft departed from Andersen AFB in Guam before disappearing over the Western Pacific Ocean. . Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. 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. Then all the guys just could not be held down by the stewerdesses and they did not even try to quiet the guys. A great story, even made me cry, vaguely remembering the trips each way, to and from Vietnam. And there were parties every single day and every single night, Foster remembered. It wasnt delivered, Kirk said. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. With this plane's nose-loading capabilities, Flying Tigers accommodated even more challenging air freight combinations in size, shape and quantity. By the mid-1960s, it was flying scheduled transpacific all-cargo routes and in the late 1980s, it was acquired by Federal Express. Six decades later, and the families of those onboard Flight 739 still dont know what happened. 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