I wouldnt trade the experience for a million dollars, stated Julie Kane, a flight attendant for Seaboard World Airlines. This presumed death toll made it the worst accident involving the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation. I came back on a USAF flight as I was in a 1-1/2 hip spika cast they called it. 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. It brought back a lot of memories. On Wednesday morning in Sacramento, as many as 30 former flight attendants for the airline are reuniting to honor servicemen killed in the war. At 8:22 a.m. on March 16the time when FTL 739s fuel would have officially run outthe flight was declared lost. High over the Pacific, Another theory is that they landed and that theyre still alive. I remember one of the attendants wishing my a HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I have grieved for them ever since. Flying the Freedom Birds Airlines and the Vietnam War Freedom Bird. Prices and availability are subject to change. It brought back memories from 68. 2019 by the San Francisco Airport Commission. Eventually, in 1988, FedEx bought the airlines parent company, absorbing its routes and bringing the rough-and-tumble era of cargo aviation to a close. Addendum: While in transit on the plane, I had an unusual experience that Id like to share with everyone who reads this. Despite the intensity of the operations, many flight attendants found the military contract flights rewarding and continued to serve on them for years. 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. Until now, I mostly ignored the efforts of these people (especially the attendants they saw, heard & felt all of it). Thank you Jason for a story well told. Several of these commercial flights left daily from military air bases on the west coast, ferrying newly trained soldiers across the Pacific Ocean to war - replacements not only for those injured and killed soldiers, but also for those young men who survived their twelve month war and were now going home. Its ultimate destination was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it was transporting 96 soldiers. This was a very good and interesting article. Available now to pre-order at Flying Tigers. Copyright 2023 Flying Media. Really hurt thinking about that after I was out in the field for a couple of weeks on c-rations. We turned off our running lights to avoid ground fire.. I remember the Tiger flights and their wonderful crews. Thanks for the ride! 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. Opens in a new window or tab. return home flight in July 69 was on a Flying Tigers stretch-8. To kill time many of us went to the Officers Club, with the flight attendants in tow, and proceeded to party. The flight attendants, although very young themselves, couldnt believe how young the troops were just 17 and 18 in some cases. with stopovers in Honolulu and Wake Island before arriving in Guam. 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 . But my goal in life is that they will not be forgotten.. Entdecke FLIEGENDER TIGER LINE AIRLINES AUFNHER in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! 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. And after the fall of Saigon in 1975, when the war ended, they remained connected. I extended in Vietnam so that I could get out early. Wonderful article and I went to Vietnam on Flying Tiger Airlines in 1966. God Bless you all. As Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Flying Tiger Line the world's largest all-cargo airline, I had the direct responsibility for our operations in South Vietnam. The C-47 could fly 7,500 pounds of cargo over a range of 600 miles at 150 miles per hour. 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. When I went back in 1970 out of McCord it was on World Airlines. Its such a part of history, and our own personal history.. Pre-Owned. I just stood there in my bedroom looking out the window for a very long time,saying to myself Did that really happen??? America's stake in the Vietnam War didn't begin as late as history books specify. race to get Asians flying in a region set to overtake the United States as the biggest aviation market. But the flight attendants realized that many were understandably scared. Was processed out of the Army at Fort Lewis, got a military standby flight for$11. WELCOME to The FLYING TIGER Antiques & Vintage Historical Artifacts Website!!! I also n=mourned those I had lost there who could not return alive but were shipped home to grief stricken families. Various conspiracy theories regarding sabotage have arisen, but the flight's exact fate will likely remain unknown. I dont remember the faces of the flight attendantsprobably because I was so overwhelmed by my own emotions going to war and coming home. Finally the plane started to move down the runway faster and faster. Opens in a new window or tab. Room parties and roof parties and lobby parties and oh, my goodness.. The Flying Tigers were reactivated as the Marine Corps' second CH-53A squadron and re-designated Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 at New River North Carolina as part of Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing. . Many of these people became valuable members of the Flying Tigers family. A Lockheed Constellation L-1049, similar to the aircraft that disappeared. I recall the flight I took into Vietnam and even more than the flight I took home. One of the seven people on boardthe flight engineerwas killed in a fire that destroyed the aircraft and all its contents. I salute you all ladies!! {Photo: Ruth As]. 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. The estimated duration of its westbound flight to the Philippines was reportedly around eight hours, although the aircraft had enough fuel onboard to fly for another hour on top of that. $18.00. 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. Its a way to look back, said one woman planning to attend, Ann Price Montgomery, who joined Flying Tigers in 1968. The soldiers on Flight 739 were on a mission to do whatever the government told them to do, Kirk said. Others supported the war, sympathizing with the soldiers and resenting those who scorned their service. or Best Offer. War touches more people than the veterans who fought in it. I have never heard this or found any reference on it, but I knew it would be of interest - AB Flying around the world over the North and South Poles, the Pole Cat set eight speed and distance records. (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. And there were parties every single day and every single night, Foster remembered. The company said it needed flight attendants. I was a different person. It would be the first of a list of expected things that wouldnt materialize for the family, according to Kirk. Those were the days. Here we are, 60 years later, Kevin Woodward, remembrance coordinator at Wreaths Across America, said Wednesday during the ceremony. History - Flying Tiger Line was founded on 24 June 1945 by R.W. Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. The flight attendant standing at the top said see you in a year, Ill be wearing the same dress. It flew at 200 miles per hour, carried 13,000 pounds of cargo and had a range of 900 miles. They saw so much in those soldiers eyes and dealt with some truly emotional issues. Each of the awesome giants flies more than 200,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour over a 3,500-mile range. Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon Detected Over the U.S. DARPA Narrows Down Liberty Lifter Design Competition, USAF Awards Electra $85M Contract for eSTOL Aircraft, Navy Awards Textron Aviation $113M Contract for Multiengine Trainers, AOPA Names Regional Flight School, Instructor Award Winners, Biden Makes Unprecedented Surprise Trip To Ukraine, NTSB Launches Investigation Into 777s Sudden Loss of Altitude. Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. That was always the fun part, to take them out of there, remembered Gael Okicich, who flew with Tigers for 25 years. By 1949, the Flying Tiger Line had won approval for the first commercial all-cargo route in the U.S., according to an organization devoted to its history. Although the fledgling Flying Tiger Line was in a precarious financial situation during its early years, it enjoyed extraordinary growth throughout most of the 60's, and eventually emerged as the industry's foremost all-cargo carrier. Looking back, I owe them my deep thanks for doing their job so splendidly despite the emotional roller-coaster they must have been on. Great article; Thanks. FLYING TIGER AIRLINES - Patch - MAAG - 45th Transport - Early Vietnam War, #.500. 2023 CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website. All rights reserved. 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. 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. Marilyn Breen was 24 when a girlfriend called her from Japan, bragging that she had gotten a job with a different charter airline and was now sitting in Tokyo having her nails done for $1.50. Additional terms apply. They cant be forgotten.. The Army did pay out life insurance for Donald, but it was only $264. Opens in a new window or tab. Sellers with highest buyer ratings; As I was sitting down one of my friends who considered himself a ladies man, smarted off to me Oh, you struck out too, didnt you? I told him that I had not asked for her address that she gave it to me. These were to take place in Honolulu, Wake Island, Guam, and the Philippines (Clark Air Base). Reply 29th Aug 2010, 11:32 It was a vivid reminder we were entering a war zone. A keen amateur photographer, he also recently reached the milestone of flying his 100th sector as a passenger. And he said, Well, can you put all that aside when youre on the airplane and taking care of these boys? Foster recalled. 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