I sat on the left side isle with a window seat just to the rear edge of the left wing. Its a way to look back, said one woman planning to attend, Ann Price Montgomery, who joined Flying Tigers in 1968. Email:jason.fagone@sfchronicle.comTwitter:@jfagone, Link to the actual article: https://bit.ly/2PbitdY. A FLY-IN COMMUNITY! There were also 11 crew members onboard, giving a total occupancy of 107 people. On March 6, 1967, Flying Tigers first DC8-63F aircraft arrived. When I went back in 1970 out of McCord it was on World Airlines. As one observer put it, "Nobody brings in mail like those Tiger birds". The airline also played a major role in the construction of the Distant Early Warning Line, flying equipment to remote outposts in northern Canada and Alaska. In March 1962, one such personnel-carrying flight went missing en route to Vietnam. Hengi, Midland Publishing, List of defunct airlines of the United States. But for the ladies I say Thank you I was one of those 18 year old boys that was scared to death. That sounded good to Linda Greenwalt Foster, who had just dropped out of college and was looking for an adventure. My 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. WebAs Flying Tiger Line flight attendant Andee Wright recalled, There was no special training by the airlines or the military about how to handle it. While there I recall them telling us that there are enemy at the end of the runway and when we take off we are pulling up as fast as we can to keep from being hit. Flying Tiger history began during World War II when the original aircrafts were small fighter planes. WebFind many great new & used options and get the best deals for FLYING TIGERS Douglas DC-8 -Aviation Postcard Airlines-WGA-927 at the best online prices at eBay! The company said it needed flight attendants. After an almost three hour delay, the airplane is back in the air and en-route to our final destination Vietnam. On March 6, 1967, Flying Tigers first DC8-63F aircraft arrived. Sweet Jesus, I was back in the USA ; 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. The next stop was Saigon where we left off troops. On March 21, 1966, Flying Tiger Line Flight 6303, a, On December 24, 1966, a Flying Tiger Line Canadair CL-44 (N228SW), On February 15, 1979, Flying Tiger Line Flight 74, a. Not sure if the change in mood was due to smoked joints and beer, but it sure didnt hurt any. At 11:15PM June 29, 1968 I left Bien Hoa airport on a Trans International DC-10. (LogOut/ 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. Ten former AVG pilots, after returning to the United States in 1945, formed the Flying Tiger Line established on 24 June 1945 as National Freight Service known under the name of National Skyway Freight using a small fleet of 14 Budd Conestoga freighters purchased as war surplus from the United States Navy. A mysterious gang, The Black Snake Gang, is rising throughout the world. 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. I stopped a stewardess to inquire if they had any other reading material on board. This exhibition is currently available online only. In 1982, Flying Tigers flew relief flights to Warsaw, Poland. In 1974, the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 747. Finally the plane started to move down the runway faster and faster. [5] Then-CEO Stephen Wolf sold Flying Tigers to Federal Express in December 1988. 365 days later. [9][10][2] The scheduled Boeing 747 passenger service route was New York City JFK Airport - Brussels - Tel Aviv operated several days a week.[11]. Breen went from being gung ho about the war to suspecting the government was lying and thinking the war was a mistake. I have grieved for them ever since. (1945 - 1947). She laughed. Nonetheless, it reached Guam as planned on March 15th. On December 15, 1965, Flying Tiger Line Flight 914, an L-1049H Super Constellation (N6914C), struck California Peak after the pilot became disorientated in IFR conditions, killing the three crew. Feb.3-8, 1968. I was one of those Men that you brought back to the World. They became known for carrying a number of unique cargoes, including Shamu the SeaWorld killer whale and the torch of the Statue of Liberty. Thanks! She very quickly wrote down something and gave it to me. Very interesting. More on this later). Tiger's Ad Hoc Charter livestock flights provided airlift for exotic animals. Capable of lifting 7,000 pounds over a version of the famed DC-3. WebThe Flying Tiger Line Incorporated. (1966-1969), The Douglas DC-8-63F was a new breed of aircraft that had a far reaching effect on the continuing growth for the airfreight industry. We were there to take care of our passengers, Foster said, and have the best time we could. As it turned out, they excelled at both. I was 24, Breen recalled. Unfortunately for me I returned in a Medevac flight from Japan Yokosuka Naval Hospital. 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. Shamu the whale took a first ride on Flying Tigers. The aircraft operating the flight was a Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation registered as N6921C. These ladies were great listeners and very supportive. This exhibition, based on extensive interviews with the key participants of the airlift operations, provides insight into their experiences serving aboard the Freedom Birds. 2023 CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website. Chambers, Andy Gatenby. The airline also played a major role in the construction of the Distant Early Warning Line, flying equipment to remote outposts in northern Canada and Alaska. Contact Thank you to all who came out to join us for our BBQ Fly-in! The C-46s flew the domestic operation while the C-54s remained in overseas charter service. Based in Norwich, UK. 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. But nothing could have prepared her for what it was like to be a flight attendant at Flying Tigers during the golden era of aviation a job so fabulous and exciting on the one hand and emotionally brutal on the other that it transformed the lives of hundreds of young women like her who were hired during the war, forcing them to confront the realities of Vietnam in ways they never expected, and bonding them to each other for decades to come. On December 14, 1962, Flying Tiger Line Flight 183, an L-1049H Super Constellation (N6913C), crashed on approach to Lockheed Air Terminal in. Stay tuned for more upcoming Fly-in Events New River Estates Worthington Springs, FL. Nobody wanted to take anybody over there who wasnt coming back.. With this plane's nose-loading capabilities, Flying Tigers accommodated even more challenging air freight combinations in size, shape and quantity. On September 9, 1958, a Flying Tiger Line. They saw so much in those soldiers eyes and dealt with some truly emotional issues. We were eventually invited to leave the club and told to not come back Welcome Home from the USAF in Kadena. Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. The flight attendants were as depicted in this article, both going and coming home. I also n=mourned those I had lost there who could not return alive but were shipped home to grief stricken families. During the course of the war, thousands of flights crisscrossed the Pacific Ocean. Great, I had the opportunity to fly w/those ladies one great experience,,! In 1962 Flying Tigers received its first Permanent Certificate from the CAB (Civil Aeronautics Board). Until now, I mostly ignored the efforts of these people (especially the attendants they saw, heard & felt all of it). Such as, I didnt know if I was going to make it back and not wanting to think about that. On November 2, 1979, the company received its first Boeing 747-200 freighter. Not a good way to start the year! Looking back, I owe them my deep thanks for doing their job so splendidly despite the emotional roller-coaster they must have been on. Thats funny. It was really a struggle to decide what was right or what was wrong, said Okicich. 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. I just stood there in my bedroom looking out the window for a very long time,saying to myself Did that really happen??? I went over in February 1970. 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! Flew out going from Ft. Lewis, Washington 1970, came home through Oakland Par 8th, 1971. 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. 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. (1974 -1989). Web978 views 8 months ago Andee Wright served as a flight attendant with Flying Tiger Line from 1967 to 1978. 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. This presumed death toll made it the worst accident involving the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation. Rumbles & Bangs: Japan Airlines Boeing 767-300ER Encounters Engine Failure, Investors Are Now Worried About US Airline Stocks. 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. Thank you for writing this story, it was way overdue. Landed in Saigon. Travel the world, the ad said. this a definitive journey Flying Tiger aircraft were getting old and worn, but their flight attendants were still top notch. Others supported the war, sympathizing with the soldiers and resenting those who scorned their service. I then went back to my seat with a book after putting that slip of paper in my wallet. Somewhere I know that she wonders if I ever made it back to the States and why I never called. we sat silently in the darkness almost trying to will ourselves into that jet thru the air. Its ultimate destination was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it was transporting 96 soldiers. These laddies were tops, in my book. where we are found aloft Thanks for a great story. This Is Your Captain by Reyne OShaughnessy, Flying Tiger Memories by Guy Van Herbruggen & Charles Kennedy, Tiger 747 by Guy Van Herbruggen/Charles Kennedy, DC-8 & The Flying Tiger Line by Guy Van Herbruggen & Charles Kennedy. A mysterious gang, The Black Snake Gang, is rising throughout the world. Like you were going to hang around. En route to Saigon, the flight was set to make several refueling stops. It was important to stay upbeat, to act like every one of the men was coming home. It supplied and supported covert operations in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, including providing support for drug smuggling in Laos. The extension allowed a 30 trip home so I had 2 Tiger flights in and 2 out. In 1964, the company graduated its first class of flight attendants. 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. We turned off our running lights to avoid ground fire.. Free shipping for many products! Flying Tigers sponsored the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia and transported equipment for the games. Not sure if the change in mood was due to smoked joints and beer, but it sure didnt hurt any. Many flight attendants struggled at first to contain their own emotions. The soldiers onboard were flying there not to fight, but to help train South Vietnamese forces. Flying around the world over the North and South Poles, the Pole Cat set eight speed and distance records. On September 23, 1962, Flying Tiger Line Flight 923, an L-1049H Super Constellation (N6923C), ditched in the North Atlantic after three engines failed, killing 28 of 76 on board. The flight attendants learned not to wake them, knowing the men might leap up with a start, imagining they were still back in the war. The company was started by Robert William Prescott. To kill time many of us went to the Officers Club, with the flight attendants in tow, and proceeded to party. WebFlying Tiger: With Ron Ng, Lee Pace, Jamie B. The Boeing 707 remained in the fleet only few years, and later sold, upon arrival of the higher-payload Douglas DC-8, the largest civilian airliner until the Boeing 747 entered service. After an almost three hour delay, the airplane is back in the air and en-route to our final destination Vietnam. When you went to school for Pan Am, they showed you how to do your makeup and your hair. Flying the Freedom Birds: Airlines and the Vietnam War. I dont remember the faces of the flight attendantsprobably because I was so overwhelmed by my own emotions going to war and coming home. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. So they tried to keep it light. 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. Was processed out of the Army at Fort Lewis, got a military standby flight for$11. God Bless those women who helped me on those hours headed home to start to feel like I might still have some humanity left in me. I have no comment for this person, He/she is beyond help. I only wish that I could stand before these wonderful ladies. Im still trying to figure out how to coordinate one of our own with one of theirs. Approximately 998 pilots worked for the airline based throughout the US. And yes, we had a flight load of pucker factor and apprehension. Shortly afterward, the company began chartering passenger aircraft for group travel as well; its Lockheed Super Constellation, Douglas DC-4 and DC-6 fleet comprised the largest trans-Atlantic charter operation through the 1950s. With only six thousand employees around the world, the Flying Tiger Line carried cargo and people to all corners of the planet. After 1970, scheduled commercial service, much of which consisted of Asian imports, rapidly overtook military related contracts as the company's primary source of income. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 was a Lockheed Super Constellation aircraft, which is pictured here. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 was a Lockheed Super Constellation aircraft, which is pictured here. (LogOut/ 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. On this last leg, the passengers are much more somber and thinking ahead to their landing in the war zone. In 1975, the airline published the Airfreight Guide for Hazardous Materials, and quickly became a leader in the education and transportation of dangerous goods throughout the world. Mosher. 2019 by the San Francisco Airport Commission. Thank you so much angels. After all the things i remember about my viet nam year , i never remembered about the flight to or from . As the company grew and matured, founder and CEO Robert Prescott did also, both in his younger days as an AVG pilot and later in the role of President of the Flying Tiger Line. Free shipping for many products! Thanks to all of you that attempted to make our journies more comfortable. What were the life expectancies of soldiers during the Vietnam War? The aircraft was operating a MATS charter flight from Gander to Frankfurt. I think it is great! Ceased operations. Flying Tiger Line flight 739 was a multi-leg charter service that originated at Travis Air Force Base in the US state of California. Flying Tigers received the All-Cargo Route #163 across the Pacific into Asia. Leslie Pfeifer served aboard Flying Tiger Line from 1967 to 1970, making 75 return flights to South Vietnam. Expansion God Bless you all. Arrived Travis in daylight and was struck by the absence of bomb craters from my aerial view. 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. Thank you Flying Tiger! Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. The decent angle brought the entire plane to silence while they considered the reason for that radical decent. Now going to the USA which I had forgotten about. 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. During 1949, the C-47s were replaced with the C-46s, which had a higher payload and longer range. In the Vietnam airlift, Flying Tigers provided strategic flights from the US to numerous military bases throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia geographic region. Not one of us said a word. Meanwhile, the flight attendants were becoming like a family. The food on the airplane had to be thrown away because there was no refrigeration on the aircraft for over 48 hours. Federal Express (FM / FDX) Base / Main Hub. It was obvious the airplane had been used a lot, but it was clean and the attendants were friendly and upbeat. Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. 25 Jun 1945. In 1962, the Vietnam War was far from over. For military personnel, it was a deeply emotional journey in both directions. It brought back a lot of memories. LOTS FOR SALE! Interesting. Click on Links for More information About Each Plane. Great article, spot on! These were to take place in Honolulu, Wake Island, Guam, and the Philippines (Clark Air Base). Flying Tigers already had terminals at San Francisco, Burbank, San Diego, Chicago, Cleveland and Newark. United States. I was old as dirt to them.. I think i was numb, both ways. It truly was a great feeling being headed home. Many of these people became valuable members of the Flying Tigers family. I was lucky enough to have regular contact with the flight crews as they came and went in and out of Tan San Nhut AB . [1] It was headquartered on the grounds of Los Angeles International Airport in Westchester, Los Angeles, California. A keen amateur photographer, he also recently reached the milestone of flying his 100th sector as a passenger. The first of the "stretched" airfreights, it carried a payload of 110,000 pounds at 550 miles per hour over a 3,000 mile range. This Marine Was The American Sniper Of The Vietnam War, https://open.spotify.com/show/5Th7BCpIKDE1hVTqNL3u0Q. 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. I salute you all ladies!! All rights reserved. She told me that there were more books in the back of the plane. After spending 1968 with 3RD MARDIV, came home aboard a luxurious Braniff 707. Thank you all. Sometimes, when the wheels pulled up on takeoff, the whole plane would burst out in yells and clapping. I made that trip also in Jan,1967. The C-47 could fly 7,500 pounds of cargo over a range of 600 miles at 150 miles per hour. Really hurt thinking about that after I was out in the field for a couple of weeks on c-rations. Contact Thank you to all who came out to join us for our BBQ Fly-in! August 7, 1989 was the official merger date of Flying Tiger and Federal Express. I very much enjoyed it and had no idea that those very attractive young ladies felt that way about us. It was never seen or heard from again, despite an extensive search operation. WebFlying Tiger: With Ron Ng, Lee Pace, Jamie B. Departed Bien Hoa (21 Apr 69)) on Flying Tiger (Stretch 8) with fuel stop in Japan. I missed my 21st birthday completely. Not only told to leave, but not to come back. Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. I extended in Vietnam so that I could get out early. With Tigers, they said, OK, make sure your hair isnt longer than your shoulders, and get on the plane.. (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. We relied on each other and the soldiers to manage.. They operated a recording company subsidiary, Happy Tiger Records, from 1969 to 1971. I flew over on Continental..We had a flight attendant come to one of our VVA Chapter meeting and tell us about her time. 7 Aug 1989. Ceased operations. Travel the world, the ad said. According to the Aviation Safety Network, it first flew in 1957, and had amassed a total of 17,224 hours. Mr. Fagones article is very touching and reminds us that many more people than just we former service men and women are veterans of the Vietnam War. 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. We relied on each other and the soldiers to manage.. (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. Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. As a result of certification, new stations were opened in Oakland, Denver, Milwaukee, Toledo, Akron-Canton, Buffalo, Rochester, Philadelphia, Hartford, Providence, and Boston. (1949 - 1961), C-54 Gen. -- The C-54, first of the four--engine air freighters, was used by Flying Tigers in the largest, longest airlift ever flown by a private contractor -- supplying the American Occupation Forces in Japan. In August 87, the newly re-engined DC8-73DF freighter came online with the Tiger fleet of B-747s and B-727s. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. We were goin up and up , the war down below, falling away now far behind us. Thank you Jason for a story well told. The company said it needed flight attendants. These women allayed the fears of soldiers heading to war and offered support and reassurance to those headed home. The men were superstitious that the plane would crash it would be just their luck to die in a dumb accident on the verge of getting home. Yes, it was a memorable 4 day flight. In December 1946, Flying Tigers received its first Transpacific Military Contract, flying C-54s to Tokyo and Hawaii. A mysterious gang, The Black Snake Gang, is rising throughout the world. With four Rolls Royce engines that developed 5,700 horsepower, it cruised at 375 miles per hour, carrying up to 60,000 pounds of cargo over a range of 3,000 miles. During 1969, the CL-44s and B707s left the fleet as the addition of DC-8s took their place. It hooked up with the Pentagon to carry troops during the Korean War, and by the mid-1960s the airline was flying tens of thousands of soldiers into Vietnam at a time before the U.S. public was paying much attention to the conflict unfolding there. The Los Angeles headquarters operation included its own engine shop and jet maintenance business. Federal Express (FM / FDX) Base / Main Hub. In 1965, Flying Tiger Line began operating jet aircraft when on September, 27, the first (as N322F) of four Boeing 707 was delivered. After a dangerous heist of a mysterious device from the FBI, the HKPD assigns Ko Ka Chun, to save Hong Kong from the imminent threat from the Black Snake Gang. Afraid that at any moment a rocket or mortor could could take the jet down. The new Flying Tiger airline had its own military role; carrying cargo and troops back and forth to the war in Vietnam. A very vulnerable feeling with out a weapon. This historic symbol was moved from Ellis Island in New York Harbor to Los Angeles for the Annual Rose Parade in Pasadena on January 1, 1985. 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. ATDB.aero shows that it spent most of its career at Flying Tiger Line, but did also serve Lufthansa on a leased basis. She had no idea what the job entailed until she arrived for the interview and a man with the airline asked what she thought of the war. I went to Nam aboard a ship which very nicely cut 21 days off my tour. That motto lasted until the airline was taken over by Federal Express in the late 1980's. On this last leg, the passengers are much more somber and thinking ahead to their landing in the war zone. Flying Tigers also made livestock carriers for airplanes, some comparable in external size and shape to the standard AMJ container used in the FedEx flight operations. Know now that I was stunned , medical shock, at suddenly the war down below, behind me , was gone. Those ladies had a very important part in the war and they are to be commended for their service. This is what I wrote when I had set up my home page on geocities which is now archived: [7][8], Charter and scheduled passenger operations were flown by their subsidiary, Metro International Airlines, which was formed in January 1981, and ceased operations in 1983, when it was sold to Tower Air. A true airfreighted with a unique swing-tail design, the CL-44 permitted the straight-in loading of freight no other plane could carry. 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. 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. Various conspiracy theories regarding sabotage have arisen, but the flight's exact fate will likely remain unknown. 25 Jun 1945. Others slept for hours, exhausted and often traumatized from their experiences in Vietnam. From the beginning, Prescott had a vision for the company: "We're unique, so let's not imitate. and I told her that I could not sleep on any vehicle that was moving, as I was in three accidents while sleeping in a moving car so would not sleep while in a moving vehicle. But the flight was a deeply emotional journey in both directions, making return... Right or what was right or what was wrong, said one woman planning attend... A true airfreighted with a window seat just to the Officers club, with the,... Engine Failure, Investors are now Worried about us airline Stocks to inquire if had. 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Just to the world, the airline based throughout the world that it spent most of its career at Tiger. Six thousand employees around the world, Poland now that I was stunned, medical shock, at suddenly war! Flying his 100th sector as a flight attendant with Flying Tiger Line log in: you are commenting using WordPress.com. Every one of the flight attendants a Trans International DC-10 various conspiracy theories regarding sabotage have,! The straight-in loading of freight no other plane could carry in a Medevac flight from Japan Yokosuka Naval Hospital know. Members of the U.S. and Asia stay tuned for more information about Each plane an extensive search.! A stewardess to inquire if they had any other reading material on board Vietnamese... Entire plane to silence while they considered the reason for that radical.. Stand before these wonderful ladies entire plane to silence while they considered the reason for radical! But not to fight, but the flight 's exact fate will likely remain.! 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