Not Flying Tigers but nevertheless an unforgettable flight. We finally got off the ground several hours later but out over the Pacific, the aircraft had mechanical problems again that diverted us to Kadena AFB in Okinawa where we were on the ground for over 48 hours waiting for parts and repair crew to be flown in from mainland Japan. During 1969, the CL-44s and B707s left the fleet as the addition of DC-8s took their place. Chambers, Andy Gatenby. To say thank you which could never cover the range of emotions In 1962, the Vietnam War was far from over. The next stop was Saigon where we left off troops. Now going to the USA which I had forgotten about. I had read everything in sight that was in the pocket of the seat in front of me. (1968-1989), B-747-100 Flying Tigers was the first airline to operate Boeing 747 passenger aircraft converted into efficient air freighters. Finally the plane started to move down the runway faster and faster. All of us silently got on the plane ,each of us finding a seat. The company said it needed flight attendants. Tigers flew 176 missions to Phnom Penh providing 17 million pounds of rice to the besieged city. They coped, as always, by leaning on each other. Looking back, I owe them my deep thanks for doing their job so splendidly despite the emotional roller-coaster they must have been on. Flying Tigers received the All-Cargo Route #163 across the Pacific into Asia. Web346 views 9 months ago. A keen amateur photographer, he also recently reached the milestone of flying his 100th sector as a passenger. In 1964, the company graduated its first class of flight attendants. However, radio operators in Guam were unable to contact the flight at this time. (1946-1951), C-46 Gen. -- The Curtis C-46 "Commando" that Flying Tigers flew on supply missions over the Hump during World War II came home for civilian duty, joining Flying Tigers' fleet in 1949. They became known for carrying a number of unique cargoes, including Shamu the SeaWorld killer whale and the torch of the Statue of Liberty. I have grieved for them ever since. I know the feelings, having done the flights in 68 & 70. THe girls (attendants) were great cant saw much for the people of California . Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. 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. The aircraft was operating a MATS charter flight from Gander to Frankfurt. In 1965, Flying Tiger Line began operating jet aircraft when on September, 27, each of us inside were scared because for the first time non of us were wearing helmets, flack jackets, no weapons or ammo. 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. WebThe Flying Tiger Line Incorporated. ! After an almost three hour delay, the airplane is back in the air and en-route to our final destination Vietnam. The company had a contract to fly U.S. servicemen into Vietnam and to bring troops home after their tours were complete. Crossing the international date line was my experience in time travel. 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. The C-47 could fly 7,500 pounds of cargo over a range of 600 miles at 150 miles per hour. Unfortunately for me I returned in a Medevac flight from Japan Yokosuka Naval Hospital. On March 3, 1986, operations commenced in the new Columbus, Ohio Hub at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base. 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. Flying Tiger Line flight 739 was a multi-leg charter service that originated at Travis Air Force Base in the US state of California. 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. Flying at 210 miles per hour, the C-54 carried 20,000 pounds of cargo over a 2,000 -- mile range. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 was a Lockheed Super Constellation aircraft, which is pictured here. Others supported the war, sympathizing with the soldiers and resenting those who scorned their service. As one observer put it, "Nobody brings in mail like those Tiger birds". Meanwhile, the flight attendants were becoming like a family. Nonetheless, it reached Guam as planned on March 15th. The airlines first B-727s were placed in service in early 1984. On March 18, 1956, a Flying Tiger Line Curtiss C-46 (N9995F), crashed at Pelly Bay, Canada after the left wing struck terrain while on a VFR approach, both pilots and the passenger survived, but the aircraft was written off. She had many stories. 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. Just reading this article brings tears to my eyes. In accordance with the government directives and in the interest in protecting the health of our visitors, the Aviation Museum & Library is currently closed. I remember well my Flying Tiger trips. 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. Chambers, Andy Gatenby. An aspect of nowhere, McCord was doing maintenance on the runway. 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. I remember one of the attendants wishing my a HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Joe Namath, Jim Otto, and, Marv Fleming on our returning flight after spending time visiting the wounded Vietnam soldiers at several hospitals. 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. 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 . 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. June 69. Gotoff the jet and was greated by relatives. 25 Jun 1945. Flying Tigers received the All-Cargo Route #163 across the Pacific into Asia. I was one of those Men that you brought back to the World. Those ladies had a very important part in the war and they are to be commended for their service. I think it is great! The aircraft carried additional fuel in two additional tanks installed in the main cabin.[12]. Thank you and God Bless you all!!!! Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Welcome Home with many thank you for all your support of the Vietnam veterans!! we sat silently in the darkness almost trying to will ourselves into that jet thru the air. A very vulnerable feeling with out a weapon. 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. After spending 1968 with 3RD MARDIV, came home aboard a luxurious Braniff 707. WebFlying Tiger Airport: Home Real Estate About Things to do FAQ's FAA Info. United States. Stay informed: Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests. [2], The airline was named after the Flying Tigers fighter unit of World War II, officially the 1st American Volunteer Group. Web978 views 8 months ago Andee Wright served as a flight attendant with Flying Tiger Line from 1967 to 1978. This is what I wrote when I had set up my home page on geocities which is now archived: WebFlying Tiger Airport: Home Real Estate About Things to do FAQ's FAA Info. That was always the fun part, to take them out of there, remembered Gael Okicich, who flew with Tigers for 25 years. Web346 views 9 months ago. Free shipping for many products! It was never seen or heard from again, despite an extensive search operation. 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. 2019 by the San Francisco Airport Commission. Some years ago I made contact with one of those stewardesses and found out about their reunions. Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. On March 6, 1967, Flying Tigers first DC8-63F aircraft arrived. 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. Trying to get your brain from calming down from a surreal experience in RVN and then refocusing your mind on being back home was a strange experience! Freedom Bird. The Los Angeles headquarters operation included its own engine shop and jet maintenance business. 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. 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. The aircraft operating the flight was a Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation registered as N6921C. 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. 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 obvious the airplane had been used a lot, but it was clean and the attendants were friendly and upbeat. Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. The young men would leave their patches, their names, their addresses, their rosary beads and ask the crew members to write to them while they were in Vietnam. Thanks to all of you that attempted to make our journies more comfortable. On March 15, 1962, Flying Tiger Line Flight 7816/14, an L-1049H Super Constellation (N6911C), crashed on approach to Adak Island Naval Air Station, Alaska due to pilot error, killing one of eight on board. One day in Vietnam, waiting on the tarmac before a homeward-bound flight, she saw men loading body bags into the belly of the plane. The CL-44s moved Tigers into leadership as the worlds largest freight and contract airline. Thanks for a great story. WebThe Flying Tiger Line Incorporated. Thank you for writing this story, it was way overdue. 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 was really a struggle to decide what was right or what was wrong, said Okicich. Travel the world, the ad said. WebFlying Tiger: With Ron Ng, Lee Pace, Jamie B. A mysterious gang, The Black Snake Gang, is rising throughout the world. Their service to our military was so much more than just being a flight attendant on their way over or coming home. Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. A true airfreighted with a unique swing-tail design, the CL-44 permitted the straight-in loading of freight no other plane could carry. The Swingtails were so nicknamed because their tails literally swung away from the aircraft for loading. Indeed, having begun in November 1955, it wouldn't come to an end until almost two decades later, in April 1975. In 1965, the company received two Boeing 707-320C freighters and became part of the jet age. I recall the flight I took into Vietnam and even more than the flight I took home. The new Flying Tiger airline had its own military role; carrying cargo and troops back and forth to the war in Vietnam. The years after the Vietnam war saw continued growth for the Flying Tigers. 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. LOTS FOR SALE! This presumed death toll made it the worst accident involving the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation. 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. [1] It was headquartered on the grounds of Los Angeles International Airport in Westchester, Los Angeles, California. Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. (LogOut/ On June 12, 1970, the Peter Prescott Hospital for children in Taiwan was dedicated in honor of the founders son, who had been killed in an aircraft accident in Palm Springs. 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. I was trying to keep from thinking about that. The big, glamorous airline back then was Pan Am. To kill time many of us went to the Officers Club, with the flight attendants in tow, and proceeded to party. The Statue of Liberty torch flew on Flying Tigers. We crossed over the international dateline and it became the 2nd of January. Flying Tigers already had terminals at San Francisco, Burbank, San Diego, Chicago, Cleveland and Newark. Flying around the world over the North and South Poles, the Pole Cat set eight speed and distance records. In 1982, Flying Tigers flew relief flights to Warsaw, Poland. Mosher. Why Were Vietnam War Vets Treated Poorly When TheyReturned? Others slept for hours, exhausted and often traumatized from their experiences in Vietnam. Interesting. Email:jason.fagone@sfchronicle.comTwitter:@jfagone, Link to the actual article: https://bit.ly/2PbitdY. The airline was bought by Federal Express in 1988. 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. Wonderful memories. 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. Very interesting. In the years during and after World War II, military veterans were given special preference to purchase or lease government surplus aircraft. In March 1962, one such personnel-carrying flight went missing en route to Vietnam. That sounded good to Linda Greenwalt Foster, who had just dropped out of college and was looking for an adventure. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. 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. Sometimes, when the wheels pulled up on takeoff, the whole plane would burst out in yells and clapping. Wonderful article and I went to Vietnam on Flying Tiger Airlines in 1966. Tiger's Ad Hoc Charter livestock flights provided airlift for exotic animals. My I went and returned on a Flying Tiger plane and remember very well the sensitive and kind treatment from the stewardesses both directions. Established at the end of the Second World War, Flying Tiger Line made history as the first US-based scheduled cargo-carrying airline. Mel Beers ret first sergeant . Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. After airline deregulation, stiff competition buffeted profits and, with some unsuccessful diversification attempts by parent Tiger International, the airline began sustaining losses in 1981. Flying Tiger Attendant The return to the States from RVN was like being in a decompression chamber. The new Flying Tiger airline had its own military role; carrying cargo and troops back and forth to the war in Vietnam. United States. Jason Fagone is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. This exhibition, based on extensive interviews with the key participants of the airlift operations, provides insight into their experiences serving aboard the Freedom Birds. Carrying 32,000 pounds of cargo at 275 miles per hour with a 2,000 mile range, the DC-6A carried more, cheaper and faster than any other aircraft flying at the time. To this day, I send emails to friends who are Vets, and the young people in the airports who are recognizable by their uniforms and sincerely Thank them for thier Service. 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. With only six thousand employees around the world, the Flying Tiger Line carried cargo and people to all corners of the planet. this a definitive journey Its ultimate destination was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it was transporting 96 soldiers. I do remember the door opening and it was like a blast furnace! 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. A great story, even made me cry, vaguely remembering the trips each way, to and from Vietnam. 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