So they tried to keep it light. War touches more people than the veterans who fought in it. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 went missing on March 16, 1962, with 93 U.S. Army soldiers on board. AU $196.32 20% off + AU $5.80 postage. Shared with Public Cleaning up today and found this binder. My birthday is January 1st. In addition to the emotional impact, the flight attendants risked physical harm while flying to military bases in an active combat zone. Apart from Pan Am and Braniff, also Continental, Northwest, TWA, United, World Airways, Flying Tiger, Seaboard World, among others. All attempts to re-establish contact with the flight were unsuccessful.. 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 . . Pre 1965 - MAAG GUTS AIRLINE - Vietnam - CIA - Z.017. They coped, as always, by leaning on each other. Some of the now-adult children of those on board speculate that the flight made it, but that passengers were captured, Kirk said. and flew to Portland ,Oregon. 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 Secretary of the Army has asked me to express his deep regret that your son Specialist Donald A Sargent was a passenger aboard a chartered aircraft that was reported missing while in flight over the Pacific Ocean on 15 March 1962, the telegram read. I would have been on Flying Tigers returning to the states. Stay informed: Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests. (Pinterest) 15 March 1962: Flying Tiger Line Flight 7815/13 was a chartered flight for the Military Air Transport Service (M.A.T.S. Opens in a new window or tab. We relied on each other and the soldiers to manage. These women allayed the fears of soldiers heading to war and offered support and reassurance to those headed home. All deals. I think i was numb, both ways. I remember the flights to and from, but what really sticks in my mind was the blast of hot, humid air that swept through the plane when they opened the doors. Hard to not have an emotional moment while reading. To kill time many of us went to the Officers Club, with the flight attendants in tow, and proceeded to party. Its ultimate destination was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it was transporting 96 soldiers. Top Rated Plus. Flying Tiger history began during World War II when the original aircrafts were small fighter planes. Wonderful article and I went to Vietnam on Flying Tiger Airlines in 1966. 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. They were thrown together all the time on the planes, in Saigon hotels sipping cocktails and at officers clubs on overseas military bases, where guys bought them drinks. WELCOME to The FLYING TIGER Antiques & Vintage Historical Artifacts Website!!! Pre-Owned. From Tokyo we flew to Anchorage where we were grounded another 18 to 20 hours due to a snow storm and for some reason, Anchorage did not have deicing capability. They wanted to cry but stifled the impulse. Phnom Penh, against a background of advancing NVA troops in Vietnam, it describes the relations among the crew and their motivation and features a pet cockroach named Hiram and a 'mother' to the crew aged 13. I had read everything in sight that was in the pocket of the seat in front of me. Some years ago I made contact with one of those stewardesses and found out about their reunions. But the womens bond outlasted the death of the airline that brought them together. But for the ladies I say Thank you I was one of those 18 year old boys that was scared to death. While Flight 739s final destination was known, the reason behind the secret mission of those on board still remains a mystery to their families. In this decade the company developed an extensive global network, directly servicing all continents except for Africa, which was served through interlining. 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. In the years following World War II, a group of 10 American mercenary pilots who flew in China as part of the American Volunteer Groupbetter known as the Flying Tigersbanded together to start a transcontinental airline. On board the Constellation were 11 crew members and 96 passengers, 93 of whom were U.S. Army soldiers specialized in electronics, communications, and sharpshooting. The flight had originated at Travis AFB, Ca. Great Read, I was a 26 year old man when I went to that war, I remember not sleeping on the flying tiger flight back home, and the stewardess, sat and talked to me as everyone else was sleeping, I thought the stewardess was a nice person that was concerned about my not sleeping and ask why. I only wish that I could stand before these wonderful ladies. we sat silently in the darkness almost trying to will ourselves into that jet thru the air. (1974 -1989). Skip to main content . Result Pages: 1 Displaying 1 to 1 (of 1 products) Sponsored. (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. {Photo: Ruth As]. From there the plane, often a stretch DC-8, would fly west to Anchorage, then to Japan, then to the Philippines or Vietnam, dropping the troops off at military bases. Fosters opposition to the war only intensified; she attended anti-war meetings and demonstrations on her days off. 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. It truly was a great feeling being headed home. By the mid-1960s, it was flying scheduled transpacific all-cargo routes and in the late 1980s, it was acquired by Federal Express. 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. Was I really in a real war??? In the hours after the Constellations takeoff from Guam, witnesses on a ship offered potential clues. The aircraft operating the flight was a Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation registered as N6921C. All rights reserved. I came back on a USAF flight as I was in a 1-1/2 hip spika cast they called it. From the beginning, Prescott had a vision for the company: "We're unique, so let's not imitate. Next stop was Yokota Japan. Joe Namath, Jim Otto, and, Marv Fleming on our returning flight after spending time visiting the wounded Vietnam soldiers at several hospitals. What was the worst work detail you pulled in Vietnam? The picture below shows a full plane of troops heading to Vietnam on a Flying Tiger Flight. I also n=mourned those I had lost there who could not return alive but were shipped home to grief stricken families. The. 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. 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. There were also 11 crew members onboard, giving a total occupancy of 107 people. Wheels up lots of cheering and hope. Out of rocket range. A little over an hour later, it was expected to reach the coordinates of 140N 1350E. We were goin up and up , the war down below, falling away now far behind us. CAT was an airline formed in China after World War II by Gen. Claire Chennault, leader of the Flying Tigers and Whiting Willauer of CDS. 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 brought back a lot of memories. Pre-Owned. Finally the plane started to move down the runway faster and faster. Until now, I mostly ignored the efforts of these people (especially the attendants they saw, heard & felt all of it). The Boeing 737 is a narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Renton Factory in Washington. Read about what they talk about at their reunions. +C $19.78 shipping estimate. I dont remember the faces of the flight attendantsprobably because I was so overwhelmed by my own emotions going to war and coming home. . They were recruited to fly for the Republic of China with the quiet approval of the United States government. where we are found aloft I flew out of Travis and came home the same way 3 times during 68-70. 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. We all wanted to get home, but wondered if this old crate could get us there. 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. $35.00. Freedom Bird. She has more than 20 years reporting experience, much of it covering aviation and defense issues. 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. I commented, and the person deleted my comme. Her reporting has taken her from an international airport terminal under construction to foot patrols with U.S. Marines outside combat outposts in Iraq and Afghanistan. I now have a new group of Vietnam vets to admire and respect. 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. Prices were available within the past 7 days and start at $363 for one-way flights and $690 for round trip, for the period specified. All reactions: 38 11 comments 4 shares Like Comment 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. What aviation news will you check out next? Thats incomprehensible. Thank you stewardesses. Flew over on Military Transport (think it was a 141) The flight was a complete 3 stooges movie MATS had trouble w/plane. I know you dont remember many of our faces, as we no longer remember yours, but we thank you for taking care for us. It would be the first of a list of expected things that wouldnt materialize for the family, according to Kirk. The soldiers on Flight 739 were on a mission to do whatever the government told them to do, Kirk said. 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. Flying Tigers 747. After all the things i remember about my viet nam year , i never remembered about the flight to or from . Just reading this article brings tears to my eyes. 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. We began to realize OK, these guys are going off to die, Breen recalled. Related thread from 2010: 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. Available to pre-order at Flying Tigers. June 69. As one observer put it, "Nobody brings in mail like those Tiger birds". I was USAF and made that stop in Alaska. Seller 99.4% positive. The Army did pay out life insurance for Donald, but it was only $264. $18.00. . Its ultimate destination was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it was transporting 96 soldiers. Room parties and roof parties and lobby parties and oh, my goodness.. Remember the illumination flares as we were coming in on final as the sun had not come up yet. I just stood there in my bedroom looking out the window for a very long time,saying to myself Did that really happen??? For the government not to recognize them is heartbreaking, she said. 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. I sat on the left side isle with a window seat just to the rear edge of the left wing. The flights depart at 7:35 (SIN time), 13:10 (SIN time) and 15:15 (SIN time). Real Aviation Photos & Videos; Upload New File; Discussion. That year, Flying Tiger Line lost four aircraft in incidents, the bulk of which while operating charters for the U.S. military. Great article .. enjoyed it more than my flight to Vietnam,but, what a wonderful sight when I walked out to the plane to return home. 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. These laddies were tops, in my book. 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.. 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. I have no comment for this person, He/she is beyond help. Its such a part of history, and our own personal history.. Top Rated Seller. Gotoff the jet and was greated by relatives. Like you were going to hang around. This exhibition is currently available online only. Flying Tiger Line Flight 739 went missing on March 16, 1962, with 93 U.S. Army soldiers on board. 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. 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.. A total of 141 lives were lost on board the four aircraft and three lives were lost of people on the ground. View Product. 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. From 1979 to 1980 the Flying Tiger Line passed Pan Am to become the world's number one air cargo carrier. It was really a struggle to decide what was right or what was wrong, said Okicich. With only six thousand employees around the world, the Flying Tiger Line carried cargo and people to all corners of the planet. 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