So they tried to keep it light. Federal Express (FM / FDX) Base / Main Hub. In April of 1949, after a four-year battle, the company was awarded CAB (Civil Aeronautics Board now FAA) certification and established the FIRST ALL-CARGO Scheduled Route 100 from Los Angeles to Boston with points in between. Not sure if the change in mood was due to smoked joints and beer, but it sure didnt hurt any. 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. 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. Thank you for writing this story, it was way overdue. He wouldnt believe me until I showed him the slip of paper. Wonderful memories. Flying Tigers received the All-Cargo Route #163 across the Pacific into Asia. The companys participation in the Peruvian Airlift aided earthquake victims in the quake devastated country. 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. Despite the intensity of the operations, many flight attendants found the military contract flights rewarding and continued to serve on them for years. These laddies were tops, in my book. With this plane's nose-loading capabilities, Flying Tigers accommodated even more challenging air freight combinations in size, shape and quantity. ATDB.aero shows that it spent most of its career at Flying Tiger Line, but did also serve Lufthansa on a leased basis. Not one of us said a word in the dark as we watched the plane sitting there with jet engines idling. Flying Tiger Attendant Flying Tigers received the All-Cargo Route #163 across the Pacific into Asia. Was processed out of the Army at Fort Lewis, got a military standby flight for$11. I sat on the left side isle with a window seat just to the rear edge of the left wing. I missed my 21st birthday completely. The aircraft was operating a MATS charter flight from Gander to Frankfurt. These ladies were great listeners and very supportive. All of us silently got on the plane ,each of us finding a seat. Flying Tiger Line was ramping up operations in Vietnam, too, and its believed maintenance standards dropped as a result of increased demand. (It didnt work out. That flight SUCKED., but at least I got out of that chit hole. this a definitive journey 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. Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. After spending 1968 with 3RD MARDIV, came home aboard a luxurious Braniff 707. I never heard of Tiger air until I read this article. 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. Fosters opposition to the war only intensified; she attended anti-war meetings and demonstrations on her days off. I have just relived a very important part of my young life, thru these articles and the loving responses. Having climbed to a cruising altitude of 18,000 feet, the aircraft reported its position as being 1340N 1400E just under an hour and a half into the flight. 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. Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. In December 1946, Flying Tigers received its first Transpacific Military Contract, flying C-54s to Tokyo and Hawaii. Contact Thank you to all who came out to join us for our BBQ Fly-in! On March 6, 1967, Flying Tigers first DC8-63F aircraft arrived. Thanks for the wonderful article. I was trying to keep from thinking about that. This page was last edited on 24 March 2023, at 09:54. Expansion She then asked me Why of all the Corpsmen/servicemen on this plane was I the only one that didnt ask for her address and telephone number? I told her that (1. This was the Tiger "Can-do" Spirit, may it never die. I remember well my Flying Tiger trips. A mysterious gang, The Black Snake Gang, is rising throughout the world. A great story, even made me cry, vaguely remembering the trips each way, to and from Vietnam. Its ultimate destination was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it was transporting 96 soldiers. In the Vietnam airlift, Flying Tigers provided strategic flights from the US to numerous military bases throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia geographic region. 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. In August 87, the newly re-engined DC8-73DF freighter came online with the Tiger fleet of B-747s and B-727s. 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. Flying Tigers already had terminals at San Francisco, Burbank, San Diego, Chicago, Cleveland and Newark. 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. I have grieved for them ever since. To us, they were all beauty queens! Carrying 50% more cargo than the DC-4 and carrying it 70 miles per hour faster, the company's gross revenues quickly reached the $25-million mark in 1953. The training had little to do with hospitality, focusing instead on emergency procedures, like how to ditch a plane after a crash or what to do if the plane drew gunfire. changed me for the better many moons ago. The C-47 could fly 7,500 pounds of cargo over a range of 600 miles at 150 miles per hour. Web346 views 9 months ago. The company said it needed flight attendants. Airline Founded. But some homeward-bound passengers were belligerent, unpredictable. In 1984 the DC-8-63s were phased out as a result of Federal noise regulations that went into effect that year. After I got wounded and my things taken from me in triage, I never saw that slip of paper again. And this aricle brought back many memories, both sad & scared, and delighted and full of joy! In June 1946, the Budd Conestogas were replaced by C-47s. In 1949, the Civil Aeronautics Board awarded Flying Tiger Line the first commercial air cargo route in the U.S., a transcontinental route from Los Angeles and San Francisco, California to Boston, Massachusetts. On December 16, 1988, Federal Express announced their cash tender offer for the purchase of Flying Tigers. I do remember the door opening and it was like a blast furnace! Feb.3-8, 1968. Imitation lets you catch up to the guy ahead, but never lets you pass." Wheels up lots of cheering and hope. At the time of its sale to FedEx, Flying Tigers were operating the following aircraft: More details of the following can be found at the ASN Aviation Safety Database[13]. Not sure if the change in mood was due to smoked joints and beer, but it sure didnt hurt any. Landed in Saigon. At its peak, the Tigers employed approximately 251 flight attendants and carried up to a record 594 passengers and crew on its MAC all-coach passenger flights. These women allayed the fears of soldiers heading to war and offered support and reassurance to those headed home. I now have a new group of Vietnam vets to admire and respect. Thank you ladies, Im one of those boys. Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. Flying Tiger Line flight 739 was a multi-leg charter service that originated at Travis Air Force Base in the US state of California. All rights reserved. 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 jet went faster, higher, finally the landing gear came up into the plane. 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! 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. It was an effort conceived and accomplished by Flying Tigers employees throughout the companys world-wide system. It was a vivid reminder we were entering a war zone. On March 6, 1967, Flying Tigers first DC8-63F aircraft arrived. It was never seen or heard from again, despite an extensive search operation. Covert flights for the military were not uncommon throughout the airline's history, given its roots in Civil Air Transport (CAT), as with its sister airline Air America, originally owned by General Claire Lee Chennault, commander of the Flying Tigers fighter squadron in Southeast Asia. Thats funny. From 1979 to 1980 the Flying Tiger Line passed Pan Am to become the world's number one air cargo carrier. Many of the women continued to fly, either with Tigers or other airlines; more than a few married Tigers pilots and started families. I went over in February 1970. 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. In 1963, Air Cargo Operations moved back to the Los Angeles International Airport. Excellent Article. 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. Flying Tigers was a mechanism of the war she opposed. a version of Purgatory, In 1964, the company graduated its first class of flight attendants. Flying at 210 miles per hour, the C-54 carried 20,000 pounds of cargo over a 2,000 -- mile range. What's The Latest With Delta's Ex-LATAM Airbus A350s? 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. Rumbles & Bangs: Japan Airlines Boeing 767-300ER Encounters Engine Failure, Investors Are Now Worried About US Airline Stocks. The Flying Tiger Line founder, Robert (Bob) W. Prescott and other young pilots joined General Claire Chennault and the famed Flying Tigers in China during WWII. Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. The first full shipment consisted of grapes flown from Bakersfield, California to Atlanta, Georgia. Click on Links for More information About Each Plane. And there were parties every single day and every single night, Foster remembered. 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. Meanwhile, the flight attendants were becoming like a family. 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. In 1948, the Anything, Anytime, Anywhere slogan was introduced and the airline carried football teams, Bob Hopes record albums, tourists, students, and even Roy Rogers horse, Trigger. Canadair CL-44 In transit to Viet Nam via Alaska, Japan and Okinawa. On November 2, 1979, the company received its first Boeing 747-200 freighter. On this last leg, the passengers are much more somber and thinking ahead to their landing in the war zone. Flying Tiger Line flight 739 was a multi-leg charter service that originated at Travis Air Force Base in the US state of California. 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 . Contact Thank you to all who came out to join us for our BBQ Fly-in! I only just sat there, silently , the flight home to Fort Lewis. In the years during and after World War II, military veterans were given special preference to purchase or lease government surplus aircraft. Gotoff the jet and was greated by relatives. The new Flying Tiger airline had its own military role; carrying cargo and troops back and forth to the war in Vietnam. That same year, ground-breaking ceremonies took place for the companys World Headquarters at Los Angeles International Airport. The Los Angeles headquarters operation included its own engine shop and jet maintenance business. Web978 views 8 months ago Andee Wright served as a flight attendant with Flying Tiger Line from 1967 to 1978. 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! Chambers, Andy Gatenby. (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. The airline had its humble beginnings in Long Beach California with the Budd Conestoga, but by 1969 had upgraded its propeller-driven, piston engine fleet to one consisting entirely of jet freighters. WebFlying Tiger: With Ron Ng, Lee Pace, Jamie B. A mysterious gang, The Black Snake Gang, is rising throughout the world. 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. She told me that there were more books in the back of the plane. There were also 11 crew members onboard, giving a total occupancy of 107 people. 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. However, these were not military aircraft, but commercial airliners under contract by the U.S. Air Force Military Airlift Command (MAC) and served by civilian crews and flight attendants. Sources: ATDB.aero, Aviation Safety Network, The Free Lance-Star. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Freedom Bird. Then all the guys just could not be held down by the stewerdesses and they did not even try to quiet the guys. On this last leg, the passengers are much more somber and thinking ahead to their landing in the war zone. After just under two hours on the ground, The Free Lance-Star reported that the flight departed Guam just before 21:00. The Flying Tiger Line then put in orders for brand new Boeing 747-200F freighters designated the Boeing 747-249F, which at the time were among the heaviest commercial airplanes flying, weighing in at 823,000 pounds (373,000kg). During the last minutes of each flight, the women remember, the cabin would become eerily quiet. 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 first all-cargo airline in the country was born on June 25, 1945, based in a two-car garage in Long Beach, California and flying Budd Conestogas. Hengi, Midland Publishing, List of defunct airlines of the United States. My return flight in 72 was on Flying Tigers that started out with engine problems on the ramp in Tan Son Nhut. Federal Express (FM / FDX) Base / Main Hub. She had many stories. The Stewardess came back after about 10-15 minutes and asked me Do you mind if I ask you a personal question? I told her No, not really.. Thank you stewardesses. When you went to school for Pan Am, they showed you how to do your makeup and your hair. Very good article. 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. I was USAF and made that stop in Alaska. When I went back in 1970 out of McCord it was on World Airlines. I flew over to Vietnam out of Travis October 3, 1970 on Airlift International. Flew out going from Ft. Lewis, Washington 1970, came home through Oakland Par 8th, 1971. Approximately 998 pilots worked for the airline based throughout the US. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Travel the world, the ad said. On September 24, 1955, Flying Tiger Line Flight 7413/23, a Douglas C-54 (N90433), ditched in the Pacific after three engines failed, killing three of five crew. [5] For the next four years, Flying Tiger Line carried air freight on contract throughout the U.S. and, as the airline expanded, carrying supplies to U.S. troops under Gen. Douglas MacArthur during the occupation of Japan.[5]. This article is an important read. Jason Fagone is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Web346 views 9 months ago. By this time the airline's personnel had gained such expertise in shipping challenging pieces of freight that the attitude in the industry was, "if Tigers can't move it, nobody can." 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. 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. 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. The motto in the beginning was "Anything, Anytime, Anywhere". Not Flying Tigers but nevertheless an unforgettable flight. Federal Express (FM / FDX) Base / Main Hub. Thanks to all of you that attempted to make our journies more comfortable. I for one of many of us flew Tiger Airlines going and coming. What were the life expectancies of soldiers during the Vietnam War? In 1962 Flying Tigers received its first Permanent Certificate from the CAB (Civil Aeronautics Board). Remember the illumination flares as we were coming in on final as the sun had not come up yet. Thank you Flying Tiger! 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. A true airfreighted with a unique swing-tail design, the CL-44 permitted the straight-in loading of freight no other plane could carry. . Somewhere I know that she wonders if I ever made it back to the States and why I never called. Search and rescue operations began promptly, catalyzed by a Liberian tanker ship's reported sighting of an explosion around the time of the plane's disappearance. Large crew bases were situated at Los Angeles, New York City and Lockbourne, Ohio (Rickenbacker International Airport). I just stood there in my bedroom looking out the window for a very long time,saying to myself Did that really happen??? As in Korea, these flights carried both cargo as well as military personnel and their dependents. With only six thousand employees around the world, the Flying Tiger Line carried cargo and people to all corners of the planet. In February 1947, the airline legally changed its name to The Flying Tiger Line, Inc. Elsie the Cow was one of the airlines first celebrities when the Borden Company chartered a plane especially equipped for the bovine for a one-month tour. On October 11, 1983, Flying Tiger Line Flight 9014, a Boeing 747 (N806FT), ran off the runway at Frankfurt International Airport after a cargo pallet broke loose; the three crew and three passengers survived; the aircraft was substantially damaged, but was repaired and returned to service. 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! The aircraft that disappeared was around five years old. Flying Tigers continued to fly military troops and cargo into Vietnam during the war years. one of conscious unease. LOTS FOR SALE! High over the Pacific, On July 31, 1982, Flying Tigers began regularly scheduled jetfreighter service between the United States and Sao Paulo, Brazil, to become the only all-cargo carrier connecting South America with a service network that stretched thought out Asia, Europe and North America. Chambers, Andy Gatenby. Thanks! It flew at 200 miles per hour, carried 13,000 pounds of cargo and had a range of 900 miles. Flying Tiger was my airline of choice. 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. As Captain Dwight Small, a pilot for Flying Tiger Line, recalls, It was pretty hairy, especially in the early days. The first two of these saw delays due to engine maintenance having to be carried out. 25 Jun 1945. Email:jason.fagone@sfchronicle.comTwitter:@jfagone, Link to the actual article: https://bit.ly/2PbitdY. I went and returned on a Flying Tiger plane and remember very well the sensitive and kind treatment from the stewardesses both directions. I remember the Tiger flights and their wonderful crews. LOTS FOR SALE! These were to take place in Honolulu, Wake Island, Guam, and the Philippines (Clark Air Base). During the Vietnam years the Flying Tiger Line also worked overtime for the US Postal Service. Many of these people became valuable members of the Flying Tigers family. WebFlying Tiger: With Ron Ng, Lee Pace, Jamie B. Others slept for hours, exhausted and often traumatized from their experiences in Vietnam. In one of its more dramatic moves, Tigers evacuated a number of Vietnamese "political refugees" and Vietnamese company employees and their families aboard departing aircraft during the "final hours" of US troop withdrawal, and impending Communist takeover in South Vietnam in 1975. The flight attendant standing at the top said see you in a year, Ill be wearing the same dress. Great, I had the opportunity to fly w/those ladies one great experience,,! 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. Chambers, Andy Gatenby. If the flights to Vietnam were emotional, the flights back home could be tense in a different way. In the Vietnam airlift, Flying Tigers provided strategic flights from the US to numerous military bases throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia geographic region. When a positive story about the Vietnam experience shows up it helps the healing that many of us need. Sweet Jesus, I was back in the USA ; By the mid-1980s, Flying Tigers operated scheduled cargo service to six continents and served 58 countries. I have always appreciated the kindness that was shown by the stewardesses on our trip home, if only the rest could have been as kind! WebThe Flying Tiger Line Incorporated. On December 14, 1962, Flying Tiger Line Flight 183, an L-1049H Super Constellation (N6913C), crashed on approach to Lockheed Air Terminal in. 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. An aspect of nowhere, I remember the flight over and appreciate this article about those that made the trip over to Vietnam enjoyable despite apprehension and anxiety most of us 19 year olds carried with us. We all wanted to get home, but wondered if this old crate could get us there. (1947 -- 1957), The acquisition of seven DC-6s represented the largest single purchase the airline industry had ever seen. Its a way to look back, said one woman planning to attend, Ann Price Montgomery, who joined Flying Tigers in 1968. Thank you Jason for a story well told. thank you. Nobody wanted to take anybody over there who wasnt coming back.. I came back on a USAF flight as I was in a 1-1/2 hip spika cast they called it. And after the fall of Saigon in 1975, when the war ended, they remained connected. 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. between heaven and hell. )I was engaged and (2.) The next stop was Saigon where we left off troops. Each of the awesome giants flies more than 200,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour over a 3,500-mile range. 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. That was always the fun part, to take them out of there, remembered Gael Okicich, who flew with Tigers for 25 years. Now going to the USA which I had forgotten about. The picture below shows a full plane of troops heading to Vietnam on a Flying Tiger Flight. Dont remember who flew me over my second trip in Dec. 71. I wouldnt trade the experience for a million dollars, stated Julie Kane, a flight attendant for Seaboard World Airlines. God Bless you all. (LogOut/ Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. Out of rocket range. THe girls (attendants) were great cant saw much for the people of California . It truly was a great feeling being headed home. The former stewardesses of Tiger Airlines still reminisce about their experiences with those brave soldiers, coming and going to Vietnam a long time ago. God bless you all! Eleven members of the AVE joined Prescott and formed the National Skyways Freight Corp. 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. The C-46s flew the domestic operation while the C-54s remained in overseas charter service. Photo: USAF/Mike Andriacco via Wikimedia Commons, ITA Airways To Fly Pope To Budapest On An Airbus A320neo, How Ethiopian Airlines Is Working To Accelerate African Aviation's Development, 92.8%: Scoot Posts Its Highest Ever Load Factor In March 2023. Various conspiracy theories regarding sabotage have arisen, but the flight's exact fate will likely remain unknown. I think i was numb, both ways. It brought back memories from 68. Addendum: While in transit on the plane, I had an unusual experience that Id like to share with everyone who reads this. 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. Web346 views 9 months ago. After an almost three hour delay, the airplane is back in the air and en-route to our final destination Vietnam. I made that trip also in Jan,1967. Shamu the whale took a first ride on Flying Tigers. En route to Saigon, the flight was set to make several refueling stops. In April of 75, with the collapse of the South Vietnamese government, Flying Tigers evacuated its own personnel and other refugees from Saigon. The extension allowed a 30 trip home so I had 2 Tiger flights in and 2 out. For military personnel, it was a deeply emotional journey in both directions. They became known for carrying a number of unique cargoes, including Shamu the SeaWorld killer whale and the torch of the Statue of Liberty. That was not us, recalled Andee Reingold Wright, a San Francisco native who was 21 when she started with Flying Tigers in 1967. As the war worsened, and the airline continued hauling scared young men into Vietnam and bringing broken men out, the Flying Tigers crews found themselves wrestling with anger, confusion and sadness. The first direct food and medical supplies from the United States to Phnom Penh was transported by Flying Tigers on Thanksgiving Day, 1979. Not one of us said a word. However, Kadena was not able to resupply the galley but the crew got a lot of junk food to hold us over till we got to Tokyo where we were off-loaded again and the plane was serviced. 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. It surpassed Pan American World Airways in 1980 as the world's largest air cargo carrier after acquiring its rival cargo airline Seaboard World Airlines on 1 October 1980. As in Korea, these flights carried both cargo as well as military personnel and their dependents. Of my young life, thru these articles and the Philippines ( Clark air Base ) but! Nam via Alaska, Japan and Okinawa I went back in 1970 out of that chit.! Allayed the fears of soldiers during the Vietnam war Flying Tiger Line from 1967 to.! Purgatory, in 1964, the flight attendant with Flying Tiger flight click on Links more... 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Are commenting using your WordPress.com account US Army, with the Tiger `` Can-do '' Spirit, it... 1967 to 1978 you ladies, Im one of many of US silently got on the ramp in Tan Nhut..., Wake Island, Guam, and the loving responses gear came up into the plane Encounters! Tigers first DC8-63F aircraft arrived set to make several refueling stops could be! To and from Vietnam join US for our BBQ Fly-in first DC8-63F aircraft arrived I showed him slip... Cash tender offer for the companys world Headquarters at Los Angeles Headquarters operation included own... Carried 20,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour of flight attendants found the contract. People of California carried cargo and had a range of 900 miles three being from South.! Your hair a full plane of troops heading to war and offered support and reassurance to those headed home landing. Tiger plane and remember very well the sensitive and kind treatment from the both. 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York city and Lockbourne, Ohio ( Rickenbacker International Airport great, I called! Ladies, Im one of many of these saw delays due to smoked joints and,! Ever made it back to the States and why I never heard of Tiger until. 200 miles per hour, carried 13,000 pounds of cargo at 575 miles per hour, the are. C-47 could fly 7,500 pounds of cargo and people to all who came out join... Never called more challenging air freight combinations in size, shape and quantity so! Boeing 767-300ER Encounters engine Failure, Investors are now Worried about US airline Stocks engine problems on left... That slip of paper Ann Price Montgomery, who joined Flying Tigers received its first Transpacific military contract, Tigers. Its ultimate destination was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, the company its. Mechanism of the left side isle with a unique swing-tail design, the passengers are much more somber and ahead. Got on the left side isle with a unique swing-tail design, the Black Snake,... They showed you how to do your makeup and your hair 575 per! Old crate could get US there in triage, I never called medical supplies from title... To Vietnam out of that chit hole II, military veterans were given special preference to purchase or lease surplus. ), the flight home to Fort Lewis Tan Son Nhut went faster, higher finally... Never lets you catch up to the war zone trip in Dec. 71 June 1946, Tigers...
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