And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Yup, ol' shakey. Got to ride from NC to Panama on one back in the early 70's. Cargo configured, piles of crates, boxes and bags covered in nets. Us "passengers" got to sit anywhere we could find something to lean or sit on that would not break our ass.. It took every inch of runway to get airborne, we were sweating if it was going to roll onto the fields at the end but it made it. Boy talk about a slow climb to altitude. Good times for a 19 YO swabbie.
I rode in one in the early 70s during an AFJROTC field trip. IIRC, they were doing some checkout flights based in Hill AFB and all the surrounding schools with junior ROTC programs were offered a ride-along opportunity. It was indeed LOUD.
There was one on the ramp approaching an old O-1 Bird Dog observation plane, and taxiing rather closely to it.
When the O-1 pilot queried the tower on the freq about what the Globemaster's intentions were, the C-124 pilot opened the forward clamshell doors and called on the channel "I'm going to eat you!"
The "good ol' days" when you could do that and not lose your wings. Even 40 years ago if you didn't lose your wings you would be busted back to co-pilot and grounded for a while to think about it.
As an old man, my memory isn't quite as exact as I wish it were, but as a soldier in my beloved United States Army, I probably flew on one of the last United States Air Force Douglas C-124 "Globemaster" flights in approximately 1973?
It was sometime either during, or soon after, my two (02) years (i.e., I twice volunteered to extend my normal one year Tour of Duty) of serving in the old Republic of Viet Nam as a Specialist, E-4, Multi-Channel Communications Repairman (MOS 31L20) in Headquarters Company, 501st Signal Battalion (Airmobile), 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile).
I was probably on leave and taking "military hops" from the West Coast to visit my folks in North Carolina.
I flew on a C-124 from McChord Air Force Base, in Tacoma, Washington (i.e., years previously, I'd had my Basic Combat Training and my RVN training at adjacent Fort Lewis) to Kelly Air Force Base, in San Antonio, Texas, with a stop en route at Gray Army Air Field at Fort Hood, Texas to unload two (02) United States Army Bell UH-1 "Iroquois" helicopters.
I think it might have been Winter, because it was cold, and I slept curled up under blankets.
I was the only passenger on that flight, and it was the only time I ever flew on a C-124, and purely because of nostalgia (i.e., I sensed the United States Air Force Douglas C-124 "Globemaster" was being terminated from service), I dearly loved that rare experience!
It was also nostalgic because when I was an "Army brat", our family had gone to Hill Air Force Base at Fort Bragg, North Carolina to see the static displays on Armed Forces Day, and I explored the interior of a parked United States Air Force Douglas C-124 "Globemaster", and as I did so, I stood at the open window overlooking the wing, which looked like it must have been a mile long.
Ah, the memories!
The C-124 will always have a special regard within my old military heart!
Planey McPlane face?
ReplyDeleteWell played, sir!
DeleteOld Shakey.
ReplyDeleteYep!
DeleteIve watched the doors open
What a sight!
That is a big boy. I wish I had a contract to furnish those huge landing tires
ReplyDeleteTalk about "hanging on the props". Jeebus.
ReplyDeleteOl' Shaky . . . yup, you were there!
ReplyDeleteYup, ol' shakey. Got to ride from NC to Panama on one back in the early 70's. Cargo configured, piles of crates, boxes and bags covered in nets. Us "passengers" got to sit anywhere we could find something to lean or sit on that would not break our ass.. It took every inch of runway to get airborne, we were sweating if it was going to roll onto the fields at the end but it made it. Boy talk about a slow climb to altitude. Good times for a 19 YO swabbie.
ReplyDeleteNC to Panama, Swabbie? I am guessing Corpsman? HooYaa Navy
DeleteThat tug is an optomist.
ReplyDeleteGeneral Ripper: The all weather interceptor !
ReplyDeleteI rode in one in the early 70s during an AFJROTC field trip. IIRC, they were doing some checkout flights based in Hill AFB and all the surrounding schools with junior ROTC programs were offered a ride-along opportunity. It was indeed LOUD.
ReplyDeleteThe aluminum overcast
ReplyDeleteThere was one on the ramp approaching an old O-1 Bird Dog observation plane, and taxiing rather closely to it.
ReplyDeleteWhen the O-1 pilot queried the tower on the freq about what the Globemaster's intentions were, the C-124 pilot opened the forward clamshell doors and called on the channel "I'm going to eat you!"
The "good ol' days" when you could do that and not lose your wings. Even 40 years ago if you didn't lose your wings you would be busted back to co-pilot and grounded for a while to think about it.
DeleteAs an old man, my memory isn't quite as exact as I wish it were, but as a soldier in my beloved United States Army, I probably flew on one of the last United States Air Force Douglas C-124 "Globemaster" flights in approximately 1973?
ReplyDeleteIt was sometime either during, or soon after, my two (02) years (i.e., I twice volunteered to extend my normal one year Tour of Duty) of serving in the old Republic of Viet Nam as a Specialist, E-4, Multi-Channel Communications Repairman (MOS 31L20) in Headquarters Company, 501st Signal Battalion (Airmobile), 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile).
I was probably on leave and taking "military hops" from the West Coast to visit my folks in North Carolina.
I flew on a C-124 from McChord Air Force Base, in Tacoma, Washington (i.e., years previously, I'd had my Basic Combat Training and my RVN training at adjacent Fort Lewis) to Kelly Air Force Base, in San Antonio, Texas, with a stop en route at Gray Army Air Field at Fort Hood, Texas to unload two (02) United States Army Bell UH-1 "Iroquois" helicopters.
I think it might have been Winter, because it was cold, and I slept curled up under blankets.
I was the only passenger on that flight, and it was the only time I ever flew on a C-124, and purely because of nostalgia (i.e., I sensed the United States Air Force Douglas C-124 "Globemaster" was being terminated from service), I dearly loved that rare experience!
It was also nostalgic because when I was an "Army brat", our family had gone to Hill Air Force Base at Fort Bragg, North Carolina to see the static displays on Armed Forces Day, and I explored the interior of a parked United States Air Force Douglas C-124 "Globemaster", and as I did so, I stood at the open window overlooking the wing, which looked like it must have been a mile long.
Ah, the memories!
The C-124 will always have a special regard within my old military heart!