It truly was a great feeling being headed home. Not Flying Tigers but nevertheless an unforgettable flight. and flew to Portland ,Oregon. 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! Im still trying to figure out how to coordinate one of our own with one of theirs. According to the Aviation Safety Network, it first flew in 1957, and had amassed a total of 17,224 hours. 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. He tried to grab it but I told him If she had wanted him to have it she would have given it to him. With that I went back to reading. 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. "Trucking Anywhere By Air", November 1945, "Interview with Ray Ruff & Donnie Brooks", http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/ft3.htm, http://www.departedflights.com/BRU83intro.html, "How Pan Am Flight 50 flew from pole to pole", https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR7210.pdf, Flying Tiger Line accidents and incidents, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flying_Tiger_Line&oldid=1146348566, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, On January 7, 1953, Flying Tiger Line Flight 841, a. Thank you for taking care of us. WebFlying Tiger: With Ron Ng, Lee Pace, Jamie B. 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. Such as, I didnt know if I was going to make it back and not wanting to think about that. Two examples were thoroughbred racehorses and show animals from Stansted, England to the Melbourne Cup, as well as breeding stock cattle (milk supply) to nations such as Japan and Thailand. Sweet Jesus, I was back in the USA ; Thanks, DRS. 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. On December 16, 1988, Federal Express announced their cash tender offer for the purchase of Flying Tigers. a version of Purgatory, 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. 25 Jun 1945. When a positive story about the Vietnam experience shows up it helps the healing that many of us need. Mosher. 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. 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. These ladies were great listeners and very supportive. Thank you Flying Tiger! 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. All rights reserved. WebThe Flying Tiger Line Incorporated. Not only told to leave, but not to come back. Flying Tigers received the All-Cargo Route #163 across the Pacific into Asia. 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. This article was greatdefined exactly how it was when we flew homeI left Vietnam on or about the 5th of January 1968 & Flying Tigers was my carrier! I flew over on Continental..We had a flight attendant come to one of our VVA Chapter meeting and tell us about her time. 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. ATDB.aero shows that it spent most of its career at Flying Tiger Line, but did also serve Lufthansa on a leased basis. On August 7, 1989, Federal Express merged Flying Tigers into its operations. Flying Tiger Attendant 1969 A major milestone year. 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. Many of these people became valuable members of the Flying Tigers family. 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. Flying from Clark AFB to Guam refueling then on to Travis AFB and Home. [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. Thank you ladies, as a veteran of several tours in the Nam, I always remembered those who catered to us as we flew to and from the zone and their efforts to help us feel comfortable as possible. By the mid-1980s, Flying Tigers operated scheduled cargo service to six continents and served 58 countries. It was the first time I was truly surrounded around military men, and I was overwhelmed by their commitment and belief in their mission. During a ceremony at the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the women, many now in their 70s, will also mark the disappearance of Flying Tigers Flight 739, which vanished over the Pacific in 1962 along with 107 passengers and crew, including four flight attendants. Thank you for writing this story, it was way overdue. The food on the airplane had to be thrown away because there was no refrigeration on the aircraft for over 48 hours. In 1964, the company graduated its first class of flight attendants. The Statue of Liberty torch flew on Flying Tigers. We relied on each other and the soldiers to manage.. 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. The new Flying Tiger airline had its own military role; carrying cargo and troops back and forth to the war in Vietnam. Room parties and roof parties and lobby parties and oh, my goodness.. The aircraft that disappeared was around five years old. On this last leg, the passengers are much more somber and thinking ahead to their landing in the war zone. I know you dont remember many of our faces, as we no longer remember yours, but we thank you for taking care for us. I missed my 21st birthday completely. Dont remember who flew me over my second trip in Dec. 71. Theyd usually start at Travis Air Force Base outside of San Francisco or McChord Field in Washington, picking up more than 200 fresh-faced, uniformed servicemen from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. Thanks for the ride! 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. Thank you stewardesses. Somewhere I know that she wonders if I ever made it back to the States and why I never called. She told me that there were more books in the back of the plane. The aircraft was operating a Military Air Transport Service (MATS) cargo flight from Travis AFB to Kadena Air Base. Canadair CL-44 It supplied and supported covert operations in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, including providing support for drug smuggling in Laos. During 1949, the C-47s were replaced with the C-46s, which had a higher payload and longer range. Federal Express (FM / FDX) Base / Main Hub. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The Swingtails were so nicknamed because their tails literally swung away from the aircraft for loading. After an almost three hour delay, the airplane is back in the air and en-route to our final destination Vietnam. On this last leg, the passengers are much more somber and thinking ahead to their landing in the war zone. I know there were bad times but your article brought back memories I forgot I had. The next stop was Saigon where we left off troops. It was never seen or heard from again, despite an extensive search operation. Crossing the international date line was my experience in time travel. 365 days later. For some the experience changed their political beliefs, although they tried to keep politics off the plane. Looking back, I owe them my deep thanks for doing their job so splendidly despite the emotional roller-coaster they must have been on. I spent one year there and flew 15 missions in Vietnam, 8 north and 7 south. The flight attendants, although very young themselves, couldnt believe how young the troops were just 17 and 18 in some cases. An aspect of nowhere, On October 1, 1980 Flying Tigers merged with Seaboard World linking the United States with Europe and the Middle East. Read about what they talk about at their reunions. 2019 by the San Francisco Airport Commission. Contact Thank you to all who came out to join us for our BBQ Fly-in! In April of 75, with the collapse of the South Vietnamese government, Flying Tigers evacuated its own personnel and other refugees from Saigon. From 1979 to 1980 the Flying Tiger Line passed Pan Am to become the world's number one air cargo carrier. Ardith (Vignati) Willner And this aricle brought back many memories, both sad & scared, and delighted and full of joy! In the Vietnam airlift, Flying Tigers provided strategic flights from the US to numerous military bases throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia geographic region. 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! It supplied and supported covert operations in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, including providing support for drug smuggling in Laos. Web978 views 8 months ago Andee Wright served as a flight attendant with Flying Tiger Line from 1967 to 1978. When I went back in 1970 out of McCord it was on World Airlines. This Marine Was The American Sniper Of The Vietnam War, https://open.spotify.com/show/5Th7BCpIKDE1hVTqNL3u0Q. Its ultimate destination was the Vietnamese city of Saigon, to which it was transporting 96 soldiers. 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. Also those that returned with ptsd, most of us. A FLY-IN COMMUNITY! 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! Next stop was Yokota Japan. At 11:15PM June 29, 1968 I left Bien Hoa airport on a Trans International DC-10. I would have been on Flying Tigers returning to the states. Welcome Home with many thank you for all your support of the Vietnam veterans!! Great article; Thanks. 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! I had read everything in sight that was in the pocket of the seat in front of me. 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. If not for you, the World would be much worse off. Specifically equipped with weather monitoring equipment and scientific instrumentation, one 707 (Aircraft N322FT), gained fame as the "Pole Cat." Interesting. meets a very pale blue, 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. 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 multi-leg charter service that originated at Travis Air Force Base in the US state of California. I remember the Tiger flights and their wonderful crews. Ninety-three of these were enlisted with the US Army, with the remaining three being from South Vietnam. They operated a recording company subsidiary, Happy Tiger Records, from 1969 to 1971. December 31st, 1968 at the age of 20 we flew from Travis AFB to Anchorage Alaska. They coped, as always, by leaning on each other. I know the feelings, having done the flights in 68 & 70. 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. 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. 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. In 1965, Flying Tiger Line began operating jet aircraft when on September, 27, And yes, we had a flight load of pucker factor and apprehension. In December 1946, Flying Tigers received its first Transpacific Military Contract, flying C-54s to Tokyo and Hawaii. As in Korea, these flights carried both cargo as well as military personnel and their dependents. The flight attendants were as depicted in this article, both going and coming home. Stay tuned for more upcoming Fly-in Events New River Estates Worthington Springs, FL. From 1945 to 1989 Flying Tigers management, mechanics, office staff, flight attendants, pilots and crew members worked together to build an airline that became a legend. 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. She learned then that the Flying Tiger Line, also known as Flying Tigers, specialized in troop transports. Chambers, Andy Gatenby. WebFlying Tiger Airport: Home Real Estate About Things to do FAQ's FAA Info. The picture below shows a full plane of troops heading to Vietnam on a Flying Tiger Flight. 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. In 1982, Flying Tigers flew relief flights to Warsaw, Poland. God Bless you all. 7 Aug 1989. one of conscious unease. Established at the end of the Second World War, Flying Tiger Line made history as the first US-based scheduled cargo-carrying airline. 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