Community Forums

CoastieSCPO · 07-25-2011, 06:38 AM

I served in the US Army from 66-69, mainly in the 3rd Armored Division. Then, after a break of a couple of years, did 25 years in the Coast Guard reserve, retiring as a Senior Chief. Like others, now I'm fully retired and enjoy the benefits.

Bob

wingman8 · 07-27-2011, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.C. Wheeler

U.S. Air Force, 20 years exactly with the best tour (year) was that in Vietnam serving as Flight Mechanic Flight Examineer with the 361st Tactical Electronics Warfare Squadron at Nha Trang Air Base in 1966/67 where I flew 114 of the 7 hour missions locating "Charlie" for you other folks to come in and take out. During my very early tour, we actually set up the squadron and flew our mission at 1500 feet until our first aircraft was shot down loosing all 7 men then the the altitude was raised to 2,000 feet. I hope that if someone saved your bacon that maybe we had a hand in it.

Since 1997, I have been collecting and preserving the History of this mission on my Web Site "The EC-47 History Site" at: http://www.ec47.com/dir.htm stop by for a visit.

Hope to meet you on the road someday, until then take care.

J.C.

JC, I was stationed at Tan Son Nhut with the 360th recon squadron 1966-1967. We had 3 47's when I arrived and about 30 when I left. Due to the age of the aircraft and all of the Light Col pilots we were called Antique Airlines. Take care, Don

wayne-43 · 07-27-2011, 05:19 PM

US Navy 23 and a half years all aviation. Aircraft Carriers .... Saratoga, Independence . Wasp and Forrestal wayne-43

jeepfreak · 07-27-2011, 05:36 PM

Air Force 66-70(actually 3yrs 11 months 26 days but who was counting).

justimagination · 07-28-2011, 01:09 AM

.......USAF from 1959 to 1963..........straight from Texas to Washington DC.
David G.

USMCRET · 08-06-2011, 03:16 AM

1977-2006

ajlcal · 08-06-2011, 11:30 AM

US Army. Two tours Viet Nam 1968-1970.

Norm4015 · 08-06-2011, 11:42 AM

US Air Force 1963-1967

J.C. Wheeler · 08-07-2011, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wingman8

JC, I was stationed at Tan Son Nhut with the 360th recon squadron 1966-1967. We had 3 47's when I arrived and about 30 when I left. Due to the age of the aircraft and all of the Light Col pilots we were called Antique Airlines. Take care, Don

Good Morning Don,

We must have gotten to TSN about the sametime, I think I brought the 3rd or 4th aircraft over from Grenier Field, New Hampshire. I believe I arrived on Sept. 10th, 1966 with Lt. Col. Frank E. Hinkle and crew (we were the only crew to Ferry a bird over, fly together as a crew for the year and come home together). You are correct, if you were not at least a Major in the first year or so of the mission, you had little chance of being an Aircraft Commander.

Lt. Col. James "Jim" Jelly was Squadron Commander and just recently Passed Away at his home in North Texas. He was with us at the Reunion in San Antonio in 1999 and was in fact our Speaker at the Banquet Dinner. He and my A/C Lt. Col. Hinkle served in WWII together.

Have you been to my Web-Site "The EC-47 History Site" at: http://www.ec47.com/dir.htm yet? Be advised the site is "Very Large" and I doubt anyone can get thru it in a 12 hour sitting, a lot of history. Hope you (and others) can visit this site as it covers a bit of Military History that has and is still being denied due to the high security clearance we carried. There were 3 squadrons, the 360th, 361st and 362nd Tactical Electronics Warfare Squadrons with the Backenders being from the 6994th Security Squadron and it's Detachments.

In addition to the site I wrote a book and had it printed in 1999, had 1,000 copies printed and they are now all gone. In 2008, I did a 47 minute DVD that included an Air Force made film of a Mission that actually showed the interior of the aircraft and the Special Classified Equipment but did not describe it to well. Shows the Operators and Navigator at work.

Any how, I hope to hear from you again and anyone else who was a part of this EC-47 Mission or those who may be interested in it.

Take Care,

James C. Wheeler
360th/361st Tactical Electronics Warfare Squadrons
Tan Son Nhut and Nha Trang AB, South Vietnam 1966/67
Email Address: jc@ec47.com

Cyclone Dave · 08-07-2011, 07:23 AM

I joined the Army in 1976 and retired early in 1988. I was stationed at the following installations: Fort Sill, Ok; Bamberg, Germany; Fort Wadsworth, NY; Fort Monmouth, NJ; Fort Sam Houston, TX; Camp Casey, (Tongduch'on, South Korea); Fort Lewis, WA; Fort Gordon, GA and returned to Fort Lewis where I retired with a medical disability.

Hoghead · 08-07-2011, 07:32 AM

USAF 1967-1971, Air Traffic Control, Paris ATRC, RVN 1970-71

GreyMountain · 08-07-2011, 07:57 AM

J.C.: Never flew the "Lectric Goons," but have about 5000 hours on C-130s (A, B and Es), and RC-135s, with a couple of missions on the AWACS.
I was in various sister units of the 6994th in my 27-year career with USAFSS/ESC and know many of those who flew the Goons.
I'm sure you know there is a Goon in front of the Headquarters building at Kelly. We have a remembrance ceremony there every year.

Lonnie

sfrantz · 08-07-2011, 11:12 AM

US Navy. Submarine service. USS Simon Bolivar, SSBN 641.

J.C. Wheeler · 08-08-2011, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreyMountain

J.C.: Never flew the "Lectric Goons," but have about 5000 hours on C-130s (A, B and Es), and RC-135s, with a couple of missions on the AWACS.
I was in various sister units of the 6994th in my 27-year career with USAFSS/ESC and know many of those who flew the Goons.
I'm sure you know there is a Goon in front of the Headquarters building at Kelly. We have a remembrance ceremony there every year.

Lonnie

==============================

Good Morning Lonnie,

Yep, I am aware of the Goon in front of Headquarters at Kelly. We were there for the ceremony during our reunion in 1999 and again in 2008 and have numerous photos of it.
On the C-130, I drew an assignment to the 62 TAS at Little Rock in 1971 as a Flight Engineer. On a 60 day rotation to Rhein Mein Germany in 71 immediately after takeoff the Co-pilot had to make a trip to the little "Privacy Closet" in the back of the aircraft so I just unbuckled my seat belt and slid over in the right seat. The A/C said "as soon as you get comfortable let me know and you can have it". So pretty quickly I was ready and told him I wanted to hand fly and ask him to turn off the autopilot. Flew that sucker all the way to Athens Greece with the Co-pilot in my seat.
When I started the approach and decent I kept thinking he is going to tell me to get out of the seat soon. Finally at about 10,000 feet he said "did you ever land one of these" and I replied "no" he then ask if I thought I could and I replied "yes" and he then said "you are going to get your chance". I never varied more than 100-150 off the glideslope and when I touched down you could now feel it touch the runway and he was sitting there with his arms crossed. The Co-pilot, in my seat, threw his hat on the floor, stomped it and said "I've never made a landing like that" and I replied "I sure would hate to have to duplicate it". All this and we weighed 137,000 lbs I believe it was and had 17 passengers on board.
That was the best Single Day of my career.

Take Care,

J.C. Wheeler