APG85 wrote:
Herk's...Excellent!
You of all people I thought would appreciate these pictures.
T33driver wrote:
I miss the comraderie and the flying but not the chem warfare exercises! Thanks for the memories!
Yeah going through these old pictures brought back alot of memories for me too. I can say with all honesty I had a blast every minute of being with the 910th. Since coming off active duty and now back in OH. I have been thinking about going reserves again with 910th.
All of the Hunter AAF pictures were from our Chem Warfare ORE. These were taken in DEC so it wasn't that bad. We did a ORE 6 months earlier also at Hunter. And let me tell ya July in Savannah, standing around in MOPP 4 gear was sucking. People were sweating so badly that when you pealed them out of those charcoal suits all of their exposed skin and damp clothes had turned black.
jcw wrote:
shay
do you go back to the mid 80's at youngstown.. if so remember Dave Stevens??
I didn't show up to Youngstown until '94. I can't say that I recall the name Dave Stevens.
You guy were talking about early model Hercs specifically the "A" model.
While by the time I came on board I think most of the "A" models were gone. We did do a joint ORE with a unit from Baltimore that was still flying old "C" models. We thought we were pretty shi
t-hot with our brand new "H" models. If I'm not mistaken the 910th at that time had recently given up their "C"s for the new "H"s. I remember my first flight in a C-130, flying up from Dayton to Y-town via Selfridge. The flight was a ferry flight to pick up reservists. The pilots landed at WPAFB taxi'd up to the terminal and while the engines were still running the door popped open and the Loadmaster came out and we filed into the aircraft. I'm sure I was wide-eye'd as I made it past those huge rotating props. Once inside I strapped into one of the jump seats. It was pretty loud for a guy new to the Hercules. Some oldtimer reservist took the seat next to me. He introduced himself to me and told me "These are our new C-130Hs.....They're 10 times quieter than the old "C" models. It thought to myself "really!?!?...I'm glad I'm not flying on a "C" model." Well the Loadmaster closed up the aircraft and we taxi'd for what seemed forever but finally made it to the end of runway as I felt the Herc turn into position. Then the engines scaled up from humming to,...well really load humming. But we weren't moving yet but everything was vibrating and shaking. Then finally the pilot let off the brakes and the Herc launched forward and I not noticing everyone else was holding onto the cargo seat neting ahead of them, fell over aft while strapped at the waist. I was able to pull my way up on the seat as we made our way down the runway. When we got enough air under our wings and lifted off the ground, I felt my stomach sink and the biggest unvoluntary grin grew on my face. It was an awesome feeling. I will always love the Hercules for that reason.
While on active duty for 8 years in the Navy I only flew once and that was also on a C-130. It was while I was stationed with the SEAL teams in Hampton Roads. I knew the parachute jump coordinator and he asked me if I wanted to go along. I jumped at the chance to go for a ride. A lot of nostalgia was flooding through me as we boarded and I got strapped in. And as we took off, that same grin came back to visit me as we lifted off the ground.
This flight was a first for me. It was first time I had been on a Herc while they openned the tail door in flight. It was pretty surreal to watch them open the door and see the sky behind the aircraft with nothing between you and the open air but a lapstrap. The kicker came when watching the Frogs form up and one by one jump out the back of the C-130. All I can say was it was quite an experience.
Yeah ALOT of good memories.
My best trips with the 910TH were to Howard AFB, Panama and to Ramstien AB, Germany. Flying to Germany in a Herc is a long long ride but I loved it.
Shay
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Semper Fortis
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