Thursday, April 23, 2009

Connection with Washington (the state)

A blogger who journals "Aircraft Losses in Washington State and Military and Aviation Related Topics" recently discovered our blog and connected with Cal Taylor. He had a couple of posts of common interest with 133 Crews.

One was on March 29, 2009: http://washingtonwreckchasing.blogspot.com/search/label/C-133 where he talked about discovering our CargomasterRaster blog, and the Last Flight of 61999 which stopped-over at McChord AFB.

An earlier post was on May 21, 2008, which focused on Exercise Coulee Crest.....remember that one? http://washingtonwreckchasing.blogspot.com/2008/05/exercise-coulee-crest.html .

Cal & I have both entered Comments on both these posts. The author is looking for anybody who remembers, and has records of 133s participating in Coulee Crest. Please let him, and us know.

UPDATE #1 - 04/24/09:

Dick,
Between 19 April and 1 May 1963, Dover launched 14 C-133 and 19 C-124 sorties in Coulee Crest. Troops were on-loaded from bases in the central and eastern US and airlifted to Yakima. Then on 2 May, Dover reinforced CC with 9 C-124s and 7 C-133 aircraft. The redeployment took place between 16 & 25 May. Dover's crews logged a total of 4,180 flying hours during all phases of the operation. Sorry to say that some idiot, way back when, destroyed the documents that may have given information on the aircraft squadron assignments.

Harry E. Heist II
Archivist/Editor Hangar Digest
Air Mobility Command Museum
1301 Heritage Road
Dover AFB DE 19902-5301
(302) 677-5997 DSN:445
www.amcmuseum.org

UPDATE #2 - 04/24/09:

Dick: 18 through 25 May '63, I flew a "Coulee Crest" mission with A/C Capt. Robert O. Lane, a farm boy from MO who drank Dixie Belle sour mash. The mission was from Dover to Larson (AFB?) (I believe Larson was in Moses Lake WA.) to Westover, MA. , then three more trips to Larson from Westover, then to James Connally, to Charleston and back to Dover. Total flying time; 56 hours , 40 minutes. No idea what we hauled ... wish I'd kept a diary! Q (Dick Quimby)

5 comments:

Jimh. said...

Wow, THANKS Gentlemen! I appreciate the post and the information! I doubt there is a better bunch than the C-133 guys!
Jimh.

washingtonwreckchasing.blogspot.com

Papa Hans said...

We're kind of biased, but have to agree with you, Jim. Thanks for the interest!

Glenn Hitchcock said...

Ah Yes! Coulee Crest. My faded personal log tells me I flew McDill to Larson? 4/23/63 in 62005 and returned to Dover 4/26. Then Pope/Larson/Ft Campbell/McCord in 62013 4/27, then 5/2 to 5/5 (no destinations noted.) Main image I have of it all was some long black nights over "fly-over midWest". A few crew members noted were Capt Hodges, Maj Blank and Frank Hearty (lost later at Goose Bay).

Jimh. said...

Today I posted an accident report involving an F-104 on May 10, 1963. This was apparently during Coulee Crest, too. I hope all you men are doing well!

Papa Hans said...

Very interesting, Glenn! Just 3 months after your flight on 62005 (as I'm sure you'll recall), that aircraft became one of 10 133s lost or destroyed in an accident on the ground @ Dover AFB. Go here:
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19630731-1