Travis Reunion

The event was a great success. The banquet had about 140 attendees. Sid Anderson, the last 84th MAS commander, was the MC. Col Milton Meiklejohn was the oldest attendee, at age 94. CMSgt Bill Oakes, the engineer for the ages, is a bit younger. On Saturday, there was a buffet at the Travis Air Museum, with about 170 people. Everyone was able to climb into 61999 and see her redone in USAF markings.

Sometime this year (per the vice-wing commander), the airplane will be moved out past the main gate, but still on the base. It will be the "gate guard." To do the move, the wings and vertical tail must be removed and then reinstalled. The other museum airplanes will follow later.

Cal Taylor

Loading ICBMs

I talked to those who know about loading ICBMs, including master loadmaster Don Garcia. He says it can be done and was done. A-models could and did load Titan and Atlas.

Cal Taylor

Happy People!!

I've finished editing my Reunion photos, and wound up with about 150 "decent-to-excellent" quality pictures (about 60 from the Friday Hangar Social, and 90 from the Saturday Banquet). I posted a sample of 10 from Friday earlier (go here and scroll down: So It Has Begun!!!! ). So now I'm going to select another sample of 14 from Saturday. Eventually, I'll figure out how to share them all with all of you. Stay tuned, and enjoy!

Master of Ceremonies, Rick Spencer

Sandy Sandstrom & Judy Aylward

John Herren

Vance & Helen Woodward

Becky & Allen Jensen

Guest Speaker, Chaplain Lt. Col. John Groth

John Parish

George McDuffy

George McDuffy & Jack Shield

Col. Gerald Edwards

Sandy Sandstrom

Stan Bryk

ICBM Airlift

In preparing to answer questions from Smithsonian Air & Space Magazine, I find that I may have made a huge misstatement about ICBM airlift. I was under the strong impression that the ICBM moves were all done in the B-model. Terry Wall says he definitely moved Atlas and his shot in the book shows a Titan loading into an A-model at Ellsworth. All you LMs out there, please straighten me out. This is for an article by John Sotham about the C-133 to appear in SASM in September.

Cal Taylor

And Terry Wall just added the following comment and photo:

I have been under the impression for all these years that we carried Titans in the A models. It may not have been easy fitting them through the door, but it was done, I think. I took a picture in 1962 that I think is a Titan offloading at Ellsworth:

Can anyone identify the missile type for sure?

It Was a Grand Gathering!!!!!!

Thank you all......those who made it, and those who wanted to, but couldn't.....for your incredible response to this "Call to Reunite" in Dover! It was VERY gratifying to witness, and participate in the joy and camaraderie!!

Many have already expressed their gratitude for the work of the Planning Committee, and offered some worthy suggestions. Over the next couple of weeks, we will be publishing many photos of all the action, both on this blog, and to our e-mail list. Meanwhile, check out a few of the photos from the Friday Hangar Social in the last post below.

Also, within a month or so, we will provide an Evaluation Survey to assess your reactions and opinions for future reference.

So, stay tuned!!

So It Has Begun!!!!!!

R-Day + 1

Newsbreak:
The Hospitality Suite @ the Dover Downs Hotel

Room 725

This is Hank Baker's Great Gathering Place this afternoon before the Banquet Plan begins with a Cash Bar @ 1730, with background music by Hank's All Volunteer, 16 Piece Band!

See you there anytime after 1400 TODAY,
Saturday, 8 May 2010............. :)

War Stories will abound! And look for some Show 'n' Tell DVDs in a corner of the Banquet Ballroom, courtesy of Jimmy Ratcliff and Dick Hanson

HERE'S A SMALL SAMPLE OF SOME PHOTOS FROM A GOOD TIME YESTERDAY AT THE AMC MUSEUM HANGAR SOCIAL:

Connie & Dick Strouse

?? & Frank Coyle

Dick Quimby, Bob Maguire & ??

Memorabilia Display

Bob Maguire, S/N 0536 & Sandy Sandstrom

Roberta & Charlie Feathers

Let the Reunion Begin!!!

It's R-Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See you in the Hangar!!!

Dateline Dover Post - 04 May 2010

Rick Spencer, our "PR Department," connected with Jeff Brown, News Editor of the Dover Post, which resulted in the following article about our Reunion:

Unique group of flyers to tell the story of a unique type of airplane
Public invited to hobnob with the men who flew the C-133 Cargomaster during the Cold War

Click on the following link for the full article, and a photo of Sandy Sandstrom with ol' 90536: Unique Group of Flyers

On the Way to Dover.....

Welcome Back to Dover!!!!

Rick Spencer, Navigator, 39th ATS, '62-'65
Reunion Program Master of Ceremonies

It's been three years in the planning since the last one, and now it's finally here! And the response from all of you Crew Colleagues has been tremendous. 140 of you (with 100 guests!) are now converging on our old stomping grounds for a Grand Reunion! Here's a Pre-Welcome letter from Rick Spencer! Let's begin the Celebration!!!

Ladies, gentlemen, guests, and all others, we welcome one another back to DAFB and the C-133’s sixth reunion as we head into our Emerald anniversary year.

We also pay homage to those members not with us because of illness, the natural passages of life, or the fatal accidents that we endured.

I am honored, humbled, and somewhat nervous to appear before you, peers all as MC and part of this reunion. It has been some 55 years since the Douglas C-133A Cargomaster was rolled out for its debut in CA and we can all say that we have been with it in spirit, if not body, from its beginning to its end.

Given the size of the USAF and the years gone by, we were a very small group of people maintaining and flying a very large airplane around the world. It was an ‘eye popper’ for all those seeing it. We were involved in important and memorable missions with the best air and ground crews ever assembled. Should I use the word ‘elite’ to describe us? I think so! When one surveys today’s aero technology, we were iron men in wooden ships.

There were a mere fifty C-133’s built, based at two locations, and their lifespan and “heyday’, the 1960’s, were compressed into a very short period compared to nearly all other AF aircraft. The final landing of a C-133A, 61999, some 35 years after its official retirement and subsequent private ownership, was at the Travis Air Show in 2008 prior to it becoming a part of their AMC Museum display. Now, sadly, there are no more.

In one of the quirks of our history, the C-133A now at Travis AFB was originally a DAFB bird, and the display here was originally a Travis bird. That incongruity between what one would expect to happen and what actually happened has created a closer relationship between the two Museums and among all the veterans associated with this historic transport. We are now family; and, we now have an obligation, one to the other, to maintain these special aircraft that were an unusually important phase in the life of military cargo flight.

As an example of the unique capabilities of both the crews and the Cargomaster, our C-133A set a number of unofficial records, including records for military transport aircraft on trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific routes. Among the longest were non-stop flights from Tachikawa AB, Japan to Travis AFB, CA (17:20 hours on 22 May 1959, and Hickam AFB, HI to Dover AFB, DE in about 16 hours. The only FAI officially sanctioned record was in December 1958, when C-133A 62008 lifted a payload of 117,900 lb to an altitude of 10,000 ft at Dover AFB, DE. I would surmise that some convening here had a direct hand in these and other records.

Our reunions, including this 6^th, have always celebrated a grand and glorious interval of our life- that of our service in the USAF and our personal relationship with the C-133A and Dover AFB. We were young then, very young, and it was a time like no other in our lives.

A continuous ongoing and out pouring of interest in one another for over 50 years poses an interesting but central question, “Why?” Our mere attendance would seem to suggest a simple answer-enduring friendship engendered by our small size with a big mission.

But, it is more complex than that and we have to look into antiquity to understand it. So, here is the complex answer and after hearing it one may want to revert to the simpler. It is equally as true. The reasons, in my opinion, for our reunion and hundreds of others involving military veterans revolves about two concepts: one important to the nation and the other important to those who served the nation in uniform.

The former, importance to the nation, is the common sense observation that escapes many of our citizens and the political bodies of the country: that military organizations exist to win wars. Winning the nation’s wars is the military’s functional imperative. In fact, it is the only reason for a liberal society to maintain standing armies. We were personally a part of that important national organization dedicated to preserving freedom and protecting our citizens. We were proud to be so and to do so. And, we remain so.

The latter, importance to the veterans, is traced to antiquity. Aristotle conceived it and the Greeks called it ”phillia”. It is broadly defined as ‘brotherly love’ and it is the glue of the military ethos, then and now. It is that bond formed among disparate individuals who may have nothing in common but facing the dangerous unknowns of military duty. We performed personal acts to help one another that were inherently good. That was the major critical factor for our success during some of the trying times we faced with the C-133.

“Phillia” exists to this day as the foundation for all military organizations throughout the world. The many reunions of veterans that we see taking place every year, including ours, results from an ethos first noted by the ancient Greeks. It exists in the USAF from the ground crews to the flight crews; and, tonight we have participants from all levels of our C-133 organization. Phillia never leaves the individual and the individual never leaves the military. That ethos, ‘brotherly love’, remains to our last.

During these reunion days we will enjoy the fruits of our ‘enduring friendships’ that were fostered and began some 50 years ago here at DAFB. They were the offspring of our relationship with the world’s flagship military air transport, the C-133A Cargomaster. It was the unselfish nature of service for the nation in the uniform of the USAF that brings us together, once again, maybe for the last time, for celebration and to embrace America’s Exceptionalism.

I am not certain there is another AF retiree group that shares such mutual feelings of trust and affection as we. We were one then; we are one now; and, we will be one for all time!

Again, welcome! Enjoy your old friends, enjoy your stories, and enjoy the time together that is always so fleeting.

Sincerely and upon behalf of the reunion committee,

Richard L. Spencer, Ph.D.

Lt Col, USAF Ret.

39^th ATS, MATS

DAFB, DE 1962-1965

Another Crew Tale

Countdown to R-Day: 4 Days to GO!!!!

Another Crew Tale......THANK YOU LOU MARTIN!

Unfortunately, due to personal problems, (its hell to be 82, but it is better than the alternative), I will not be able to make the C-133 reunion this year. As you may know, I have 4,700 hours in the “Douglas Vibrator” and was a member of the 39 MAS from July 1964 to June 1970. And was the Standardization Officer from 1966 to 1970. I have many good and bad memories of flying the “Winnie Wagon” and during the Tet Offensive; I flew it for 203 hours in a little more than 30 days. I joined the 39th after leaving my position as a Maintenance Officer for an F-100D unit in Misawa AB, Japan. When reporting in at Dover, I was pleased to see my old C-119 friend from Germany, Gordon Pink, (a flight examiner) and a member of the squadron. Gordy administered my initial line check to the Pacific in May 1965, which took 30 days to complete because at that time the paper pushing generals in MATS headquarters thought that we could stage the C-133 as we did the more reliable aircraft. Because of this policy, we spent many idle days at each stop waiting for an in commission aircraft to fly.

I devote a lengthy chapter in my book “Close Encounters with the Pilot’s Grim Reaper” on the C-133 and write about many interesting events when flying it. I would like to briefly tell you about just two of them which I think you may find interesting.

In May 1965, my crew and I were returning from a mission to Saigon and were enjoying a 24-hour crew rest in Kadina Air Base Okinawa. However, it was difficult to sleep as the wind was howling and a torrential rain was beating on the metal roof of our barracks. Sometime in the early morning an orderly woke me up and instructed me to call the operations officer in ACP. When I made contact, he told me that Kadina was under a typhoon evacuation order and I and my crew were to report to operations ASAP. After waiting in line at the ACP desk, I learned that our evacuation destination was to be Tachikawa Air Base, Japan and we were told to get airborne ASAP.

After the flight engineers pre flighted the aircraft in heavy rain, we started the engines and followed a long line of aircraft to the active runway. As we taxied, we were buffeted by strong winds and heavy rain. When it was our turn for takeoff, we lined up on the runway, turned on the water injection, the windshield wipers on high position and activated the windshield jet air blast.

Just as the copilot shouted, “Go” the aircraft began to vibrate and I heard the muffled sound of an explosion. Both the copilot and flight engineer stated that we were losing the number three engine. While fighting the strong wind gusts, turbulence and heavy rain I scanned the engine instruments and noted that the torque oil pressure, RPM, TPT and fuel flow for the number three engine were all providing erratic indications. This was accompanied by the flight engineer in the cargo compartment stating that the number three engine nose case was shaking badly. I ordered the engine shut down and the propeller feathered (which I was pleased that it did).

During the climb, the copilot asked me if he should declare an emergency and request an immediate return to Kadina. My response, “Hell no, we are not going back to Kadina under these conditions and have the aircraft destroyed by the pending typhoon. In addition, since we are light and Tachi is only a three-hour flight we could still reach an emergency airport in Japan if we lose another engine.

The three-engine flight to Tachi was uneventful, but after landing, we had to sit on a taxiway for an hour while they created a parking spot for us. When the transient maintenance officer came onboard, he was quite unhappy as he said that he would have to arrange for a C-124 to fly in a new engine and propeller and his maintenance people were not very familiar with the C-133.

About five days later with our aircraft repaired, we departed for the U.S. mainland with planned stops for crew rest at Wake Island and Hickam AB. When my copilot and I were approaching the Hickam Officers’ Club, I was approached by Captain Robert Carpenter (a standardization pilot from the 39th) who began to reprimand me for flying a C-133 on three engines from Okinawa to Japan. He accused me of compromising safety, violating MATS directives and committing an overall stupid act. I responded by stating, “Captain, you’re way off base and even though you’re a flight examiner you don’t know what in the hell your talking about. Also, keep in mind that you are addressing a superior officer and I would appreciate it if you would show some proper respect.”

After I explained the reason for my actions Bob (being the gentleman he is) apologized and we had drinks and a friendly dinner together in the O-Club and considered incident closed.

The above incident is just one of the many I spell out in my book along with a full explanation of the cause of our many undetermined accidents, our five month grounding in 1965 and what was done to get the aircraft back in the air.

Sincerely, Lou Martin Lt.Col. USAF (ret.) I wish everyone a great reunion and wish I was there.

Note: A second experience submitted by Lou was included in an e-mail to our list


Let me know if you have any remaining questions about the Reunion.
The Committee is heavy into Final Prep. It's gonna be GRAND!!

Dick Hanson

10849 Falling Water Lane, Unit C
Woodbury, MN 55129
Cell: 651-249-9541
Email: rehanson342@me.com

My Best C-133A Trip

Countdown to R-Day: 7 Days!!!

George Stoner has provided a great write up (with photos) of his "Best Trip" in February, 1971, the last year of 133 operations. It's in the form of a 13 page Word document which I am forwarding as an attachment to an e-mail distributed to our list of Crew Colleagues. It's not practical to post the entire story on this blog, so I'm just copying the first few paragraphs here.

Enjoy, relate, and remember!

Thank you George!! We'll miss you next week in Dover!!

My Best C-133A Trip

1971 would see the end of a great career for the C-133A. I had joined the 1^st MAS at Dover AFB, Delaware in 1965 when the fleet was grounded. I took my first flight as Navigator in May. The mission went to Southeast Asia and lasted six weeks. We would return home for three days crew rest and begin the cycle over again. This was how it went during the Vietnam War. Out of those 6 years, I was out of the CONUS, 5 years, 7 months and 9 days, all TDY. I had also earned the 5000 hour flying pin.

Flying in a C-133 is an experience few people can appreciate. As crew members in C133 aircraft, we flew all around the world to many exotic places. One of the things that made the C-133 interesting was the fact that we, typically, only flew one leg a day. This meant that many times, after eight hours of flying, we were done. Of course this wasn’t always true, when we flew in the Pacific there were many 24-hour crew duty days. We found ourselves with an augmented crew and very long days with multiple stops. What the crews look forward to most was going somewhere they hadn’t seen before. During my flying in the C-133, we went most of the major places in the world taking outsized cargo of one kind or another. We would fly both east and west out of Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. The C-133 was unique in that the greater part of its life span covered the Vietnam War. From the time in the early 1960’s when Vietnam was building, until the aircraft’s decommissioning in late 1971, we were taking many supply flights into Thailand and Vietnam. Our normal schedule from Dover AFB was to fly to Travis AFB, CA. through the Pacific into Vietnam or Thailand and return to Travis AFB. There we would be turned back to the Pacific and repeat the roundtrip over again. It was the rare occasion that we would fly east over the Atlantic Ocean and have a trip to Europe. These were always exciting and interesting because, typically, they did not go to places that we normally flew.

Such was the case in February of 1971. What started out to be an interesting but routine mission turned into one of the memorable flights of my entire career. The mission seemed simple enough, we were to fly two communications vans into Asmara, Ethiopia. The flight was to take us across the Atlantic into the Azores, where we would refuel and crew rest. The next leg took this into Torrejon AFB, Madrid, Spain. We always looked forward to going to Madrid because of the wonderful restaurants and great shopping. When we went to Madrid we only stayed for crew rest and left immediately after 12 hours on the ground. On this occasion, we would stay in Madrid while diplomatic clearance was being arranged for us to fly on through Saudi Arabia. This meant a 24-hour layover instead of our normal 12 and 3. Now there was time to go to the Plaza d’Mayor and sample suckling pig at Earnest Hemingway’s favorite restaurant.

At home, the living rooms of most MAC fliers were festooned with a combination of articles brought back from all around the world. There were ceramic elephants from India and Thailand. There were Hibachi Pots from Japan and all manner of furniture from the Philippines. Anything that would fit on a C-133 on our return trips, when we were empty of cargo, was permitted to be brought back. Usually the results were only limited by the willingness of your fellow crew members to on-load and off-load the shopping articles at each interim crew rest point. So on this particular flight, in February of 1971, landing at Madrid at Torrejon Air Force Base presented a myriad of shopping opportunities. For those who enjoyed the Spanish wines, many inexpensive high quality wines were available at the Class VI store. There was Spanish art work and many of us brought that back. Much of the art was oil on canvas, but the regular assortment of nudes painted on black velvet abounded. On this trip the officers club was having a huge art show. On display were artists from all over the area. As we came in the door, one particular piece attracted my attention - it was a 36” x 24”piece of junk art. The artist Vincent Hayden, was doing a whole series of artwork based on vintage American and European cars. Most of them were in a 12” x 8” format. The particular one that I looked at was a vintage 1860’s steam locomotive. It was made up of a thousand pieces of everything from thimbles, to garter clips, to flashlight lantern housings, to wheel weights, to lamp bases. They were put all put together to form one of the most interesting and eye-catching pieces of art that I’ve ever seen. I ask him the price for the piece and was reluctantly told it was the model for a piece that he had done for the American Museum of Modern Art in New York City and was not for sale. The museum piece had all the pieces gold plated and was on display in New York that very day. We went into the club to eat and after came back out and talked with him again.

George Stoner, LTC, U.S.A.F Retired

C-133A Navigator (1965 - 1971)

(Continued with photos as a Word attachment to our e-mail list)

Nuclear C-133 AWACS

Something new in C-133 history, or might have been. Jan 20, 1958 issue Life magazine, page 38 had a picture of a conceptual C-133 nuclear-powered AWACS. Here is a tiny URL.

http://tinyurl.com/35q9ymu

Thanks to John Szaly, one time engineer at GE.

Cal Taylor

Reunion Planning Post #22

Countdown to Reunion Weekend: 9 Days To Go!!

Memorabilia and "Show 'n Tell"

It's all about Great Memories....and the common bond we all share of our "long ago" experience with that unique Weenie Wagon, the C-133!! And the chance to be with our Crew Colleagues for a couple days, 40 to 50 years later, will be a real blessing. So bring on the "war stories".....all those crazy incidents and escapades.

Dig your stuff out of the attic, basement, and garage.....old photos, flight logs, jackets, flight suits, caps, whatever you never got around to throwing away. Our AMC Museum folks will have a Memorabilia Display Area in the hangar during our social program on Friday afternoon. Be sure to fix your name on anything you want back!

We're also going to have a few videos! The main feature will be a DVD put together especially for our Reunion by Cal Taylor (many of you are familiar with Cal's big red book on the 133, "Remember an Unsung Giant" (click on: http://www.angelfire.com/wa2/c133bcargomaster/home.html ). There is a professional video of "The Last Flight" (when they brought 61999 down from Alaska to it's final resting place at the Travis Museum about two years ago), "in the works," but not completed in time for our Reunion. So Cal prepared his personal video of the airplane as it came through McChord on that trip.......Great Video! AND THAT UNIQUE 133 SOUND!! We'll be showing that for all of you during the Social Event on Friday in the AMC Museum Hangar.

Then we'll have some "Show 'n Tell" videos after the planned event on Friday (about 6 pm), and before and after the Banquet (cocktail, sit-down dinner and program) in the banquet ballroom at Dover Downs Hotel (about 4:30 & 8:30 or 9:00). Some of you who flew with Jimmy Ratcliff remember he always had a camera handy. He's spending untold hours right now, going through his old photos and making a DVD of them. Also I have some old 8 mm movies I've transferred to DVDs that show air traffic at Dover AFB in 1964, and a Far East trip I made with Purdy/Luke/Hangar/Dugar/Sandstrom/Nicewander/Bond in October, 1964.

So "hang around" and rekindle all those old "war stories."

It's gonna be GRAND!!

Dick Hanson, Navigator, 1st ATS, 62-'65

Reunion Planning Post #21

10 days to R-Day!!!

I've just sent the final list of Reunion attendees (Crew Colleagues, not guests) to our e-mail list. In the interest of the privacy and security of our contact list, I'm not planning to post the list of names on this blog.

If you're not on our e-mail list and have questions about who's attending the Reunion, please contact me directly:

Dick Hanson
ph: 651-249-9541
e-mail: rehanson342@me.com

Reunion Planning Post #20

Countdown to Reunion Weekend: 12 days to go!!

Banquet Menu

Getting some requests for more info about the sit-down dinner at the Saturday Banquet. Here's the latest word from the front:

The menu will feature a “free range” chicken breast and a large crab cake, salad and veggie’s with a dessert. It’s an Eastern Shore dinner, better than a buffet. Unrelated to the menu, we will have a crystal centerpiece at each table and water. Wine, if desired, will come from the bar. Wine is $4.00 and a mixed drink $5.00 and Robin (the Dover Downs Coordinator) said the bartenders will have instructions to pour a “Big One”. “Free Range”, incidentally, is not road kill. We checked on that. Ha-Ha!!

Sandy Sandstrom

61999 in Action, 18 May 1968

I am attaching a photo of 61999 which I believe I took while flying between Andersen, Guam and Mactan, Philippines. My pilots were Capt Stan Bryk and Capt Bill Gilbert. We left Andersen on 18 May 68 in 62010; 61999 was right behind us so we made some lazy "S" turns and waited for them. They were cleared 2000 feet above us. When they caught up we flew loose formation to Mactan. The other Nav. (I think it was Jim Woody) and we took turns navigating.

THANK YOU, FRED DIETSCH!!

C-133 Book

I just shipped 20 of the Remembering an Unsung Giant books to Jim Stewart, at the museum store. I hope they will find good homes with some of the attendees. I will be attending the Travis gathering.

Cal Taylor

Planning Committee Stress Test; Post #19

As time runs down on the Reunion Planning & Preparation clock, we thought we'd recognize the hard workers in Dover who are under the increasing stress of making the Grand Events happen for a "bigger than expected" crowd of Crew Colleagues and Guests (they're even refreshing the emblems and cleaning up ol' C-133A, S/N 90536 for your touring pleasure!).

You know, this has been going on since right after the last Reunion in May, '07, when we started building our Contact List and initiated this Crew Blog, right through the research project in early '09 to find out when and what YOU wanted in the "next reunion," until Reunion Planning Post #1 just nine months ago (how about that for a gestation period??).

Hank Baker
Vito DiFronzo
Gerry Foss
George McDuffie
Jimmy Nolan
Larry Phillips
Sandy Sandstrom
Dick Strouse

THANK YOU, GUYS!! WE SALUTE YOU!!

And speaking of "stress," here's a link to a video that I think you will agree is pretty amazing! Just for a little break from the Reunion information (more to follow)....

Click on: Boeing 787 Stress Test

Dick Hanson & Rick Spencer, Communications Committee

Roll Call; Reunion Planning Post #18

Countdown to Reunion Weekend: 19 days to go!!

We've had some requests to disclose the list of names planning to attend the Reunion. We've been reluctant early-on to publish such a list because of our commitment to your privacy, and our priority to protect the security of our contact list that you've generously helped us build. However, our research and discussions have indicated that it's common practice to publish a simple list of last names (NO CONTACT INFORMATION!) shortly before the event, so members can see who they can expect to meet, or not.

So we're planning to publish such a list about 10 days before the Reunion. If any of you prefer to NOT be listed, please let me know by reply e-mail or phone call ASAP!

Dick Hanson
ph: 651-249-9541
e-mail: rehanson342@me.com

Here are a few responses to the above post:

Dick - you and your pals are sure enuf good guys for running this deal - and quite the deal it is! We're coming via light sport a/c - left Fri from Port Angeles - present posn St George, UT. Tomorrow PHX, etc til we get to Dover. Thanks for the great job.
Claire Gilstad


Hi Dick -- I am pleased that you all - finally - came around to doing my - among others - suggestion. This would have been the only reunion that I have ever been to that did not publish the registered attendees in advance.

The ex wife, the ex girl friend(s) and/or current girl friend could all be coming......LOL
THANKS -- AGAIN -- FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS !!
See you in a couple of weeks -- Joe Simpson


Feel free to publish anything about me or my address as an Attendee. I am Proud to have served with all of the people associated with the C-133A/B Program. Besides I am too old to remember any problems. Gerald F. Coleman


Let er rip...........Publish. Jack Slocombe


Hi Rick,
Am so happy to hear that!!!!! Now I can go back into my memory bank and remember all the good stuff…for sure I will remember being at Ft. Campbell during the missile crisis…was there on the flight line when the C-133s were churning and turning…this was IT>…thank God only almost….still get goose-bumps thinking about that…
So much looking forward to meeting you also…
Best Regards,
W. Erich Hausner

Reunion Planning Post #17

Announcing Reunion Souvenir!!

Each "Crew Colleague" in attendance at the May, 2010, Reunion will receive one "free" (i.e. included in your fee paid for the event) souvenir cap shown above. Additional caps will be available at the Reunion for your spouse/guest/family/friends at our cost. After the Reunion, any leftovers will be sold at the Museum Gift Store at their price, while they last.

Also, thanks to John Apelt for identifying the following website where you can purchase "C-133 Gear" (T-shirts, Caps, Mugs, etc) with a "C-133 Cargomaster" photo of S/N 62008. Click on: Cafe Press

Reunion Planning Post #16

Booze & Attire

Two important topics we want to address with respect and good judgment!

We feel at our age, we all deserve flexibility and comfort, so there will be no specific Dress Code!

For the 7 May, Friday afternoon Hangar Social/Crew Meetings, "casual attire" is definitely in order. There will be an open bar (no charge) for light & regular beer, red and white wine, soft drinks, tea and water (no hard liquor) with hors d'oeuvres from 1600 to 1900. Remember the Museum is open for visits from 0900 to 1600, and access to our C-133 will be available throughout. And you're on your own for dinner.

For the 8 May, Saturday Banquet @ Dover Downs Hotel, suggested attire is "dressy casual" or "business casual." Coat and tie, if you like; but don't feel it's necessary if you're over that phase of your life!! For what it's worth, I'm bringing a blue blazer and no tie, and my wife's thinking of "nice slacks with a pretty blouse & evening jacket."

Our Planning Committee is trying to arrange for a "hospitality suite" @ the Dover Downs Hotel so you can start gathering as early as 1300 on Saturday, with any leftover beer, wine and soft drinks from the Friday Social. Then about 1730, a real Cash Bar (with hard liquor) will open for cocktails before the Sit-down Dinner @ 1830.

Any questions, suggestions, complaints so far????? Stay tuned! More information to follow...

Dick Hanson
e-mail: rehanson342@me.com

Reunion Planning Post #15

Countdown to Reunion Weekend: 30 Days!!

With your great response and cooperation, we've built an active e-mail list of 138 C-133 Crew Colleagues. We have treated the substantial communication value of that list with great respect. You can count on us protecting your privacy, and not abusing it. During this last month before the Reunion, we are going to pick up the pace of e-mail information and blog postings. Many of you have asked questions we've answered individually, but we now want to share. Plus, we've received some "Crew Tales" and other related material (e.g. interesting photos, videos, web links, etc) from various colleagues that we think you would find interesting.

As always, if you have questions or reactions to anything we send, something you'd like to share with the others, or if you prefer to not receive information this way, please let me know directly by phone or e-mail listed below.

It's going to be a Grand Reunion!! We have over 140 Crew Colleagues who have paid for about 250 people to attend. WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU!!

Standby for much more information..........!!!!

Dick Hanson, and your Reunion Planning Committee
cell ph: 651-249-9541
e-mail: rehanson342@me.com

C-133 destinations

Last night, I was browsing the 'net for C-133 stuff. A couple of places had entries to the effect that the airplane was such a problem that the AF did not send it to very many places off the usual MATS/MAC routes. Well, I just had a fascinating piece from George Stoner, about a trip to Addis Ababa. Off the top of my head, I can think of descriptions of missions to Antarctica, various places in India, Congo, an old Luftwaffe base in far northern Norway, Thule, Nord, BW-8, American Samoa, Amman, Cochabamba, Woomera, Kunsan, lots of small places in VN, Belgium, Netherlands, Wheelus, Lima, Howard and on and on. From all I've learned in the past seven years, there were no limits on where the old bird went or what it carried.

Cal Taylor