Dover Mini-Reunion Planning Update

I've logged 23 affirmative replies, for a total of 39 people to attend on Saturday, 8 Oct 2011.

As initially announced the idea is to have a little beer & wine at the AMC Museum in the afternoon, then dinner at Dover Downs.

Sandy will be getting back to me with more details which I will forward to the e-mail list of affirmative replies.

If you haven't replied, and still have serious intent to attend, please let me know ASAP at the following e-mail address: rehanson342@me.com

Dover Mini-Reunion Planning for 8 Oct 2011

The idea is to have a Saturday evening dinner with a cash bar at Dover Downs, and before we get specific, we'd like to know how many of you have serious interest in attending. The AMC Museum could be open in the afternoon, with wine and beer available as before.

We don't intend to make a mailing, so our e-mail list and word-of-mouth is our total "marketing plan." If you are seriously planning to attend, contact anyone you know who may also be interested, and within the next ten days (by 2 Aug) let me know at the following e-mail address your intentions and the number of people we could count on from your party. Then Sandy and his Dover team will come up with a specific plan (i.e. menu options, cost/person and a deadline), and I'll get back to those who reply by e-mail.

Contact: Dick Hanson at rehanson342@me.com

THANK YOU!!

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

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

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

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

Reunion Planning Post #14

85% PAID!
249 PEOPLE ATTENDING REUNION!!

ONLY 7 WEEKS TILL THE BIG PARTY!!!

As of 14 Mar, we have received payment from 85% of you!! 121 Crew Colleagues have paid over $14,000 for 249 people to attend the reunion!

That leaves just 21 of you who told us you planned to attend (with 37 people) that we don't have payment from yet.

PLEASE GET THOSE CHECKS IN THE MAIL
BEFORE APRIL 15TH!
$60 PER PERSON FOR BOTH THE FRIDAY & SATURDAY EVENTS

Made out to: Cargomaster Association,
Memo: May, 2010, C-133 Reunion
Mail to: Sandy Sandstrom, 34772 Frontier Road, Lewes, DE 19958-2649

For more details on event schedules and features, please go to Update #10 on this Crew Blog.

Click on: Reunion Planning Post #10

SEE YOU IN MAY!!!!!!

Reunion Planning Post #13

Did you think you don't have deadlines at "our age?" Well, we've got one coming up that makes us all shudder, right?

APRIL 15th!!!!!

Unfortunately, there's something else besides taxes we need to do by then; advise the Dover Downs Hotel of our final headcount for the Grand Banquet, Saturday night, May 8th!

As of 10 Mar, we have received payment from 82% of you!! 117 Crew Colleagues have paid $12,825 for 216 people to attend the reunion! THAT'S AWESOME!!

That leaves 28 of you who told us you planned to attend (with 48 people) that we don't have payment from yet.

PLEASE GET THOSE CHECKS IN THE MAIL
BEFORE APRIL 15TH!
$60 PER PERSON FOR BOTH THE FRIDAY & SATURDAY EVENTS

Made out to: Cargomaster Association,
Memo: May, 2010, C-133 Reunion
Mail to: Sandy Sandstrom, 34772 Frontier Road, Lewes, DE 19958-2649

For more details on event schedules and features, please go to Update #10 on this Crew Blog.

Click on: Reunion Planning Post #10

SEE YOU IN MAY!!!!!!

Reunion Planning Post #12

Unfortunately, Crew Colleague, Robert Huston, is unable to join us in May. But we thank him for providing these photos:

We're over 70% paid as we approach the 60 day countdown!!

As of 03 Mar, we have received payment from 72% of you!! 98 Crew Colleagues have paid $10,635 for 179 people to attend the reunion.

That leaves 39 of you who told us you planned to attend (with 63 people) that we haven't heard from yet.

PLEASE GET THOSE CHECKS IN THE MAIL
$60 PER PERSON FOR BOTH THE FRIDAY & SATURDAY EVENTS

Made out to: Cargomaster Association,
Memo: May, 2010, C-133 Reunion
Mail to: Sandy Sandstrom, 34772 Frontier Road, Lewes, DE 19958-2649

For more details on event schedules and features, please go to Update #10 on this Crew Blog.

Click on: Reunion Planning Post #10

Reunion Planning Post #11

Crew Colleague, Tom Talbert can't make the Reunion, but he sent a picture of his cap purchased in 1965......wish it could talk!! That is one tired looking cap!!

We're over half way there!!

As of 13 Feb, we have received payment for 54% of you!! 65 Crew Colleagues have paid $6,770 for 114 people to attend the reunion.

That leaves 54 of you who told us you planned to attend (with 96 people) that we haven't heard from yet.

PLEASE GET THOSE CHECKS IN THE MAIL
$60 PER PERSON FOR BOTH THE FRIDAY & SATURDAY EVENTS

Made out to: Cargomaster Association,
Memo: May, 2010, C-133 Reunion
Mail to: Sandy Sandstrom, 34772 Frontier Road, Lewes, DE 19958-2649

For more details on event schedules and features, please go to Update #10 on this Crew Blog.

Click on: Reunion Planning Post #10

Reunion Planning Post #10

OFF TO A GREAT START!!

As of 7 Feb, Sandy has received payment from 43 Crew Colleagues, paying for a total of 77 people. Pretty good for the first three weeks. Keep those cards and letters AND CHECKS coming!

Our list shows that 114 of you had told us you plan to attend with 203 people. So we still have 71 of you for 126 people to "show us your money!" Hopefully by the first of March.

THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT RESPONSE!!

Our Planning Committee has connected with a professional photographer who will be milling around the Hangar Social event on Friday, taking any photos you want of yourself, a group of buddies with the airplane, whatever, delivering on the spot for a modest fee.

Here's the planned schedule:

Friday, 7 May:
0900-1600 AMC Museum open for visits
1600-1900 Hangar Social/Crew Meetings with hors d'oeuvres and cash
bar; photographer available, dinner on your own.

Saturday, 8 May:
0900-1600 AMC Museum open for visits
1300-1730 Hospitality Suite @ DD Hotel for casual gathering
1730 Cash Bar before Dinner
1830 Sit-down Banquet Dinner
1930 Program with Speaker

As always, let me know by e-mail (rehanson342@me.com ), or cell phone (651-249-9541) if you have any questions.

PLEASE GET THOSE CHECKS IN THE MAIL
$60 PER PERSON FOR BOTH THE FRIDAY & SATURDAY EVENTS

Made out to: Cargomaster Association,
Memo: May, 2010, C-133 Reunion
Mail to: Sandy Sandstrom, 34772 Frontier Road, Lewes, DE 19958-2649

Reunion Planning Post #9

CORRECTION!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE PHONE NUMBERS PREVIOUSLY PUBLICIZED (302-667-2840 or 2841) FOR THE EAGLES' REST ON-BASE ACCOMMODATIONS WERE ERRONEOUS!
THE CORRECT NUMBERS FOR RESERVATIONS ARE:

302-677-2840 or 2841

OR you can call: 888-AF LODGE, then extension DOV
(same as: 888-235-6343, extension 368)

I apologize for the error!
My thanks to Charlie Feathers in Florida for the catch!

Dick Hanson

Also note the following new Comment:

I just made a reservation today (at the Eagles' Rest for Friday & Saturday nights) and I would suggest that those interested do so quickly! I was surprised and hope it sticks.

Rick Spencer

Reunion Planning Post #8

OK, my friends! It's time to ante up! SIXTY BUCKS is the number, as previously suggested. Our Planning Committee has done the math, made the deposits on the space, the food, and the beverages. We are out on a limb! The good news is, YOU came through! We had to get a bigger room. Here's the current standing on our Registration List: 110 "Yes" responses, 7 "No," with plans for 196 people at the Friday Hangar Social, and an even 200 at the Saturday Banquet! Awesome response!!

PLEASE GET THOSE CHECKS IN THE MAIL....$60 PER PERSON

Made out to: Cargomaster Association,
Memo: May, 2010, C-133 Reunion
Mail to: Sandy Sandstrom, 34772 Frontier Road, Lewes, DE 19958-2649

No later than March 1st.........but the sooner the better.....we already have a budget deficit, and we're not even a Government operation!

We're talking hot hors d'oeuvres Friday (you're on your own for dinner), and a First Class sit-down Eastern Bayshore Dinner with great selections (cash bar at both events). Stay tuned for specific times, a great speaker you'll enjoy, a memorial table, a souvenir, and photo ops.

Make your own reservations for accommodations (see earlier post on lots of local options).

Click on: Reunion Planning Post #6

The best deal is on-base quarters, the Eagles' Rest, across from the Golf Club (BOQs in our day) are $39/night, with good breakfast/lunch across the street, call 302-677-2840 or 2841 (available to all, couples included).

Or the premium spot is right there where we're having the Banquet at the Dover Downs Hotel. Call 800-711-5882, and tell them you want the C-133 Event rate.

And everything in between!

Let me know by e-mail at rehanson342@me.com if you have any questions! It's only 16 weeks away!! :)

Reunion Planning Post #7

Sandy Sandstrom is preparing for a Planning Committee meeting on January 11th. Immediately after that, we will post another update, and broadcast another message to our e-mail list. At that time, we expect to announce the final cost of the formal Events (the Friday Hangar Social & Saturday evening Banquet @ the Dover Downs Hotel), and the timeline for payment.

We'll also update any other plan details that are finalized. They'll be discussing such things as progress on scheduling a banquet speaker, reunion souvenir items that could be available, and how to honor Crew members who have passed on.

Meanwhile, many of you have already made your reservations for accommodations. If you need information previously posted, click on: Planning Post #5 or Post #6.

Based on research feedback early this year, we have made no formal reunion plans other than the two events mentioned above. That leaves it up to individuals or small groups to make their own plans for Friday dinner, and Saturday morning for other activities like golf outings and lunch.

If you have any input for our Planning Committee.....comments, suggestions, questions, whatever....please e-mail me before Jan. 10th at: rehanson342@me.com .

And HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!