Via Cousin Bill
The C-130A Hercules, tail # 56-0518, was the 126th built by Lockheed
Aircraft corp. of Marietta, Georgia. It was accepted into the Air Force
inventory on 23 August 1957.
It was assigned to the 314th Troop Carrier Wing at Sewart AFB,
Tennessee, from 1964 to 1972. On 2 November 1972, it was given to the
South Vietnamese Air Force as part of the Military Assistance Program. A
few years later, the aircraft would be involved in a tremendously
historic flight.
On 29 April 1975,this Herk was the last out of Vietnam during the fall
of Saigon. With over 100 aircraft destroyed on the flight line at Tan
Son Nhut Air Base, some of them still burning, it was the last flyable
C-130 remaining. In a very panicked state, hundreds of people were
rushing to get aboard, as the aircraft represented a final ticket to
freedom.
People hurriedly crowded into the Herk, packing in tighter and tighter.
Eventually, the loadmaster informed the pilot, Major Phuong, a South
Vietnamese instructor pilot, that he could not get the rear ramp closed
due to the number of people standing on it. In a moment of inspiration,
Major Phuong slowly taxied forward, then hit the brakes. The loadmaster
called forward again stating he had successfully got the doors closed.
In all, 452 people were on board, including a staggering 32 in the
cockpit alone.
* Using a conservative estimate of 100 pounds per person,
it translated into an overload of at least 10,000 pounds. Consequently,
the Herk used every bit of the runway and overrun before it was able to
get airborne.
The target was Thailand, which should have been 1:20 in flight time, but
after an hour and a half, the aircraft was over the Gulf of Slam, and
they were clearly lost. Finally, a map was located, they identified some
terrain features, and they were able to navigate. They landed at
Utapao, Thailand after a three and a half hour flight.
Ground personnel were shocked at what "fell out" as they opened the
doors. It was clear that a longer flight would almost certainly have
resulted in a loss of life. In the end, however, all 452 people made it
to freedom aboard this historic C-130.
Upon landing, the aircraft was reclaimed by the United States Air Force
and was assigned to two different Air National Guard units for the next
14 years. On 28 June 1989, it made its final flight to Little Rock Air
Force Base, current home of the 314th Airlift Wing, and was placed on
static display.
*************************
Hue crying.
*
Evacuation
\
After the C-141 started taxiing, I thought the
Vietnamese had been left, but just then the pilot's door opened and out
came a host! They had been taken in a service vehicle that backed up to
the plane, and let them on.
