My USAF service took up a very short period of my life. I earned a B.S. and Masters degrees, married and had a son, lost that son to cancer at age 15, held a career as a Juvenile Probation Officer, worked in retail logistics, acted in two independent films, sang baritone in choirs and performed many solo pieces as well, fished a lot, hunted some, and traveled some. Even those events are just highlights of my 60+ years of life. Retired early when physical limitations made it a necessity, and have built a small house in our piece of the northern Minnesota forest.
1972-1973, AC-119G/K Shadow/Stinger
From Year 1972
To Year 1973
Personal Memories
I passed up the opportunity to cross train with the Stinger crew at NKP. I recall witnessing some of their night activity across the Mekong in Laos; their continuous firey rain of destruction was an awesome sight, even from a distance.
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AC-119G/K Shadow/Stinger Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
Model Fairchild AC-119G Shadow / Stinger Length 86.38 ft | 26.33 m Width 109.28 ft | 33.31 m Height 26.64 ft | 8.12 m Engine(s) 2 x Wright R-3350-85 Duplex Cyclone radial piston engines generating 3,500hp each. Empty Weight 40,124 lbs | 18,200 kg MTOW 61,950 lbs | 28,100 kg Max Speed 208 mph | 335 km/h | 181 kts Max Range 1,926 miles | 3,100 km Ceiling 23,294 ft | 7,100 m | 4.4 miles Climb Rate 950 ft/min (289.56 m/min) Hardpoints 0 Armament 4 x 7.62mm miniguns Accommodations 6 Operators South Vietnam and the United States of America
