Currently and permanently retired, however still serving. Living now in Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee and enjoying work with our church, community, American Legion Post 72 as First Vice Commander, Commander and Post 50th Vietnam War Commemoration Partner Chairman. Was recognixed as the 2021-2022 Department of Tennessee Legionaire of the Year. Very pleased to be able to recognize those Vietnam Veterans that did not return to a Welcome Home celebration. Also widows of Vietnam Veterans that did make it home, and to date 33 Brothers listed on the Vietnam Wall and 107 members of their families.
Other Comments:
Enlisted in the 1092 Combat Engineer Battalion, West Virginia Army National Guard on 9 Jun 1957, went on 6 months active duty with the Regular Army in June 1958 thru December 1958. With basic Infantry training at Fort Knox, KY, basic Engineer training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO and a further two months assigned to the 82nd Engineer Battalion (Combat) at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. Discharged from the WVANG on as a Private First Class on 10 March 1959. Enlisted in the Air Force on 11 March 1959, trained as a communications equipment maintenance technician, and retired from the Air Force on 1 March 1982 at Homestead AFB, FL. After which I entered employment with the Navidyne Corporation (no longer in business) of Newport News, VA as the Director of Quality Assurance in the manufacture of Maritime Satellite Navigational and Communications equipment. On 19 April 1984 I was hired to a civil service position with the U.S. Army Electronics Material Readiness Activity at Vint Hill farms in Warrenton, VA as an Equipment Specialist (Electronic). Two and a half years later I moved on the the National Security Agency at Ft George Meade, MD on 4 Aug 1986 as an Engineering Specialist. During service with NSA I was awarded the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation, a Directors Distinguished Station Award and the Directors Productivity Award and retired as a Senior Engineering Specialist. After numerous Air Force, Army and NSA TDY's and overseas tours, I retired on 1 June 2005 for the final time. A very fruitful and enjoyable government career.
My rides into and out of Danang, Viet Nam from the Philippines.
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C-130 Hercules Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
The C-130 series began as a 1951 requirement for a military transport with Short Take-Off and Landing capabilities. The series was born as the YC-130 and performed well in the latter part of 1954 with its Allison three-bladed turboprop engines. With successes encountered throughout the war in Vietnam and furthermore in peacetime, the C-130 Hercules spawned a plethora of variants that would include special forces insertion, arctic patrol, meteorological research, communications, close-support and modernized variants of the base transport.
Model Lockheed C-130H Hercules Length 97.77 ft | 29.80 m Width 132.55 ft | 40.40 m Height 37.40 ft | 11.40 m Engine(s) 4 x Allison T56-A-15LFE turboprop engines generating 4,508hp each. Empty Weight 76,505 lbs | 34,702 kg MTOW 175,003 lbs | 79,380 kg Max Speed 386 mph | 621 km/h | 335 kts Max Range 2,237 miles | 3,600 km Ceiling 33,005 ft | 10,060 m | 6.3 miles Climb Rate Not Available Hardpoints 0 Armament None. Internal payload of up to 42,637lbs of supplies, personnel and vehicles. Accommodations 4 + 92 Operators Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States of America among others (about 60 in all).
