Received May 12, from Walter (Walt) L. Futch

Walt says, I was in the 360th TEWS Sep 1968 - 1969. I will be unable to make the reunion. However, if you plan another one, please let me know.

Received May 13, 1999 from Carl J. "Rusty" Hubbard III, Ft. Walton Beach, FL

Rusty says, I was a EC-47 navigator with the 361st TEWS, Nha Trang, RVN, from Oct 68 to Oct 69. Lots of memories from my fist operational assignment out of navigator school at Mather AFB, Ca. Retired at Eglin AFB, Florida, 1988 in the RF-4C Test Tactical Air Warfare testing business. Looking for my 361 TEWS squadron buddy and roomie, Chip Forsythe if anybody knows his whereabouts.

Received recently from Al Mattei. Al was one of the Navigators on our crew for the ferry flight from New Hampshire to Tan Son Nhut, 1966. Al would stay with the 360th TEWS at Tan Son Nhut and complete his tour, from arrival on/about 12 September to August 1967.

He writes, Dear Jim et al, I was half positive I was going to attend the gathering in San Antonio but since we last chatted I have had an indication of medical problems ahead...after considerable thought I have opted for surgery..and guess what..the best knives available want to do me on May 27... (watch those PSA's guys)..So I'll be passing on this one but if you decide to do this again..count me in. It was only a little over a year but I consider my time with the gang at TSN and the ferry flights there one of the finest associations of my life.....a class bunch from top to bottom...Have a great reunion and lift a margarita for me..best to all ...al mattei

Received May 16, 1999 from Arnold Y. Yuen

Hi, James Read about this unit reunion in the AFA on May 29-31 in San Antonio, TX. Let me introduce myself. I'm Arnold Yuen presently living in Frisco, CO. I believe I was in the third cadre that was selected for "Phyllis Ann" program and was TDY at Hulburt Field for Swamp Rat training then over to England AFB for flight training. Then to Hansom Field to get our bird. My ferry crew consist of LTC Russ Harmon, Major Larry Bonham and Capt Joe Snow (pilots) myself, Capt Davy Doyle (Navs) and Tsgt ....... (Crewchief/FE)

We finally reached TSN,RVN after two week flying the Pacific on Nov 1, 1966. Later with Russ Harmon was sent to Det 1, 361st (Pleiku) with the first operational EC-47 which was commanded by LTC Jack Crook. Left Nam for the Hickam AFB in Oct of the following year. Would it be possible to get a list of attendees?

I still have a "yearbook" of the first year guys at Pleiku which included all the personnel of the newly created 362th TEWS and needless to say old unofficial SQ patches.

Thanks for organizing a reunion for the EC-47 guys, Arnold Yuen

Received May 16, 1999 from Pappy Wallender

Am interested in further information of the EC-47 reunion in San Antonio later this month, also how and where the Web Page is listed. Ernie, please let me know if you may attend . I hope to check with Lou Coira to see if he would like to attend.

Received May 16, 1999 from David D. Davidson

Dave writes, I am interested in attending the EC-47 reunion. I was in the 360 TEWS April 67-April 68 as a Flight Mechanic. Can You Please send me more information about the event. Thank You David D. Davidson Ssgt then, Retired Chief now.

Received May 18, 1999 from Robert J. Cashatt of Rancho Cardova, California

Robert says, I was Chief of Maintenance, a Major with the 6994th Security Squadron at Tan Son Nhut from November 1970 to November 1971.

Received May 18, 1999 from Frank A. Cross

Frank says, I was a Major with the 362nd TEWS at Da Nang as a navigator and Squadron Exec. Officer in 1972-73. His last two missions were flown after the 1973 Truce, orientating the SVNAF on the mission and areas.

Received May 19, 1999 from Richard "Dick" Graham

Dick writes, I saw the notice for the EC-47 reunion in the AF Mag. I was a pilot in the 362nd TEWS Oct 71 - Sep 72 at Danang. I will not be able to attend, but I just wanted to say best wishes to all the former Gooney Bird pilots and crews. Have a great time at your reunion. Cheers, Richard "Dick" Graham, LtCol (ret)

Received May 19, 1999 from John Bradley

John called to say he would not be able to attend this years reunion but to be sure and put him on the mailing list for the next one.

John was a Crew Chief and Assistant Flight Chief witht the 361st TEWS at Nha Trang and Phu Cat in 1969/70.

John does not have an email address but his U.S. Postal Address is 780 Oak Grove Road - Apt #A214 - Concord, CA 94518-2704

Received May 22, 1999 from Alan Brack, Evansville, Indiana

Alan writes, I was a radio operator with Detachment 2, 6994th Security Squadron at Pleiku from March 1969 to March of 1970. Great web-site, wish I had found it earlier.

Received May 22, 1999 from Carl J. "Rusty" Hubbard III, Ft. Walton Beach, Florida

Rusty says, I was a EC-47 navigator with the 361st TEWS, Nha Trang, RVN, from Oct 68 to Oct 69. Lots of memories from my first operational assignment out of navigator school at Mather AFB, Ca. Retired at Eglin AFB, Florida, 1988 in the RF-4C Test Tactical Air Warfare testing business. Looking for my 361 TEWS squadron buddy and roomie, Chip Forsythe if anybody knows his whereabouts.

Received May 24, 1999 from Bob Burns of San Antonio, Texas

Bob just found out about the reunion and was requesting information. He says, I was an IRO (292) with Detachment 1, 6994th Security Squadron at Nha Trang in 1968.

"ADDED INPUT" Received 24 August from Bob Burns.

Bob says he was a SSgt with Det. 1, 6994th SS at Nha Trang in 1968, and sent this information on the crewmembers of Brew 41.

After reading the Brew 41 articles I was reminded of several incidents/stories about its crewmembers. Some are a little sad, others a little funny. As the incident occurred over 31 years ago the complete accuracy of these true stories may be lacking in the finer levels of detail. 20

KEN CORBIN

Ken Corbin lived in the same hooch as I in the Old Contonement area on Nha Trang AB. Our hooch was primarily a series of bunk beds separated by lockers with a small area in the front that contained a small table and chairs, a refrigerator , a small TV (for AFRTS), and our own home made bulletin board (That contained mostly pictures, jokes, etc - nothing official was allowed). When we heard that Brew 41 was shot down it was after the fact so that we already knew that they had safely bellied into a special forces camp, no one was hurt, and that they would be heading back to Nha Trang the next day. We were all genuinely relieved. After a while, however, our evil twins, the crazy, reckless GI's side of us took over and we decided to play a joke on Ken. One of the guys was artistic so we had him draw a gooney bird flying in dark clouds with a lightening bolt hitting the goon. Written above the scene were the words "Corbin, Stay out of My Sky!" When Ken finally arrived we proudly displayed our art and all (including Ken) got a big laugh. The next day (or maybe day after that) Ken was again scheduled to fly with Lou Stennes and the same front end crew. That was the way it worked over there. Ken seemed to have no problem with it and we all thought "no big thing". Well, as happened too often, the aircraft lost power on one engine during takeoff roll and was aborted. Standard practice in this situation was to find another airworthy, non-committed aircraft and proceed with the mission. I guess two incidents in a roll were just too much for Ken. A standby was put in his place and, as far as I remember, he never flew another mission.

LOU STENNES

Lou Stennes and I were good acquaintances at Nha Trang and socialized a little off duty. We never flew together however. When I left Vietnam (Nov 68) I went through transition training into RC-135's and was assigned to Offutt AFB, Nebr. After flying about six months, I was approved for "Bootstrap" to finish my degree. After completing college, I went back to flying and applied for a commission. Meanwhile, Lou had extended in Vietnam and had gone the transition route into RC's as well. On one of Lou'a Offutt missions, the aircraft went into an area that although in international waters, had (unknown to the crew) been declared a "closure area" by the bad guys. As they entered the area, they were intercepted by adversary Migs who attempted to persuade them to land. After waggling their wings etc. the Migs finally fired a warning volley across their bow. Fortunately, they were headed out of the area and no further action was taken. They returned to base safely albeit a little shook up. A few months after the incident, I was approved for OTS and my fellow X1's and I decided to celebrate. We were all having a good time when Lou turned to me and, in all seriousness said: "Bob, we've known each other in Vietnam and now here at Offutt but we have never flown together. Wouldn't it be neat if we could fly together before you leave?" Remembering the past I replied: No! Stennes, you're a Jinx! When you fly in airplanes, bad things happen!" We never flew together.

LTC DOBYNS & MAJ POLITES

I had flown a few missions with Lt Col Dobyns & Maj Polites who were not only professionals but had a very good sense of humor. I will never forget my first flight with them and especially the pre-mission briefing. After the standard intelligence, weather etc. portion, the AC always gave some mission specifics and reviewed safety procedures. Lt Col Dobyns favorite thing to do during the bailout procedures was to remind people that if they hesitated too long at the door that they might find themselves as the new AC. As soon as this remark left his lips, Maj Polites said: "You're not going to pull a Tommy Harmon on us are you?" Lt Col Dobyns laughed and said "NO" and we all proceeded out of the briefing room. Not being familiar with the significance of the exchange, I stopped Maj Polites and asked him what that was all about. He proceeded to explain: During WWII, Tom Harmon, the famous football player and west coast sports announcer was an AC on bombers that flew missions over Germany. On one such mission the aircraft got hit pretty badly by AAA, so much so that Harmon felt he couldn't keep it in the air. So he ordered the crew to bail out. Whatever his motive, Harmon stuck with the ship and even managed to get it back to England. His entire crew were captured by the Germans.

Received May 24, 1999 from Larry J. "Skip" Johnson

Larry just found out about the reunion and says he will be there. He says, I was with Detachment 3, 6994th Security Squadron in 1970/71 with a Commander, a young Captain named James Clapper.

Skip's Email Address is: mayorjohnson (at) suddenlink.net

Received May 25, 1999 from Ross Day, San Antonio, Texas

Ditty-Bops, unite! This is Ross Day, TSN 70-71. You could usually find me putting Jim Pearson to bed after his fifth cup of VO. I was also the AMS on Red Scholander's famous flare flight. Walt Suksta, that was me on 937 in between 25 left and 25 right at TSN. It was a copilot landing. They sent him to Pleiku the next day. I also watched 009er bite the wing tip of a C-130 and its resulting drunken drive toward the revetments. Funny thing about RVN, sometimes you almost died laughing. Sometimes you just died.

Received May 29, 1999 from Harry Patterson, Charllotte, N.C.

Got your web site from Revetments Magazine, and decided to take a look. Most of the guests who signed in with you were in TEWS long after I was. Got there in November, 1966, after a 31 day flight from Manchester,N.H., because of a 17 day delay for an engine change at Elmendorf, Alaska.

We were mortered on December 4th, which was our welcome to TSN. Had 129 missions, flew flight test several months, but had to come home early. Our son was stationed with the 173rd Airborne at Ben Hau, and was killed in a chopper crash after taking groundfire. I had just taken off from TSN, and saw a chopper go down. Called in to Rescue, but ddidn't learn till months later that it was his chopper. Came home to bury him at Arlington, and was not sent back. Retired from the Air Force in 1970, and have settled in N.C., my original home. Keep up the good work, and I'll keep checking your site.

Received June 1, 1999 from Horace Hopper, San Antonio, Texas

Horace writes, I was introduced to your 'memory provking and most excellent' site today by Dave Brooks, Col USAF (Ret) after hearing him talking to the EE / Proj Mgr in the next cube (HQ AFCEE/DCM [Dsgn & Constr Directorate, Medical Division], Brooks AFB, TX).

I have seen or heard from another PRONG or DACRON call sign since Oct 71. I read a guest e'mail from John Ekwall, Col USAF (Ret) who was a fellow pilot at Phu Cat during my Oct 70-71 tour. I have been unable to reply to his AOL Email address (see his memo 5/20/99) in response to his request (something about an URL difficulty). Perhaps this memo will be visible to him.

Unfortunately, I was unaware of the 'EC-47 Reunion' in S.A., this past week-end. Per D.B., I understand the next event will be in the fall of 2000. Perhaps I will be able to attend.

Note: I have a last flight photos and aerial view slides of "tall, muliple cascade waterfalls", etc. -- Horace Hopper, former 1LT 361 TEWS 'Goon' driver- Asst Vehicle Ops Officer - Awds & Decs Staffer, Oct 70-71.

PS: "Any van with less than 90-degrees of play in the steering is fully operational." Memorable event: I was awarded the infamous "WALKING PRONG" as the last pilot to arrive Phu Cat in Oct '70.

John Ekwall, Remember the name, but not yet the face (need to view the photos again) -- but, I was a 1LT (co-pilot, first pilot, & A/C) at Phu Cat from 29 Oct 70 thru early Oct 71, before departing for Sheppard AFB TX (2 B A C-54 1st pilot ... then a C-118 1st pilot -- can U say DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT career with ATC, '71- Jun'74).

Now a Civil Service Architect (since Nov '75) with AFCEE/DCM, Brooks AFB (SE San Antonio) TX. My work takes me to Beale, Los Angeles, Luke, McChord, and Travis AFBs where I am managing Medical MILCON projects. Expect to retire in a little over one year.

Well, you have my address -- so let me know how things are with you. Per info from D. Brooks, I may soon be visiting the VA doctor who wants to check on past Viet Nam tour folk (Agent Orange) to have him look at or refer me to a throat specialist. I do not and have not ever smoked and swallowing some types of food has recently become somewhat difficult. D.B. said the EC-47 site will have more info on that survey in addition to the first 'reunion' notes from the past weekend.

Received June 1, 1999 from Lloyd 'Jiggs' Watnee, Citrus Heights, California

Lloyd called after the reunion as he had found out about it over the week-end while the reunion was in progress. He says he was an Instructor Pilot with the 361st and the 362nd TEWS during in 1967/68.

Lloyd does not have an email address but said to put on his US Postal address and phone number. Lloyd can be reached at 5656 Timmerman Way Citrus Heights, CA 95621 His phone is: (916) 965-3824

Received June 9, 1999 from David Usher, Bentonville, Arkansas

Mr. Wheeler, my name is David Usher and I just noticed, in the Air Force Magazine, the reunion in San Antonio. I was stationed at Danang and was assigned to 362 TEWS. I was a Tech Sgt. at the time and was flight chief. I wanted to make contact with you and see if this is an annual reunion and perhaps I could make one of the reunions. I currently reside in Bentonville Ar. Please contact me with any information you might have. Thank you. David Usher

Received from Joel Blackwell, Alexandria, VA

What a surprise to see myself in a picture from Nha Trang. I knew Doug Campbell was in the first bunch sent in 1967. We built a lot of barracks until our aircraft came. I have some good shots or aircrews. Would you like to see some and if so, what format. I think I can probably scan and send them as an attachment.

I was not really cut out for military life and was quite vocal about it. At a party the squadron gave me a plaque, which I still have, awarding me the title of "Most Optimistic." They also gave us a little card with an outline of a C-47 recognizing when we flew over 100 missions.

Joel is the fellow who provided the white photo album that was on display at the reunion. Thanks Joel.

Received June 7, 1999 from Bill Sommer.

Bill left the following in the Guestbook. Thank you for the site. Am enjoying the information and hope to touch base with long-lost friends. Was at Da Nang from 1/71 to 12/71 as intercept and direction finding specialist. Thanks again.

Received June 10, 1999 from David C. Cotton

David writes, I saw your EC-47 unit reunion notice in the May issue of Air Force Magazine. In 1968 as a fresh out of tech school young airman I was assigned to the 14th FMS Doppler Nav Shop at Nha Trang. We had 18 Ec's that we were responible for. Don't see much published on them. I hope the re-union went well. Please feel free to contact me.

Received June 14, 1999 from Doug Anderson

The Information was relayed to me. Doug was with the 360th TEWS at Tan Son Nhut in 1968 and was, I believe, a Navigator and wanted to be included in the EC-47 rosters.

Doug does not have an email address but his U.S. Postal address is: 301 3rd Ave. NE, Staples, MN 56479 Phone is: (218) 894-3080

Received June 14, 1999 from Larry Eshleman

Larry was not actually a part of the EC-47 operation, he was our Predecessor. Larry says "Your Elder Brothers Live On"!

I Just became aware of your site; beautifully done! I was one of the MB/MD 203's selected for the hearability tests ("Project Sour Grapes") run from Tan Son Nhut and Da Nang in '63-'64 which were the forerunner for the EC-47 program in SVN. Lead A/C was (then) CAPT Bernard "Robbie" (Robson/Robeson), ret as O-6, ca. 76-77 2nd pilot: CAPT ((UNK)) Co-pilot: 1LT Wayne Kinney NCOs TDY from 6929th: MSGT Carl Taylor, NCOIC (MB) SSGT Charles "Chuck Semich" (MD) Crewmembers from Det 2, 6925th (DaNang): A1C Larry Eshleman (SELF) A1C Thomas O'Connor (former "Blue Sky", 6929th - 1960) A1C William Sealover ( ditto ) Radio Maintenance: A1C Delano Jolly A1C ((UNK))

There were several others whose names escape me. I'll look at my old orders and see if I can ID more. We went TDY to Yokota for the chamber in Nov '63 and got our "OJT" from the maintenance men. Our "HQ" at TSN was a while trailer in a compound behind HQ, 2d ADVON (forerunner of 7th AF). at DaNang (then Phuong Hoang AB), we worked out of the Det 2 compound, because our real duty station was up on Monkey Mtn.I have very few, if any, pics, because that was a no-no, and I canned my old flight logs when I retired - sorry! I still have an old clipping of me, Tom, and Bill getting our first AM for that project after we'd PCS's to the 6948th at GAFB in '64. If you want to get in touch with Semich, O'Connor, and Sealover, they all have e-mail addresses.

I went on to fly with the 6988th and 6990th, went Bootstrap/ACP in '71, and spent the next 15 years as an Intel Off, retiring as a MAJ at Hickam AFB in '86. I stayed on in Hawaii and am now a Foreign Affairs Off (DA civilian) at HQ US Army, Pacific, at Ft Shafter. Hope this is all of use.

Received 22 June, 1999 from William E. Flinchum, Winchester, KY

William says, I was also known as "Billy Ed". I got this nickname immediately upon arrival at NKP. The nickname came about because I'm from Kentucky.

I was stationed at NKP from June of 71 until April of 73. I had 183 missions over Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. I was an AMS for the last year I was there.

I've been talking to my friend Rick Yeh and it sounds like you guys had a great reunion. My wife and I are going to try to make it out there next year. I remember lots of trying and good times during my 1 1/2 years in Southeast Asia.

Received 27 June, 1999 from Bob Graham, Melbourne, Florida

Bob says, I flew 112 missions with 360th TEWS. Helped create squadron emblem - Antique Airlines. Crew members Jack Cummings and Andy Anderson, Navigator. Was Chief of Standboard for 360th. Helped form 361st and 362nd TEWS during tour at Tan Son Nhut. Jim Jelley was Commander 360th, succeeded by Bill Horn. Served from September 1966 to October 1967.