Four Caribous Move 1200 in One Day The mission was to move a tribe of Montagnard families - some 1,200 people - from an outlying Civilian Irregular Defense group (CDIG) camp to a location in the interior. The job fell to the 458th TAS based here at Cam Ranh Bay. But why Caribous—whose capacity is limited compared to larger transports - to move all those people and belongings? A glance at the red clay landing strip at the Bu Krak site provides the answer. It is 1,840 feet long, 40 feet wide. Near one end the runway takes a gradual 35 foot dip. The strip is not level; it banks to the right for several hundred yards and then to the left -much like a “whipthe- whip” ramp on a carnival :midway back hone. The whole thing is perched on a hilltop with sheer drops on either end. “The Caribou is the only aircraft that can land here,” marveled Army Capt. Lawrence M. Kerr, American commander of the hilltop camp. “Even light observation planes come in only in an emergency.” Four C-7s left Cam Ranh before first light that Sunday morning. The plan was to fly into the camp, one after another, and with engines running, take on a load of passengers. Then a quick takeoff and flight to the inland base and off-loading there, engines still running. Take off again, return to the CIDG strip, more passengers, return, and so on through the day. With each of the Caribou moving about 35 people at a time it looked as though the C-7s would have to fly for two days to move the 1,200, But Lt. Col. Frederick R. Beal, movement coordinator for the 458thTAS, glanced at his watch at 1:40 p.m. He said they had moved 756 people already—and a few dogs, “We didn’t expect to move over 800 all day.” he smiled. “Things couldn’t be going smoother.” Beal, who has been flying for 30 years, said: “They sent me here to watch that we don’t over-load the aircraft. When a plane lands, we load from 32 to 36 people, depending on fuel, and also the equipment the people are carrying. I just count as they get on and cut them off when I have to.” The ‘Bou, he said, can carry from 4,600 to 5,000 pounds, depending on fuel remaining. On this day, they were spending an average of seven minutes on the ground before taking off with a new load of passengers. A typical turn-around was observed when C-7A No. 162, kicking up red dust, touched down at 12:57:30. Piloted by Col. Keith L. Christensen, Vice commander of the 483rd TAW, it taxied over to the waiting line of passengers. The ramp was lowered and 34 people trooped aboard. Col. Beal brought out soft drinks for the laboring crew who stayed on board, and a quick discussion between air and ground crews followed. Meanwhile, the 34 passengers were being placed in the seats and strapped in. The walk-up ramp was removed. But then from the aircraft came the call for one more man, who came running, complete with an overloaded backpack. He was literally lifted into the ‘Bou’s back end by two captains, one Army and one Air Force. The hatch closed, propellors, speeded up, and in a cloud of red dust and a hail of flying pebbles, the Caribou rolled back onto the runway. Dust swirling, it hurried down the strip, down the 35 foot dip, up the other side, and the wheels left the ground at 1:05 p.m. This one had been slow; it took seven and a half minutes. Watching the Caribous operate, Army Capt. Howard M. MacDonald, ground liaison officer (GLO) for the 12th TFW who was coordinating Army - USAF efforts in the movement, remarked: “If anyone ever doubted the capability of that airplane, they’d be convinced if they saw this operation. The C-7 is a marvelous bird - and that’s an understatement.” The entire operation took about 12 hours. Each of the four Caribous flew either seven or eight round - robins from the CIDG strip to the inland base - and back. Through the day, they flew 65 total sorties and transported 1,207 Montagnards; flew a total of 42.6 hours (10.7 each) and carried a total of 16.8 tons. This included five tons of rice they returned to the CIDG camp after unloading passengers on the circuits. Flying with Col. Christensen were 1st It. Parker W. Rosenquist, co-pilot, and Sgt. George M. Pierce, flight mechanic. Manning the other Carlbous were: Capt. Thomas H. Mosiaman 1st It. Robert N. Herndon and SSgt. Donald V. Sutterfield; Lt. Col. Edward J. Thielen, 1st It. James A. Gray and SSgt. William T. Frye; and 1st It. John H. Sandrock, 1st It. James M. Smith and SSgt. Michael T. Murray. Meanwhile, back at the inland base, an Air Force Major and an Army Captain, caked with dirt by day’s end, were speeding operations there. They were Maj. Robert E Baltzell of the 458th and Capt. James M. Brogdon, another GLO for the 12th TFW. The involved operation came within two weeks of the day two years ago when the Army turned operational control of the C-7A over to the Air Force on Feb. 1, 1967.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 01:50:41 +0000
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