Every once in a while, a trip comes down the pipe that you must get on. It is a moral imperative. Missions are picked up by Current Ops from out in the system. These missions could be any DOD, Department of Defense, “client.” As a C-130 unit, we’re either hauling stuff or drop it out…
Welcome to Hey Eng. I’m interested in the history of flight engineers and enlisted flyers in the USAAF and the USAF. Why do pilots say “Hey Eng!”, where and how did the phrase originate? I’ve wondered why there weren’t FEs on bombers after World War II but they remained on cargo aircraft. In addition to…
The first time I went to St. John’s, it was an experience not to be forgotten. I think of St. John’s as an adult Disneyland. From 2003 until about 2014 I was there at least twice a year, many years it was more. When flying the C-130 to Europe, or on to the Middle East,…
I really didn’t know what it meant to be a veteran until I started to suffer the consequences of being one. The dictionary describes the word veteran coming from the Latin word veteranus, which means of long experience. Merriam-Webster describes a veteran as an old soldier of long service or a former member of the…
Day One – Killer sinus headache! Every summer it seems I have to learn how to swim all over again. I inevitably take in water through my nose somehow. After the first week of getting back into the pool, I end up with a sinus infection. I’ve never been a great swimmer, but I’ve completed…
I went to southern California, Orange County, for family vacations twice when I was in my early teens. That was my first time in the ocean. I loved it. Prior to those trips we would spend several weeks in northern Minnesota fishing. I really enjoyed being on the water. I’ve always liked swimming. Being in…
