The EC-47 Experience
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First Edition First Printing Copyright 1999 by James C. Wheeler, Clarksville, Arkansas Reproduction or use, without express permission, of editorial or pictorial content, in any manner, is prohibited. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author and publisher assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use ofthe information contained herein. Cover photo, the last day of EC-47 Missions, May 15, 1974 by: Stan Poyas Printed by Swearingen Ink Printing and Publishing 125 Porter Industrial Road Clarksville. Arkansas 72830 Dedication This book is dedicated to my Pilot, Major Harold R. Lagasse who passed away April 17, 1998, to Lt. Col Frank E. Hinkle, myAircraft Commander, Capt. Robert M. Harris my Navigator, "MY CREW", who made an impossible year the best year ofmy career. And to all the crew members of the EC-47 Mission who paid the ultimate price while honorably and faithfully serving their country in Southeast Asia, 1966 - 1974 It is hoped that what little information contained in this book will help the families andfriends ofthose lost to. better understand what their loved ones were doing and trying to accomplish in their absence from home. James C. Wheeler Msgt Ret. USAF Flight Mechanic EC-47 1966/67 The EC-47 Experience A small part of the History of the operation of the EC-47 in Southeast Asia, some from memories, some from declassified archived official documents By: James C. Wheeler Msgt U.S. Air Force Retired Beginning with my time immediately preceding my assignment to Vietnam in 1966, under Project "Phyllis Ann" A collection of memories Documents Mementos Experiences War Stories & Photos From many people who shared, "The EC-47 Experience" Table of Contents Page Chapter 1 The Time Preceding 1 Chapter 2 The Preparation ...............8 Chapter 3 Off We Go .................................. 13 Chapter 4 Our Arrival at Tan Son Nhut 18 Chapter 5 And then Nha Trang 22 Chapter 6 Some 361 st TEWS History 30 Chapter 7 In The Beginning 39 Chapter 8 Detachment 2, 6994th Security Squadron 47 Chapter 9 The Birth of New Equipment 48 Chapter lOA Little about the Mission 57 Chapter II U.S. Air Force ARDF Equipment. 64 Chapter 12 Operating Context and Limitations 73 Chapter 13 A Few Accomplishments, 1966-68 77 Chapter 14 Deployment - Redeployment. 82 Chapter 15 Nothing Flies Without Maintenanc 88 Chapter 16 Comments of other EC-47 Crew members 91 Chapter 17 EC-47 Mission Losses, 1966 - 1974 110 Chapter 18 A Few War Stories 141 Chapter 19 Historical Working Notes, TEWS Operations 153 Chapter 20 EC-47 Aircraft Numbers 159 Chapter 21 The Flight of Brew 41 165 Chapter 22 The Electric Goon, Introduction. by: Joe Martin 168 Chapter 23 Project Hawkeye by: Joe Martin 170 Chapter 24 Project Phyllis Ann by: Joe Martin 174 Chapter 25 The EC-47 In Action by: Joe Martin 180 Chapter 26 TET and Beyond by: Joe Martin 190 Chapter 27 The End Of The Line by: Joe Martin 199 Chapter 28 A Few Squadron Patches and Memorabilia 202 Chapter 29 Civic Actions 208 Chapter 30 A Few Places We Lived, Worked and Relaxed 212 Chapter 31 An end of an ERA 220 Chapter 32 Just a few untitled Photos 230 ii The EC-47 Experience Chapter 1 The Time Preceding The year was 1966. spring was in the air and I was happily doing my job as Crew Chief on one of the Iwo T-29·s. (a military version of the Convair 440J a!<osigned to the 3750th M&S. Maintenance and Supply Squadron at Sheppard Air Force Base in \Vichitu Falls. Texas. I had just a few months earlier heen picked 10 crew the newly assigned T-29. I had been the Crew Chief on one of the two C--1Ts. My C-47. Serial Number 43 15949. was <l beautiful ain.:rarl. It had the \vhilC painted top with the lower P~lrl polished to a nice shinny aluminull1. It had the slandard cargo configuration and was the lighter or the two aircraft. And as I remember. her stall speed was only fifty-five (55) knots. I also recall two occasion's relating to the speed of the "Grand old Lady" of the sky. - On one occasioll. at night. we were passing over Garden City Kansas. I don·r recall which \\lay we \vere going but would assume thm from our location. we were either enroute to or from Denver and Sheppard. We called in our position report and right shortly, we were asked to please confirm the aircraft type. I guess they were surprised that an old Gooney Bird was capable of 190 knots ground speed. ( Good tail wind) On the other occasion. we were going west, I assume to Arizona or California. We were out over the desert southwest somewhere and were pretty much following a major east/west highway. Working as hard as she could, my faithful old bird could not keep everything on the highway below from passing us right on by and going on out of sight. That was a long flight. (Bad head wind) I got in a lot of left seat and right seat time in the old Gooney Bird. On one occasion, we left Sheppard AFB around midnight headed for some destination, now unremembered, but believed to be in the vicinity of Minniappolas/St. Paul Minnesota. The pilot that evening was our Base Operations Officer, a Major who's name I can't recall and the copilot was an older. white haired Captain, who's name also has long since left me. I would later, in the summer of 1967, meet up with the Major again at Nha Trang, Vietnam. At any rate. no sooner had the landing gear tucked itself away in the wheel wells, the pilot gets out of the left seat and says, '"It's all yours, I am going back and take a nap". I crawled into the left seat and the copilot said, "You've got it", and pulled out a paper-backed novel. Using the small adjustable light located above and behind his seat. he settled down and began reading. [n about ten minutes, I noticed his book had dropped, his head layoff to one side and he was making funny noises often referred to as sawing logs. I now, truly had it all to myself. I had flown many times before with these two and all the other pilots that flew the aircraft, but this is the first time I felt one hundred percent in control of everything on the aircraft. No other eyes were watching over me, it was as if I was up there alone, just me and my grand old bird. I was not only the pilot but was also doing my own navigation and radioing in position reports. I was having a ball. Then. as I was relaxing and enjoying the trip, the dull, peaceful roar of the engines was rudely interrupted and everyone woke up in a start. Seems, being by myself in the cockpit, without the other pair of eyes to help me watch the falling fuel quantity gauge and watch for a fluctuation of fuel pressure as a sign to change fuel supply tanks, I had overlooked, or just flat missed the fluctuating fuel pressure gauge. When the left engine starved for fuel, naturally it quits. It does not quit turning, it just looses power and is being rotated by the propeller. just like the little plastic windmills on a stick you used to hold out the window of the car when you were 2 a kid. This actually creates drag as opposed to power and tends to make a horrible sound. Before I could get the fuel supply restored and the engine back up to power, the Major, now wide awake was back up front, between the copilot and myself. When he saw what was going on he relaxed and went back to his nap. I don't think the copilot ever went back to sleep. It was normal procedure to wait until the fuel pressure fluctuated before making the switch of fuel tanks. more reliable than the fuel quantity gauges. We had left Shepperd with 600 gallons of fuel, two tanks with 200 gallons each and two with 100 gallons each. The first two. the 100 gallons tanks were used first and were now depleted. And normally you have two sets of eyes watching for this fluctuating fuel pressure. so no problem. Soon we were beginning our decent to our destination and I had to give up my seat to the Major for the landing. The remainder of the trip was uneventful and we were back home the next afternoon. I had many experiences on that old airplane but never a bad one. I guess about as close as you could get to being bad was on takeoff out of Denver one day. we lost power on the left engine just before we lifted off the runway. That ain't good when you are already at 5000+ feet. It was the first trip after a Phase Dock inspection. Just as we were approaching liftoff speed. the left engine power just falls of to zero. The fuel pressure and oil pressure were still there and the engine was still running but at zero power. The pilot a Lt. Col. Feauette (probably misspelled). but he was my favorite of all the pilots I flew with, a gem of a guy. Anyhow the pilot popped his head around to me and said what happened chief.