OUA 1964 - Page 11

 

 

 

to the Government of the United States for maintenance of the Sites) notified

the Airlift Mission Commander to suspend further operations until tractor

operators and equipment could be in place to handle unloading operations at

the sites.  These operators had been programmed to be in place 15 April; how-

ever, Federal Electric, experiencing difficulty at the last moment, had been

unable to hire the personnel required.  A request was then made of the

Federal Electric and USAF Liaison Representatives for permission to continue

limited POL deliveries to Dye Site #3.  Pending arrival of the tractor oper-

ators, it was proposed to unload manually.  For reasons not divulged, this

request was denied even though the airlift was falling seriously behind on

its POL movement schedule.  After exhausting the possibilities of the Danish

labor market. Federal Electric employed tractor operators in the United

States and marshaled them at Stewart Air Force Base, New York, for air

transportation to Sondrestrom.  Arrangements were made for another C-130,

enroute from Dyess to Sondrestrom, to pick them up at Stewart.  The fifth

C-130D arrived at Sondresfcrom on 20 April with the tractor operators and laborers for the site unloading operations.  On 22 April, one load of POL and six passengers were airlifted to Dye Site #3 and two passengers to Dye Site #2.  On this date the airlift was eight days and 29 POL loads behind schedule.  The same day, C-130D 57-494, attempting its first delivery run of the day, experienced a drooped nose ski on take-off.  Emergency procedures for a drooped ski were performed in flight, but only resulted in the nose ski going into a "nose-up" position and jamming into the nose fairing.

Cargo was jettisoned in the Sondrestrom fjord and the ski leveled upon land-

ing on a foamed strip, but was damaged beyond further use.  This aircraft

did not return to commission until 17 May leaving a fleet of four aircraft

to complete the airlift.

 

 

 

          v.  There was no deliberate attempt on the part of the mission commander

or his hard working air-combat crews to "set a record."  It was simply a

devoted effort on the part of a professional team to take advantage of a for-

tuitous combination of circumstances to get a hard, dangerous job done as

quickly as was possible.  While a number of factors combined to produce a

uniquely favorable situation for ice cap operation, the end accomplishment

of this remarkable feat rested finally on the professional airmanship and

dedication of the participating air combat crews.  Many things happened dur-

ing that 25 day period which highlight these sterling traits.  Right from

the beginning, this whole group welded itself into a tight, smoothly-coordinated

team.  Mission commander, aircrews and maintenance personnel moved and acted

with flawless precision throughout.  The entire operation revolved around the

mission commander who directed his resources with the skill and precision of

a veteran air tactician, long schooled in troop carrier and air logistics

doctrine.  An individual of lesser ability or sheer physical stamina could

never have handled the bewildering array of forces and resources moving simul-

taneously toward a common goal.  As though this were not enough, during essen-

tial periods of crew rest, the Airlift Mission Commander would quit his

control post from time to time to fly delivery sorties himself to keep the

vital flow moving at accelerated tempo.  First flights of the day were sche-

duled for 0700 take-offs.  This put the aircrews on the flight line between

0500 and 0600 hours and the maintenance personnel at their posts between 0400

and 0500.  As high as five deliveries per crew per day were being made as the

 

 

 

 

 

 

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