Part 1--1986 Norton AFB, MAC C-141 Mission to Pacific Bases 

I was stationed at Norton AFB (63 MAW) from 1970-1972 and 1974-1981.....Duty stations included the 63 CES, USAF Clinic, 63 Transp Sq, and HQ AAVS.....GREAT BASE!!....took hops on the C-141, T-29, C-5, and C-118!!

Oh those shrill TF-33s! The buzz of the -60 power carts! The smell of JP4, 5506, sealant, the galley, blue toilet water, flight kitchen coffe and box nasties and jet exhaust! The hot and cold cargo compartment. Long hours on the flight line. Travel to hickam, Anderson, Frankfurt, dozens of times a year. Being young and can put up with the lifestyle. 1986, C-141B, MAFB, Where it all started for me. I thoroughly enjoyed being in the air force back then. 31 years, two wars later and the new social engineering campaign, glad to be done with it.

Takes me back. I was a C-141 loadmaster at McChord in the mid-60’s. Hit all those stops and many more.

Seeing Travis AFB was cool. I served as an aircraft mechanic 1970-1972 with the 602 OMS. Stationed at Charleston AFB 1982-89. The C-141 was a good aircraft and yes those TF-33s do take a toll on hearing. I sure liked working on them.

I remember the 0807/0808 missions when I was a CP Controller at Clark AB (1986-88) and then Travis AFB (1988-89).

Prior C-141 nav at Norton for two tours (1975-1980 & 1986-1987), both with the 53rd squadron. Video brings back memories.

When I was at Norton, I couldn't wait for the Santa Anna winds to blow the smog towards the coast. When that happened, the area looked so nice with the surrounding mountains in the background.

At Clark AB, Philippines, 374th Aerial Port Squadron/ATOC/NCOIC Load Planning. This was a high priority daily mission . 807/808 ran 365 days without failure. You couldn’t delay this mission!

My dad was in the 63rd MAW, he worked on 0005, 0028, and 0035 and was in the engine shop, 83-86. And I was born on March AFB in Feb of 86. So cool to see what my dad worked on and what the things he talks about actually looked like when he was there! Nice video!!!! Super Cool!

Flew on those beauties many times back in the mid eighties from Diego Garcia to Clark air base for liberty.Great way to burn up the free basket leave they gave me for extending on Diego for another year.Would sleep in the jump seats for the 7 hour ride and had to be in a working uniform to get on.Actually got to sit in the co-pilot seat on one of the runs,what a cool aircraft.Always got a box lunch and some hot coffee on the way!Thanks brothers for those many lifts to party town!

The C141 served our country so well. A reliable workhorse.

Great video. I crewed 141s at McGuire in the '70s before going to SAC (March AFB) in the early '80s, and I ended up retiring in that area. These sights and sounds bring back a lot of memories, not just of the jet, but good old smoggy '80s SoCal, also Travis and Hickam. That crew looks and sounds so scary young, but I guess we all did. We all carried a heavy responsibility at such a young age. I hardly took even any photos of those days, let alone video. It all seemed so normal and unremarkable at the time, like it was going to last forever. Preserving it to look at forty or fifty years down the road never crossed my mind.

Look at how young they are. I say that with the utmost respect.

Former 729th guy, this brought back a lot of memories. Thanks for sharing!

Once a Pelican, Always a Pelican. I was in the 14th after they moved to Charleston and spent more time in the Europe but I sure loved jumping on a Pacific flight when I could. Thank you for taking the time to document the trip and even more so for sharing.

I did a lot of those way back when I was very young. My biggest takeaway from my years at Norton, 1986 - 1993, the drugs. Interesting times but would never want to go back and relive those days.

Brings back memories of flying AFRES out of Norton (1981-1984). I pretty much flew the entire Pacific (Hawaii, Kwag, Australia, New Zealand, Guam, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Diego Garcia (Indian Ocean), etc.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching your video. I flew side-saddle on 141s out of McChord between ‘86 and ‘89.

I like your video! Brings back so many memories when I used to catch space available flights to and from Norton to Andersen AFB, Guam in 1979 - 1986. 🇺🇸👍🇺🇸

I was born and raised on the island of Maui and I served at Norton Air Base San Bernardino between 1969 to 1972. It's funny to see that this one flight lands at Hickam Air Force Base on the island of Oahu. I enjoyed your brief tour of Waikiki, but It's to bad that you didn't have time to rent a car and got to see more of the island. Aloha!

I was stationed here in 1970-1971, have fond memories of Norton and San Bernadino. Did my time as security police. Exactly a year to the day I got orders for Tan Son Nhut AB in Vietnam. Spent a year there and my last at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wy.

Good presentation of a cross section of the mid 1980s MAC C-141 mission. Airdrop SKE (station keeping equipment) mission with a six ship formation, an AR (aerial refueling) sequence followed by the Pacific 807/808 airlift mission. I really enjoyed the Andersen AFB, Guam segment having served there in the 605 MASS Command Post 1985-87.

Very Cool! was an aircraft mechanic in the 63rd FMS 78 thru 80 and flew as a flight engineer 43 MAS at Charleston AFB.

Was stationed at Norton AFB till closed 1990's. Flight line, Home station check and canalization bird. left 1992 or 1993 ish Oh the smog in Riverside and San Bardo : )

We always ran into 141's down stream with our C-130s back in the 80s and sometimes very colorful moments... T-tailed, bent wing, bug sucking, mountain magnet.

Love the video. I was at Norton 81-89, Red flight Alpha 4. 005 was one of our aircraft. 43172 crew chief.

I was stationed at McChord 1967-1970 aircraft recovery unit and replaced many pitch trim activators. Did you know that only 4 bolts held a wing on.

Balls 5 Originating the 807...Been there..done that...63 APS 82 to 86

Did about 15 years on them at Travis and McChord

My guys! NAFB 1975-realignment 14MAS & 729MAS. This crew is the 53rd.

I was at Hickam then just before WPAFB.

Seen a few of these birds at Yakota

FE 14th MAS/63rd MAW Norton 67-74

I worked "A" Models in the mid-70's at Dover, Del.

Where is the 63rd wing? I was at the 60th at Travis, crew chief on 0032 in the 80s!

Did I see a red light in the landing gear handle

Balls five and balls seven worked on those birds 69 /70 flight line jet dispatch

The "Tube of Pain" was the best! FE with Memphis ANG 155 AS '97-'02 & McGuire 6 AS "Bully Beef" '02-'04 before moving on to "Big Sexy" (KC-10) at Travis!💺 🌏