You never want a major driving an armored personnel carrier!

   In December 1962 the colonel said to head to Stuttgart airport (Eckterdingen).  It was New Years eve and I was planning on attending a party that had been planned for that evening. He said I would be coordinating the transfer of Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) from VII Corps to the US Air Force.  He said he would meet me at the airport. The APC’s were headed for the Congo.

   I got to the airport around 8 PM about the same time 3 APCs arrived.  I recognized the SFC in charge and we all went inside a small building in the US military section of the airport.  We waited for almost 4 hours for the 4 of the biggest planes I had ever seen.  Each plane could easily hold an APC.  Just as the planes were arriving a Major from VII Corps showed up and “took charge” of all the VII Corps people. The SFC mentioned that he was new to the outfit and no one cared for the guy.

 

   I went out and met with the bird colonel who was in charge of the 4 planes.  He said the delay was caused by the fact that they were notified around 1PM of the mission and they had to find crews.

   It is amazing to think that you can fit an APC into these big flying machines.  It was even more amazing to see that the Load Master of the first plane was only an E-5.  As the Air Force colonel said the Load Master is GOD on our planes.  If it isn’t centered and in the right location, “we don’t fly good.”  I asked why they had 4 planes and he said the fourth is a back up.

   The first plane got loaded easily.  The APC drivers were buck sergeants and they could move those 40 ton vehicles like they were sports cars.

   The weather was snow and ice and made for some tricky loading. By the time they were ready to load the second plane I was on the catwalk with the load master.  I was soaking up everything about the plane and it’s people.  I was just amazed.

   The second APC to be loaded was ready but there was a delay.  The SFC and the major were having words outside by the APC.  The SFC turned and walked away and the major got into the APC and started driving onto the plane.  It was obvious that he wasn’t as good as the sergeants who usually drove.  He got it on but really wasn’t watching the Load Master and the directions he was giving.  The major stopped the APC turned it off and got out.  The Load Master informed him that he had to move the APC back so many inches and to the left so the APC would be properly placed for tie down.

   The major unloaded on the E-6 Load Master and told him that he was in charge of the loading.  The Air Force bird colonel, on the catwalk with us told the major to get off his plane and get a good driver in here to move the APC.  “This Load Master is GOD on my plane and you will follow his orders or get off my ship.” The rest is not printable here….

   Unfortunately the major got back in and started the APC.  He was obviously  mad about being royally chewed out in front of enlisted men. He began to back up and was turning to correct his position and tore a whole in both side of the airplane.  Not big holes but this puppy wasn’t flying any time soon.  I thought the Load Master was going to cry. I also thought the Colonel was going to shoot the major.

   The 6 AM departure was delayed because they still had to have a third backup plane.  As I recall the replacement plane came from England rather than Frankfurt.