Checking in

If ever you find yourself around DFW, I'd love to trade food and beverage for some of your stories. With the background you describe, there has lots of good tales you could share with us younglings.

Take a look at the Gaston's thread in the Fun Places to Fly section. If you could join us there, that would be awesome!
 
AggieMike88 said:
If ever you find yourself around DFW, I'd love to trade food and beverage for some of your stories. With the background you describe, there has lots of good tales you could share with us younglings.

Take a look at the Gaston's thread in the Fun Places to Fly section. If you could join us there, that would be awesome!
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AggieMike88,

That would be awesome. We did our initial training in the Turbo Commander at DFW.

God Bless America

Dick
 
Dick Goetze said:
Greetings. Dick Goetze here, checking in with my first post. During Vietnam I flew the AC-47, Puff the Magic Dragon.
God Bless America

Dick
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Dick, Welcome to POA.
I worked for Col. Bill HIcks, who also flew "Puff the magic dragon," in Vietnam. Did you ever cross paths? He also flew B-17 in WW2, and Skyraider in Korea.

Karl
 
kgruber said:
Dick, Welcome to POA.
I worked for Col. Bill HIcks, who also flew "Puff the magic dragon," in Vietnam. Did you ever cross paths? He also flew B-17 in WW2, and Skyraider in Korea.

Karl
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Karl,

Thanks for the welcome. Col. Hicks and I did not cross paths in Vietnam. I was there as a relatively new Captain, so someone with his experience and maturity would have been well above my level.

God Bless America

Dick
 
JustinD said:
welcome!

J-3 On Floats! what a great bird, I did my seaplane in a J-3 on floats!
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Justin,

The J-3 was a great plane for learning the basics of flying. Later, I had an opportunity to fly Cessna 180s on floats as a charter pilot all around New York City. In that process, there are very few bridges connecting the island of Manhattan that I have not flown under.

God Bless America

Dick
 
Nice to hear from e fellow Commander flyer! Welcome!

We'd love to see you over at the Commander forum too (have sen't PM).
 
stratobee said:
Nice to hear from e fellow Commander flyer! Welcome!

We'd love to see you over at the Commander forum too (have sen't PM).
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Stratobee,

Since I am new to PoA, I did not realize there is a Commander forum. I'll check in on that over the weekend. It will be great to exchange ideas with fellow Commander folks.

God Bless America

Dick
 
Dick Goetze said:
Justin,

The J-3 was a great plane for learning the basics of flying. Later, I had an opportunity to fly Cessna 180s on floats as a charter pilot all around New York City. In that process, there are very few bridges connecting the island of Manhattan that I have not flown under.

God Bless America

Dick
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I am seriously impressed. And I'm female so you still got it with the ladies.:smilewinkgrin:
 
Twin_Flyer said:
Welcome to POA Dick...
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Greetings Mac,

Thanks for the welcome. Flying with Angel Flight is a great treat. I did that for a while, and then they got a little concerned about my maturity (age). As a retired service member I now fly with the Veterans Airlift Command when I get the chance.

God Bless America

Dick
 
Welcome sir, and thank you for your service. Looking forward to those stories.
 
Lindberg said:
Welcome sir, and thank you for your service. Looking forward to those stories.
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Lindberg,

Thanks for the welcome. It was an honor and privilege to serve our country.

God Bless America

Dick
 
Dick Goetze said:
Greetings Mac,

Thanks for the welcome. Flying with Angel Flight is a great treat. I did that for a while, and then they got a little concerned about my maturity (age). As a retired service member I now fly with the Veterans Airlift Command when I get the chance.

God Bless America

Dick
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Yeah, they can get picky sometimes. I had to fight with them when they established the times for using a twin. I was a little short when the rule went into effect. When my mission count dropped they wanted to know why. Suddenly a waiver was available... The funny thing was that I could fly with AF East but not AF Mid-Atlantic ( the two regions overlap)... :mad2: Still a great organization doing great work...
 
Dick Goetze said:
Greetings. Dick Goetze here, checking in with my first post

God Bless America

Dick
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Welcome General Goetze! Look forward to hearing your Spooky tales. When I was at Eglin/Duke in the early 80s they trained a Central American country on a couple of Puffs staging out of Duke Field. I worked Eglin and Duke towers. Neat airplane. I served 67-88, Moody, Zweibrucken, Moody again, Osan, McGuire. Columbus MS, Eglin and Patrick, and Maxwell, uncle retired USAF 05, dad retired from USAF after 23 years.
 
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7,800 hrs ain't bad at all. I've seen 4 stars with over 30 years that didn't get anywhere near that. Must have found plenty of excuses to get away from the desk and go flying! ;)

Craig AFB. That place is a ghost town now. :(Of course Robins is still hopping but the last of their bombers (B-1) left 20 years ago.
 
Craig isn't a ghost town at all. Selma made use of all the housing on base, and many business/agencies use other base buildings. Beechcraft had a C-12 facility there back in the 80s but that's gone now. A couple of business built plants on one of the runways. So all in all, Selma has made great use of the former base.

As for Robins, the largest unit there is the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, providing depot maintenance, engineering support and software development to major weapon systems (F-15, C-5, C-130, C-17 and SOF aircraft). The 5th Combat Comm Group is there, and the 461st Air Control Wing (ACW), Air Force's only Active Duty E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (STARS) wing. When the B-1s were there it was a Georgia ANG unit, and then the USAF took the B-1s back to active duty. A few other unit there as well, not to mention the Museum of Aviation, a great museum and 2nd largest in the Air Force. Link below:

http://www.museumofaviation.org/
 
mscard88 said:
Craig isn't a ghost town at all. Selma made use of all the housing on base, and many business/agencies use other base buildings. Beechcraft had a C-12 facility there back in the 80s but that's gone now. A couple of business built plants on one of the runways. So all in all, Selma has made great use of the former base.

As for Robins, the largest unit there is the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, providing depot maintenance, engineering support and software development to major weapon systems (F-15, C-5, C-130, C-17 and SOF aircraft). The 5th Combat Comm Group is there, and the 461st Air Control Wing (ACW), Air Force's only Active Duty E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (STARS) wing. When the B-1s were there it was a Georgia ANG unit, and then the USAF took the B-1s back to active duty. A few other unit there as well, not to mention the Museum of Aviation, a great museum and 2nd largest in the Air Force. Link below:

http://www.museumofaviation.org/
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A "ghost town" in that it's not a major Air Training Command base like it was in the 70s. Craig was like a present day Columbus or Laughlin AFB.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevelamont/3802325524/

I got gas there a couple years ago and was the only aircraft on the entire ramp. Could swear I heard crickets when I got out.
 
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You probably did hear crickets, or gun shots over in the hood, former base housing lol. Yeah I know what type base it was back in the day, having closed in '77 when I tried to get an assignment there. Got Columbus instead. During Vietnam era USAF had around 8-10 pilot training bases, most of the traffic counts were higher than any Class B in the states. Busy busy.
 
Greetings Dick,
and thank you for your service. It's nice to have you and your experience here. Hope to hear some stories..
 
mscard88 said:
Welcome General Goetze! Look forward to hearing your Spooky tales. When I was at Eglin/Duke in the early 80s they trained a Central American country on a couple of Puffs staging out of Duke Field. I worked Eglin and Duke towers. Neat airplane. I served 67-88, Moody, Zweibrucken, Moody again, Osan, McGuire. Columbus MS, Eglin and Patrick, and Maxwell, uncle retired USAF 05, dad retired from USAF after 23 years.

I took the liberty and copied your bio, providing the link below. I hope that is ok with you Sir. If not, I'll remove it.

Major General Dick Goetze's Bio:

http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/106947/major-general-richard-b-goetze-jr/
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miscard88. Thanks for the bio, but if you don't mind I'd prefer you remove it. Given that I retired in 89, that is pretty old news.

We both served at McGuire. That was my first active crew assignment. I flew C-118s there for a while, and then got a desk job. I pulled alert in B-52s at Columbus a few times. I really enjoyed my 30 years in the Air Force, even those years when I had to fly a desk. While on the staff at Hq. SAC I got to fly the Looking Glass a couple of times a week. That was great fun.

God Bless America

Dick
 
First, thank you for your service.
I very much look forward to reading a few of your stories. Please don't hesitate to share!
 
Velocity173 said:
7,800 hrs ain't bad at all. I've seen 4 stars with over 30 years that didn't get anywhere near that. Must have found plenty of excuses to get away from the desk and go flying! ;)

Craig AFB. That place is a ghost town now. :(Of course Robins is still hopping but the last of their bombers (B-1) left 20 years ago.
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Velocity 173,

As punishment for enjoying 1200 combat hours in one year of flying the AC-47, I got sent to the Pentagon. Fortunately, in those days pilots were still required to fly four hours a month, and get a certain number of approaches and landings. At the time, I was in instructor in the T-29, so the folks at Andrews had me flying any time the boss would let me sneak out of the office. That Pentagon tour was for five years, so at least I was able to keep current. From there I went to SAC and B-52s. 8-12 hour sorties builds up a lot of flying time. Even today, if I don't have a reason to fly the Turbo Commander, I make sure that I take it out for a few approaches and landings at least one a month.

About Craig AFB, I was there in 1960 flying T-Birds. There are lots of war stories about Selma in those days. Most of them no longer politically correct.

God Bless America

Dick
 
scorpio said:
First, thank you for your service.
I very much look forward to reading a few of your stories. Please don't hesitate to share!
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Scorpio,

Thanks for the welcome. The war stories will appear from time to time, when generated by comments or observations by others.

God Bless America

Dick
 
Skyrys62 said:
Greetings Dick,
and thank you for your service. It's nice to have you and your experience here. Hope to hear some stories..
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Skyrys62,

Thanks for the welcome. I am looking forward to listening, sharing, and learning from everyone's stories.

God Bless America

Dick
 
Dick Goetze said:
Velocity 173,

As punishment for enjoying 1200 combat hours in one year of flying the AC-47, I got sent to the Pentagon. Fortunately, in those days pilots were still required to fly four hours a month, and get a certain number of approaches and landings. At the time, I was in instructor in the T-29, so the folks at Andrews had me flying any time the boss would let me sneak out of the office. That Pentagon tour was for five years, so at least I was able to keep current. From there I went to SAC and B-52s. 8-12 hour sorties builds up a lot of flying time. Even today, if I don't have a reason to fly the Turbo Commander, I make sure that I take it out for a few approaches and landings at least one a month.

About Craig AFB, I was there in 1960 flying T-Birds. There are lots of war stories about Selma in those days. Most of them no longer politically correct.

God Bless America

Dick
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Man, 1200 hrs in a year over there! Must have been exhausted after that. Closest I came to that was 875 in a year in Afghanistan. That was about 800 more than I wanted. :D
 
Velocity173 said:
Man, 1200 hrs in a year over there! Must have been exhausted after that. Closest I came to that was 875 in a year in Afghanistan. That was about 800 more than I wanted. :D
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Velocity 173,

Of those 1200 hours, 1000 were night time. Our schedule was to fly five or six nights a week, with one night off. We flew a six hour sortie on airborne alert. If any ground troops got in trouble they would give us a call, and we would give them a hand. We carried 50,000 rounds of ammunition. Each of our three guns could fire 6,000 rounds a minute. If we put all three guns on the line together, that was 18,000 rounds a minute. There were many nights when we fired out 50,000 rounds, then went back for another 50,000 rounds, and reengaged.

With that kind of flying, I really got to feel at one with the Gooney Bird.

God Bless America

Dick
 
Dick Goetze said:
miscard88. Thanks for the bio, but if you don't mind I'd prefer you remove it. Given that I retired in 89, that is pretty old news.

We both served at McGuire. That was my first active crew assignment. I flew C-118s there for a while, and then got a desk job. I pulled alert in B-52s at Columbus a few times. I really enjoyed my 30 years in the Air Force, even those years when I had to fly a desk. While on the staff at Hq. SAC I got to fly the Looking Glass a couple of times a week. That was great fun.

God Bless America

Dick
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Done Sir! Old news perhaps but I enjoyed reading it. Yes we'd get B-52s in at Columbus when Blytheville AFB dispersed them. Loved those MITO take offs! Once when I was working the tower an E-4 landed and went straight in to the Christmas tree alert area. Hung out there for a couple hours and then departed.
 
Dick Goetze said:
Velocity 173,

Of those 1200 hours, 1000 were night time. Our schedule was to fly five or six nights a week, with one night off. We flew a six hour sortie on airborne alert. If any ground troops got in trouble they would give us a call, and we would give them a hand. We carried 50,000 rounds of ammunition. Each of our three guns could fire 6,000 rounds a minute. If we put all three guns on the line together, that was 18,000 rounds a minute. There were many nights when we fired out 50,000 rounds, then went back for another 50,000 rounds, and reengaged.

With that kind of flying, I really got to feel at one with the Gooney Bird.

God Bless America

Dick
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You all didn't have NVGs back then did ya? That must have been one dark mess!
 
mscard88 said:
Done Sir! Old news perhaps but I enjoyed reading it. Yes we'd get B-52s in at Columbus when Blytheville AFB dispersed them. Loved those MITO take offs! Once when I was working the tower an E-4 landed and went straight in to the Christmas tree alert area. Hung out there for a couple hours and then departed.
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mscard88 said:
Done Sir! Old news perhaps but I enjoyed reading it. Yes we'd get B-52s in at Columbus when Blytheville AFB dispersed them. Loved those MITO take offs! Once when I was working the tower an E-4 landed and went straight in to the Christmas tree alert area. Hung out there for a couple hours and then departed.
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mscard88,

Thanks for pulling the bio. I appreciate that. Those MITO take offs were a lot of fun and excitement, but they also can be deadly. A couple of months after I left my Wing Commander post, one of our B-52s crashed during a MITO and killed the entire crew. It was a combination of supervisory and crew errors, but the bottom line was 6 crew members dead.

God Bless America

Dick
 
Dick Goetze said:
mscard88,

Thanks for pulling the bio. I appreciate that. Those MITO take offs were a lot of fun and excitement, but they also can be deadly. A couple of months after I left my Wing Commander post, one of our B-52s crashed during a MITO and killed the entire crew. It was a combination of supervisory and crew errors, but the bottom line was 6 crew members dead.

God Bless America

Dick
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No problem. I can see the danger of MITOs, but man they were awesome to watch our country's airpower in action. I was around quite a few crashes of USAF planes during my career. Always sad.
 
Dick Goetze said:
If any ground troops got in trouble they would give us a call, and we would give them a hand.
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I have one personal friend who says he was always awfully happy to hear a Spooky was on the way when his squad called for air support.

He flat out says he'd be dead if it weren't for one particular time a Spooky "assisted" him and his Marines with a "little problem" they had one night.

Thanks for serving. I can put you or anyone else who served aboard a Spooky in touch with someone not too many miles from here who would buy as many rounds as they cared to drink, and probably dinner too.
 
denverpilot said:
I have one personal friend who says he was always awfully happy to hear a Spooky was on the way when his squad called for air support.
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They still are Nate, with the AC-130. Ask some of those who've been over in the sandbox the last 10-15 years.

th
 
mscard88 said:
They still are Nate, with the AC-130. Ask some of those who've been over in the sandbox the last 10-15 years.

th
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Yeah I knew they were still serving. Was just thanking him for serving back when it kept my friend alive.
 
Welcome to POA, Dick, and thanks for your service.

I grew up near Ellsworth loving the Buffs, got an appointment to the Air Force Academy but didn't have the eyes to qualify for a pilot, so in my 18 year old wisdom, decided on the Navy. Spent 9 years in the back end of the E-2 Hawkeye, telling fighter pukes where to go. Some of them even listened. :)

Greg
 
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