 |
 Steve
Lentz's
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|
Steve
Lentz's
|
Foreword by Steve Lentz |
The Pictures |
| I came from an
Air Force family and was the last of five sons to serve. I joined the Air
Force in Feb. of 1967, on the DEP program, and left for Lackland AFB,
Texas on 16 May '67. Following Basic Training, I went to Sheppard AFB,
Texas for Tech School to be trained as an Aircraft Maintenance Technician.
Having completed Tech School, my first PCS was to Peterson Field near
Colorado Springs. Here I worked on T-29s and C-131s in phase docks. I got
to do my first flying on Air Force aircraft at Pete Field. We flew rescue
missions there (on T-29s) looking for downed civilian aircraft in the
Rocky Mountains. I got my five level at Pete Field and, after volunteering
twice, got orders for Vietnam.
Before leaving for Vietnam, I was assigned to the 304S Field Training Detachment at Sewart AFB, Tennessee. This was a FAM School for C-7A Caribous. I left for Vietnam on 18 Nov.'68, having been assigned to the 458th Tactical Airlift Squadron at Cam Ranh Bay. Here I served as a Crewchief on a C-7A Caribou (62-4181). During my tour in Vietnam, I had one TDY to the Philippines (for corrosion control) and two TDYs to Nha Trang where we had a mission site located with the 5th Special Forces. My fondest memories of Vietnam are of the times I spent working with and flying with the Green Berets. They were some very unique men and, probably, the most courageous and professional I had the Honor to serve with! On 18 Nov.'69, I left the War and some Very Special Friends
behind. I was reassigned to Castle AFB, Ca. and retrained on jets. I got
my 43151E there and finished my enlistment working on KC-135s. While I
briefly considered becoming a boom operator, I found my enthusiasm for
Military service soured by the way Vietnam Vets were being treated and the
way our leadership had handled the Vietnam |
C-123 at Nha Trang | Crispy Critter |
| Ready for Corrosion Control | Engine Runup | |
| Functional Check Flight | Operationally Ready | |
| Thumbs Up | Air Drop 1 | |
| Air Drop 2 | Air Drop 3 | |
| Air Drop 4 | Air Drop 5 | |
| Air Drop 6 | Ninh Hoa | |
| Big Bertha 1 | Big Bertha 2 | |
| Beach Bunker | Caribou Cockpit | |
| Motley Crewchiefs | Enroute to Nha Trang | |
| Petroleum Jetty 1 | Petroleum Jetty 2 | |
| Downtown Nha Trang | Cam Ranh Flight Line | |
| Chinook 1 | Chinook 2 | |
| Chinook 3 | Jolly Green | |
| Derelict Landing Craft | Steve at Nha Trang | |
| Steve at Cam Ranh | Steve | |
| Miles | Buddies | |
| Steve Again | Fresh A-1s | |
| Nha Trang Aerial View | Nha Trang Mission Site | |
| Oil Leak | Rocket Attack 1 | |
| Rocket Attack 2 | Rocket Attack 3 | |
| Red Alert | Red Tail Inn | |
| Ship at Cam Ranh | Tiger Lake 1 | |
| Tiger Lake 2 | Transient A-1E 1 | |
| Transient A-1E 2 | Transient A-1E 3 | |
| USO Show | Cam Ranh | |
| Unofficial Patch | Where are they now? |
