A C-54 picked 3 volunteers up at Shaw Fld, SC, then to Westover, picked up a Col. and some furniture, refueled at Gander then to Iceland, RON18 hrs. I slept in brks with no windows. We fired up next day after extended layover. Day before was long.

Landed in London area off loaded the Col and the furniture then to R/M. Qtred across the autoban 200yds to the left side of the approach to runway, there was only 1.

There was a big building in the area, used as Service Club. Used to tie candy and gun to handkerchiefs for Lt Halvorsen to pitch out the window as he approach Templehof.

They had 1 54 that wouldn't trim worth a dam. After about 10 days someone had to go it the front hell hole,found 12 duffelbags still in there from transfer to Airlift.

The USN came too, the girls   downtown, asked about the white hats, They told them they had VD,The Navy got a 54 off the hardstand into the dirt,,.stuck like hell, no sweat, Navy chief got in cockpit, cranked up all 4 engines and still not quite out. Got the towbar and the Cletrac, all 4 turning, came out, jack knifed the Cletrac. prop tore off of #3 engine. The kid on the Cletrac scared like hell but uninjured.

Another time, night time taxiing C-54 overtook a German operated fire truck, picked a german fireman riding on the back.

I went to Iceland with C-82, navigation training mission, in January, stopped in Burtonwood to refuel and the rubber bladder was unsnaped in the wing and we were leaking fuel to beat hell. Just transferred fuel until it quit leaking and went on to Iceland.

The north atlantic carries much ice in January, There was a B-29 at Iceland, snow halfway up to top of the tires, hadn't been moved for several days,There was 20 inches of snow on the ground and raining while we were there The ice was still in the water on the way back too, I saw every cube. R/M sure looked good after that trip.

Going over the roster of the 12"TC reminded me of some things I'd forgotten long ago.   Trengrove was the pilot, one day. We had just spent
a 2 or 3 day stand down preparing for a maximum effort, so you can imagine all the C-82s lined up on the runway staggered, not to waste needed runway. Trengrove and crew were back in the pack, waiting their turn to go. The time comes and the plane behind them sees fire in their cowling. Soon as they gain sufficient altitude they bail out.Trengrove was picked out of a pine tree by German firemen. The C-82 crashed in a farmyard, critically injuring a German, it was only one I believe.

On another mission, to take PX supplies to Damascus I don't recall who the pilot was. I do recall the incident of the crash. Seems like the Engineering officer was the pilot, John Hanlon was the Flight Engineer, Thomas Frederick was the radio operator, could be that Trengrove was the co-pilot. All went well until it was time to leave.

Now try to picture this; A C-82 at run up, full power, flaps, release the brakes, short field T.O configuration. 50ft in the air Hanlon calls out,   "FIRE ON THE LEFT" so they bellied it in straight ahead. Trengrove was down stairs in cargo compartment, he was ejected thru lower side door, How? He would probably like to know too. The flight crew escaped thru the upper hatch. The left Engine was torn off, the fuselage flattened to about 4ft aft, and less toward the front of the plane.   I went out with a salvage crew with a "save" list. There was little fire damage to the plane, it had some wrinkles tho.

  I believe Frederick was a Rosicrucian, he was interested in everything. He even knew a little Greek, enough so that we got our evening meal at Athens. Seems the group of enlisted peons stayed close to him because he knew the language. Then on to Cypress where we stopped to get passport clearance to go into Syria. The natives were getting irate. The first plane crashed on the runway. It seems like there was a C-54 there for something or other. We came up with an engine change. That was 3 USAF planes on the ground, and a 4th with the QEC kit. (Quick Engine Change).
Some of us stayed with the Air Attache, People were demonstrating in the streets, I spent one day in hotel so as not aggravate the Arabs.

Thanks John for the great stories. Now dont go and CRASH your computer. (Smile)