MSG Private RallyPoint Member 1596969 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>The wierdest thoughts in my head like us getting yanked off the bird. The irony of dying in a plane crash. Where we were just 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours before. Then the doors closed, we start to taxi, speed increases, and the bird lifts off &amp; EVERYONE, as if rehearsed yells with excitement. I watch tears give way to exhaustion as my guys put on headphones and fall asleep. I awoke in Ireland 2016-06-05T00:50:18-04:00 MSG Private RallyPoint Member 1596969

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>The wierdest thoughts in my head like us getting yanked off the bird. The irony of dying in a plane crash. Where we were just 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours before. Then the doors closed, we start to taxi, speed increases, and the bird lifts off &amp; EVERYONE, as if rehearsed yells with excitement. I watch tears give way to exhaustion as my guys put on headphones and fall asleep. I awoke in Ireland

2016-06-05T00:50:18-04:00 2016-06-05T00:50:18-04:00 Sgt Private RallyPoint Member 1596987

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>In Vietnam, 1969-1970, we did not go over, or come back as a unit. Going over the mood was somber. Coming back, I was afraid that we would be shot down on takeoff. The mood coming back was boisterous.

2016-06-05T00:59:58-04:00 2016-06-05T00:59:58-04:00 PO1 Brian Austin 1597035

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>No Freedom Bird, but "Channel fever" the night before pulling in. Mess deck was usually full, card games, dominoes, watching TV, just talking and BS'ing. The MS's would put out some food. No one could sleep. <br />Pull into San Diego harbor the next morning. Having the local strip clubs come out in boats advertising their "assets" and holding up signs for special deals. Having signs hanging from the Coronado Bay Bridge saying "Welcome home crew of USS -------, report for de-briefing ASAP!" . Then spouses and family waiting on the pier as we pulled in, manning the rails. It was an awesome feeling! Except if you had your duty day upon arriving...not so good...lol

2016-06-05T01:37:33-04:00 2016-06-05T01:37:33-04:00 SGT Philip Roncari 1597207

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>As I recall some of my Division the 4th was sent over by boat in 1966 from Fort Lewis WA.myself being one of the so called "boat people"Ido have to say the plane ride back was much more enjoyable,thank you US Air Force I am forever in your debt.

2016-06-05T07:41:30-04:00 2016-06-05T07:41:30-04:00 CPT Joseph K Murdock 1597290

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I would never sleep on the flights to and from deployments.

2016-06-05T08:47:10-04:00 2016-06-05T08:47:10-04:00 SFC Private RallyPoint Member 1597322

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Most definitely a image burned into my mind. I remember being herded into a sterile area with cubicles used for screening personal baggage. As I was next for screening I placed my bag on the table to my front, MP's came down the line asking if you had anything for the amnesty box. When an MP approached and tapped me on the shoulder and said SP4 Stanhope you anything to declare? I looked up and saw it was one of my friends from school, funny how you run into friends miles from the US and in a combat zone. Boarding the chartered plane with some 200 aboard, the men on board were quietly making small talk. The pilot started the engines everyone fell silent, as the plane taxied stewardesses giving flight instructions. The pilot came on the intercom introduced himself; and said "keep your hands off the stewardesses and we will get you home". Then the rollon, the plane sped down the runway in silent anticipation of liftoff. Thumping of the wheels on patched runway from NVA mortars hitting it in past skirmishes, the plane started it's rotation first front wheel lifted off the runway and then the rear moments later, all of sudden the entire aircraft exploded in thunderous clapping and cheering, we were finally going back to the "Land of the Big PX".

2016-06-05T09:13:53-04:00 2016-06-05T09:13:53-04:00 MSgt Richard Rountree 1597408

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Yes...in great detail. I departed KFIA early in the morning of 4 Jul 1991 on a C-130 bound for RAF Mildenhall UK. Independence Day took on a new significance for me that day. I had to leave the AOR because my DEROS at RAF Alconbury UK was about 60 days away and I had to get back to pack and out-process. At the time I left KFIA, I had been the Executive Officer of the 354 TFW(P) ever since the 354 TFW rotated back to Myrtle Beach AFB shortly after the Desert Storm cease-fire. The USAF was also rotating colonels into the 354TFW(P) Commander slot every couple of weeks during the redeployment phase of Desert Storm. My job was essentially a walking, talking continuity book. for these commanders. The last 354TFW(P) Commander I worked for was a C-130 pilot. He arranged to be the pilot on a C-130 that was being redeployed back to the world. His route had a stop scheduled at RAF Mildenhall and he offered me a ride 'home.' We flew across Saudi Arabia, crossed the Red Sea, saw Cairo and the pyramids from the air, and landed in Crete to refuel. As soon as we landed, the 2 other passengers and I headed straight for the local NCO Club to get a cold beer to celebrate our "Independence Day" before we had to depart Crete. Imagine our great disappointment when we found the club closed...it wasn't scheduled to open for another hour! So we had to hurry back to the aircraft because we had a specific time slot to transit French airspace that we couldn't miss...we _had_ to leave on-time. We picked up a retiree traveling space-A from Crete and got airborne. We overflew Italy's boot, overflew France, saw the cliffs of Dover from the air and landed in RAF Mildenhall late in the afternoon. My wife and kids were there to greet me. The only detail that I can't seem to recall after all these years was the name of my boss who flew me home...I think his first name was Steve. I'll remember his last name eventually...probably within an hour after I post this.

2016-06-05T09:45:25-04:00 2016-06-05T09:45:25-04:00 CAPT Kevin B. 1599488

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Coming back from 'Nam was some commercial flight that you kept a low profile on because we were baby killers. Probably the one's most memorable are getting the final ski equipped Herc flight off Antarctica before the winter set in. People would get welcomed in New Zealand with a bottle of whole milk and a head of lettuce. You'd typically gobble and drink too fast and barf it up outside. We had a list of "eco depositors" on the wall in the club. We were anal that way.....

2016-06-05T23:00:10-04:00 2016-06-05T23:00:10-04:00 MAJ Private RallyPoint Member 1936245

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Packed C-141 with canvas seats out of Taszar. Really long flight!

2016-09-30T13:28:28-04:00 2016-09-30T13:28:28-04:00 LTC Private RallyPoint Member 5594382

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>No, but I remember the first leg really well, and my LAST &quot;Freedom Bird.&quot; Probably remember the first leg out of BIAP because it was a short hop to Balad and the taxi was so long and slow it was as if we were DRIVING to Balad. I remember my last of three deployments departing Manas Transit Station, Kyrgyzstan in 2011, because we flew on a Delta charter and not a private brand like Omni. I have an uncle who is a retired Delta FA (he married my Aunt, an AA FA) and he said he loved doing the military charters. Probably because we know how to behave and have leadership to keep us out of trouble.

2020-02-24T09:35:19-05:00 2020-02-24T09:35:19-05:00 2016-06-05T00:50:18-04:00